Pins for pinning the barrel

[Leatherbark]

Is there any advantage to using the hardened pins that T.O.T.W sells for pinning the barrel to the stock? I've seen alot of pins in rifles that looked like finishing nails.  Are finishing nails OK?

Bob

[Long John]

You will get opinions both ways. 

I have been using .072 diameter (6d, I think) finishing nails for years.  I cut the heads off, cut to proper length and  and round over the ends slightly.  I have yet to have one fail.  The originals used wrought iron pins and I never heard of one of them failing either.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

[Don Getz]

I have been using finishing nails for years, 4p or 6p, I can't remember which one, but I do know it mikes about .070, and
I use the same drill, .070, and I don't remember the number of this drill.........I'm really helpful, not??     Don

[Dogshirt]

I'm sick and tired of TINY LITTLE  pins! I use 1/8 rod and it's a $#*! of a lot easier to get out!
PC and HC be !@*%&@!

[FALout]

When I'm putting the rifle back together after finishing/metal treatment, I elongate the holes in the barrel lugs horizontally.  Gives room for the stock to move around with swelling and shrinking.  Doing so usually eliminates problems with the pins.  I use both nails and piano wire, whichever is around the shop.  I try not to use too small a diameter, makes it too hard to remove down the road, 1/8" seems a little large, would go any larger then that.

[Dogshirt]

When I need my 3x glasses to see a pin, it AIN'T big enough. 1/8 works, and NO it doesn't cause
problems.

[JohnTyg]

Anyone remember the instructions that Dixie Gunworks used to send with their rifle "kits" in the 60's & 70's?  It was a newspaper foldout that had everything you needed to know on one piece of paper, both sides.
I remember that they recommended 6d nails. Used them on the rifle I built in 1971 and used it again on my 2nd rifle on the trigger guard (looks a little large, 4d might be better) but used wedges on the barrel and 1/16 nails for the ramrod pipes.

John T

[Dphariss]

Is there any advantage to using the hardened pins that T.O.T.W sells for pinning the barrel to the stock? I've seen alot of pins in rifles that looked like finishing nails.  Are finishing nails OK?

Bob

People can use anything they want.
If you whack a soft one and it burrs, you will understand why I recommend hard pins. Once is plenty.
Soft gun parts are an abomination. I even harden wood screw heads.
So I buy piano wire is various sizes at the hobby store. I prefer 3/32 for most pins. But 5/64 is OK for rod pipes in Kentuckys. Using the appropriate size means I can use a drill of that diameter with no head scratching.
Pins or keys over .100 are too big.
When I can't see things, which is most of the time, I put on an optivisor

Dan

[kutter]

I use 1/16" brazing rod. It's harder than plain hobby shop brass stock so it doesn't bend or burr easily. Nothings ever fallen apart using it. I taper the ends just a bit so like everbody else.
The brass won't rust in place in the wood over time like a steel pin might and freeze in place. Getting the pins out of the old ones is tough because of it sometimes. Maybe it's a mute point on on our well cared for pieces.
Some might not like the looks of brass pins though.

With all that said. Most anything will work. A old friend used pieces of wire coat hangers and I certainly couldn't fault his work.
Finishing nails would be my choice for steel hardware!

[Bob Roller]

I think a .070 drill is a #50.

Bob Roller

[Ephraim]

I use the wire you buy at any hardware store with the red flags on them . I used finish nails for years but tryed the wires and liked them you buy one bundle it will last for years.
Ephraim

[David Rase]

I use 1/16" steel welding rod.  Been using the same stuff for years.  This diameter allows me to keep the web thin and the forstock slender.
Dave

[rsells]

I used finishing nails for years without any problems.  However, I have changed and am using 1/16 welding rod like David Rase now and have not had any issues.
                                                                           Roger Sells

[Frank Savage]

If you want ready to use, hardened and polished material for pis, you can use 1/32 or 3/64 needles for bearings.

[Gaeckle]

Coat hanjgers..........their everywhere...........they are easy to use.........the file down easy, shaped easily and if you loose a pin on on a dusty shop floor you can always get another quickly..............

A number 51, 52 or 50 drill bit works great.......

[Jim Kibler]

About anything will work, (nails, coat hangers, welding rod, piano wire etc.).  If you study many original examples, you will see that these pins are not necessarily all that uniform and sometimes pretty rough.  Personally, piano wire works well.  I like the small diameter (1/16"), it is pretty uniform in size, and it doesn't tend to mushroom (though with a rounded end neither will softer material).  I have some cutters that are made for the stuff.  Cheap, simple and easy, but other materials are too.  I must note that on original work I've studied, pins slightly larger that 1/16" seem to be pretty common.

[Longknife]

Go to Lowes, Home Depot and get a box of 2" 6d tempered hardwood trim nails, one box will last a lifetime. They mic at .070.....Ed

[Keb]

I use .093 welding rod for barrel & .062 for pipes, guards & anything else that needs pins. I only use this cause I have a good supply. I'll go to nails when my supply runs out.

[Leatherbark]

Thanks everyone. All good advice as usual....................I have plenty of finish nails and welding rods.  I also have plenty of TOTW hardened pins LOL.

Bob

[Pete G.]

I used the hardened pins from TOW on my first build years ago, then started using a hardened 4p finishing nail because I didn't like the larger size of the 3/32" pin. Recently I had reason to disassemble the first build and found the rear pin broken in the center. I'm guessing not enough clearance at the lug and it was broken from recoil impact. A case hardened finishing nail will not break like that. I do like the TOW pins for pinning a trigger, but now I pin a barrel with either the nail or welding rod..

[blunderbuss]

  The strangest pins I have ever seen were in a Chinese  matchlock pistol one was missing and one was made of bamboo So I got a chop stick and whittled it down to match the other one. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

[TMerkley]

I used some finish nails on my first rifle.  I first drilled the hol slightly smaller than the nail. Then, cut the head off of the nail and used the drill to run the pin into the hole. It made it very easy and did not leave any marks on the wood or the nail.  I clipped off the other end with a side-cutter and filed it smooth.  rotating the pin as it is pushed in really made for a smooth operation with out damaging the wood. 

[cmac]

Got a roll of small yard flags from the local hardware store years ago. These flags have a 1/16" steel rod that I have used for guns, knives, and many other projects. They seem hard enough after heating to a dull cherry color and dipping in motor oil, and they are cheap

[omark]

nails, welding rods coat hangers.   its not like we're towing trucks with them. mark

[Roger Fisher]

nails, welding rods coat hangers.   its not like we're towing trucks with them. mark

Exactly; but the hole should be be a bit wider than high for reasons posted earlier.