Slotting Barrel Lugs

[shane a gress]

I have the holes drilled for the pins and the next step is to slot the holes. Kibler`s videos show him using a jewellers saw to make the slot. What size blade should I order to do this? Is there an alternate method that I could use instead? I don't mind ordering the saw and blades if that is what I need. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
A round needle file works just fine. Just make sure you file the slot horizontally and don't widen it vertically. I assume you are slotting the holes to accommodate for stock shrinkage or swelling?

dave

 

[shane a gress]

Hi,
A round needle file works just fine. Just make sure you file the slot horizontally and don't widen it vertically. I assume you are slotting the holes to accommodate for stock shrinkage or swelling?

dave

Yes, that correct. I wasn't aware that a small needle file was small enough to fit in the 1/16 hole. The Brownell catalog lists some needle files.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Shane,
I would urge you not to use 1/16" pins for your barrel pins. It is fine for all the others but 5/64" or better 3/32" pins are my choices. Although you may not remove your barrel very often, but the larger pins make that easier and less prone to damage the wood trying to use a tiny pin punch. The larger pins also are less likely to bend or get mushroomed on the ends from a punch. A good tip is to make the pins slightly short of the length needed to be flush on both sides of the stock. When you tap them in flush on one side, they are recessed on the other. The hole then helps prevent the punch from slipping off the pin when punched from the recessed side. The bigger hole in the lug is also easier to file into an oval shape to accommodate movement. However, the tip portion of a rat tailed needle file will fit in a 1/16" hole.

dave

 

[tallpine]

I tried a jewelers saw and needle files not much luck with ether. what I found that does works is a drill or dremel with a 1/16 drill bit. Gently run it and back and forth with light pressure on the left and right side of the hole. Does not take much, about .008 to .010 on each side.

 

[hanshi]

I've always use one of those wire "camp saws" for slotting. While not made for that purpose, they are easy to use in those small lug holes.

 

[shane a gress]

Thanks for the info, just needed a little guidance. Dave, the Kibler kits come with 1/16" pins. But should be no problem to drill out to a larger size. I like the idea of the larger diameter pins. Thanks again for your help.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Watch maker's files are much smaller than Needles. Swiss JOUBERT are the best I've found..OLD DOG..

 

[dave_person]

Hi Shane,
Just make sure the lugs are tall enough to accommodate larger diameter holes without paper thin metal resulting. Good luck.

dave

 

[Siringo]

I have the holes drilled for the pins and the next step is to slot the holes. Kibler`s videos show him using a jewellers saw to make the slot. What size blade should I order to do this? Is there an alternate method that I could use instead? I don't mind ordering the saw and blades if that is what I need. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

This is a question I asked of Jim. How to get those slots absolutely precise so the wood can move back and forth without the pin hanging up in the slot. I avoided it simply because I did not want to end up with a sloppy hole and not hold the barrel firmly to the stock.

Kilbler May offer that in the kits. But it would sure have to be precise.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
It does not have to be so precise and the lug nearest the muzzle will have the most movement and the lug nearest the breech really does not need any slot at all.

dave

 

[Treestalker]

Hi Shane,
I would urge you not to use 1/16" pins for your barrel pins. It is fine for all the others but 5/64" or better 3/32" pins are my choices. Although you may not remove your barrel very often, but the larger pins make that easier and less prone to damage the wood trying to use a tiny pin punch. The larger pins also are less likely to bend or get mushroomed on the ends from a punch. A good tip is to make the pins slightly short of the length needed to be flush on both sides of the stock. When you tap them in flush on one side, they are recessed on the other. The hole then helps prevent the punch from slipping off the pin when punched from the recessed side. The bigger hole in the lug is also easier to file into an oval shape to accommodate movement. However, the tip portion of a rat tailed needle file will fit in a 1/16" hole.

dave

Thank You! Dave, it's little gems of wisdom and experience like this from you that makes life so much easier for we who dabble in the arcane arts of gunsmithing! George.

 

[Kozmo]

I had this same challenge with the kibler SMR I completed. These are set up for a 1/16 pin and I just went with that rather than drilling out the existing stock holes. I had to use my 1/16th drill bit to lightly route out the lug slots as I didn't have a saw blade or needle file small enough to fit. It worked but certainly not ideal.

 

[Flinty Scot]

Both my SMR and flint pistol use pins smaller than 1/16. At least a 1/16 pin punch would not go in the stock without binding and enlarging the holes. I found a tiny allen wrench thast works well to ease the pins out.
Haven't cut the wrench to fit in a handle, as a dedicated tool yet, but plan to.