First problem with first build.

[mbokie5]

Still have much to learn, but this is an improvement I think:



You can see the light shining through the hole.

Too tired to mess with it anymore tonight.

[msw]

for what it's worth, i wouldn't be overly concerned about the small breakthrough shown in the photo.

your photos appear to show two other potential problems, however.  the first is a possible gap between the left edge of the bolster and the right edge of the barrel.  if allowed to remain in the final build, this gives prime a place to leak into the lock mortise and trigger mechanism, resulting in very bad juju.  the other problem is the possibility that the barrel is not set back far enough to allow the breech plug to be forward of the touch hole.  if this happens, you're hitting the threads of the plug when you try to drill the hole.

to fix the first problem, you can silver solder a bit of brass shim to the lock bolster, which will fill in the gap and keep the prime in the pan.  to fix the second problem, usually caused by layout error, you'll need to remove additional wood from the area where the breech and barrel meet, thus effectively moving the placement of the barrel & breech plug toward the butt of the rifle.  this way, when you go to drill your touch hole, it will be in the proper 'sunset position.'

both of these are pretty easy fixes.  please don't ask how i know.   

good luck with your build!

[mbokie5]

for what it's worth, i wouldn't be overly concerned about the small breakthrough shown in the photo.

your photos appear to show two other potential problems, however.  the first is a possible gap between the left edge of the bolster and the right edge of the barrel.  if allowed to remain in the final build, this gives prime a place to leak into the lock mortise and trigger mechanism, resulting in very bad juju.  the other problem is the possibility that the barrel is not set back far enough to allow the breech plug to be forward of the touch hole.  if this happens, you're hitting the threads of the plug when you try to drill the hole.

to fix the first problem, you can silver solder a bit of brass shim to the lock bolster, which will fill in the gap and keep the prime in the pan.  to fix the second problem, usually caused by layout error, you'll need to remove additional wood from the area where the breech and barrel meet, thus effectively moving the placement of the barrel & breech plug toward the butt of the rifle.  this way, when you go to drill your touch hole, it will be in the proper 'sunset position.'

both of these are pretty easy fixes.  please don't ask how i know.   

good luck with your build!

Let me take some better pics and then, if you will let's go back over those problems.

I haven't done much, because I'm so ocd about causing problems I can't solve or will have to solve with measures that may be less than desirable.

[mbokie5]

msw, the reason for the bolster gap is that the lock is not fully inlet and the sear arm is pushing the lock even further away from the stock. Does that make sense? Or am I misunderstanding what you're telling me? At this point, even the lockplate doesn't fit. There's more work to do there and I haven't even touched it, except to sit it there as is.

The barrel issue has me bugged as I have done some work there. However, I haven't done anything on the inlet channel because I'm not at all sure there is enough wood removed in the breech area.

I'm a timid little novice, thinking that whatever I touch, I'll ruin. I have to get past that.

Please continue with any and all critique.