Questions regarding escutcheons and captured wedge keys

[Rolf]

I'm trying to decide what to do with the escutcheons and wedge key and the long barrel target pistols I'm building. I want to make silver escutcheons and rivet them to the stock. This will make them irremovable.

1. If I do this, how do I install the captured wedge keys so the are removeable?
2. Do the captured wedge keys have do be removeable?

Most of the long barrel pistols I've seen, do not have escutcheons on the front key.
3. Is there a reason for this, or is it just aesthetics?
4. Should I skip the front escutcheons? There is not much room and front escutcheons might make the muzzle look cluttered.

Best regards
Rolf

[curly]

First, I assume you are using slotted keys. These are made to accept a small brad, driven into the stock under the barrel to prevent the loss of a key, if it should work its way loose accidental and to pull out partically to remove the barrel. The execution's are totally independent, mostly for decoration, and should be semi permanent, secured with either brads or screws.
I would keep both of my barrel fasteners the same, either both pins or both wedges. JMO
Curly

[Robby]

Rolf, Nice gun!!! The pin that captures the wedge is held in place by the barrel, so if you make that pin removable once the barrel is lifted, your wedge is removable also.
Can't wait to see the finished gun, always like seeing your work.
Robby

[Long Ears]

So Robby, are you drilling the retaining pin down threw the inside of the barrel inlet? Good idea, you lift it out with needle nose pliers after the barrel is removed correct? Thanks, Bob

[snowdragon]

I see two ways to accomplish your goal.

First way. Install the retaining pin into a slot just under the escutcheon. The escutcheon will hold the pin in place. But, you need to use screws in your escutcheons if you want to make everything removeable. This how I do it, very simple.

Second way. Install the pin from the inside of the barrel, as Robby was alluding to, but make it so you can grab the pin with some needlenose pliars for removal. I'm thinking make a slight bend on the end of the pin, to use as a "handle",  and cut a small recess around the bend to create clearance for the barrel and allow access to the bend with the needlenose. You can use permanent rivits doing it this way and still be able to remove the wedges when needed. Of course, if the pin gets loose, you might need something to capture the pin that captures the keys. (I'm joking)

Hope this helps. Good luck. Bill

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Rolf, there are a couple of principals that I hope you understand about wedges/slides, escutcheon plates, and their functions.
Escutcheon plates merely cover the rectangular slot in the stock through which the slide goes.  The escutcheons do not support the slides at all...they cover the opening in the stock on both sides, and should be permanently attached to the wood.  This can be done using a pair of small steel screws or pins that have teeth cut into them so they only go in once, and never are pulled back out.  Escutcheon with screws where the slots are visible look best to me, when the slots are parallel to the bore.  One method to install those screws is to gently countersink the escutcheon plate, and turn in the screw until it bottoms, and then file off the head and it's slot so that the countersink retains the plate, but the screw slot is gone.  It will appear to be a nail rather than a screw, and on really small escutcheon plates, this looks nice.
The slot in the wood and the loop/tenon in the barrel provide the friction that holds the slide/wedge in place - not the escutcheon plate.  The slide should be polished well and case hardened it made of steel or iron.  It should be perfectly straight too - no bend to increase tension, like I've seen on some guns that have come through the shop.  The slot in the slide must be long enough so that a retaining pin, inserted into a pre-drilled hole right adjacent to the edge of the barrel channel, allows the slide to be withdrawn just far enough past the barrel's loop/tenon to allow the barrel to be lifted out its channel.  That's a big sentence.  A couple things to consider here.  There is not much wood below the barrel channel along the edge because of the shaping of the forearm, so be careful not to drill right out through the stock there.  And the slot in the slide should not be visible at its outer end where it protrudes from the forearm.  The heads of the slides should be filed so that they lay perfectly flat on the angle of the forearm.  I made a jib out of steel so I could forge the heads to the correct angle, and thus reduce the amount of final filing needed.
There's lots more, but I hope this will be of use to you.  Nice looking pistol.

[Rolf]

Thank you for your advice. I'll attach the escutcheons permanetly with silver pins and case harden the keys.

How many fo you make the pin that captures the key, removeable?

Best regards
Rolf