Restocking a pinned barrel piece

[trettie]

I’m considering restocking a matchlock that has a pinned barrel. I’m good with all the woodwork required, but unclear on how to re-pin the barrel in a new stock. Is there a technique to locating the pin holes in the lugs?

Thanks for any wisdom.
Tom R.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Fill the lug holes with solder and drill new holes when you have it in your new stock.

 

[ZUG]

Once you have the barrel channel cut into the stock slide the mounting pins through the mounting tabs on the barrel then place the barrel on the stock and mark the position of the pins on the side of the stock. Now you have the pin position along the stock you only need to establish the vertical location which is done by measuring the hole in the tab from the top of the barrel. Again put the barrel into the stock and using a carpenter's square placed the short leg on the top of the barrel and the long leg up against the stock and mark the vertical position that you just measure. Now you have the hole location. Make a center mark on the stock with a pointy scribe - do this on both sides of the stock. If you have a drill press drill half the depth of the hole on one side then turn the stock over and drill the other half of the hole on the other side. Now you should have a through hole inline with the hole in the barrel mounting tab IF you measure everything correctly and your stock was squared up (top, & both sides) in the beginning

 

[deerstalkert]

Once you have the barrel channel cut into the stock slide the mounting pins through the mounting tabs on the barrel then place the barrel on the stock and mark the position of the pins on the side of the stock. Now you have the pin position along the stock you only need to establish the vertical location which is done by measuring the hole in the tab from the top of the barrel. Again put the barrel into the stock and using a carpenter's square placed the short leg on the top of the barrel and the long leg up against the stock and mark the vertical position that you just measure. Now you have the hole location. Make a center mark on the stock with a pointy scribe - do this on both sides of the stock. If you have a drill press drill half the depth of the hole on one side then turn the stock over and drill the other half of the hole on the other side. Now you should have a through hole inline with the hole in the barrel mounting tab IF you measure everything correctly and your stock was squared up (top, & both sides) in the beginning

works for me every time. someone will be along to say it's all wrong.

 

[Phil Coffins]

My method is different, not right, just different. After inletting the barrel I remove it and jig it up in a drill press. The correct drill bit is placed in the hole while in the chuck. The quill is raised and the stock is mounted with the barrel position held by the jig. Then carefully drill threw the wood.

 

[deerstalkert]

I will be adopting Phil's method as soon as i get a decent drill press. almost foolproof. Almost because this old fool could mess it up!

 

[hanshi]

I had to have a new lug drilled for a pin in one of my guns. The friend who actually did it for me measured with a tape and drilled it with an electric hand drill as casually and quickly as I've ever seen (he'd already drilled the hole in the lug). Took him only seconds and dam&#%! if he didn't get it PERFECT! I would have made a serious mess of it but he has skills plus has built rifles. I'm astonished by those who can do such work.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I mess up lug holes, at least one on every gun. I drill the errant hole out and tap it for a small brass or steel machine screw, I counter sink the screw hole in and out slightly, screw in the screw coated with solder paste and solder it into place. I cut off the excess, peen the screw into the countersink and file the lug smooth, probably overkill but it works for me.

On my precarve rifle from hell something moved when I drilled the front lug hole on the trigger guard, I ended up with a gap I could see daylight through at the front lug where it met the wood, that wasn't going to cut it.

The patch cleaned up;

Everything is nice and tight now.

 

[BJHabermehl]

I mess up lug holes, at least one on every gun. I drill the errant hole out and tap it for a small brass or steel machine screw, I counter sink the screw hole in and out slightly, screw in the screw coated with solder paste and solder it into place. I cut off the excess, peen the screw into the countersink and file the lug smooth, probably overkill but it works for me.

View attachment 145027

On my precarve rifle from hell something moved when I drilled the front lug hole on the trigger guard, I ended up with a gap I could see daylight through at the front lug where it met the wood, that wasn't going to cut it.

View attachment 145039

The patch cleaned up;

View attachment 145028

Everything is nice and tight now.

Second to Eric on how to fix bad hole placement. I’ve helped rebuild guns that were FUBARED. And salvaged a lot of parts that way. Making really decent guns in the end using the same method of filling missdrilled holes. BJH

 

[2 shots]

i would go with fill the hole and start new. even a slight bit off is likely to snap a small drill bit.

 

[nhmoose]

Personally new lug, fill will solder pass. Use a new lug Drill stock and lug like you would in original build. Remember to lengthen the hole both front and rear for expansion as the stock dries and swells due to weather.