Looking for suggestions on correcting a mis-drilled trigger plate

[PPatch]

I had my dumb cap firmly on me head this afternoon and while drilling the tang bolt hole went on through the trigger plate with a 3/16th bit. Obviously this won't do for a 8-32 tap.

The only thing I can think of to to correct the situation is hard solder a length of round bar stock in the trigger plate and redrill with the proper clearance bit.

Do any of you have a simpler or better solution?

dave

[smylee grouch]

Weld the hole shut ,dress it off and redrill.

[Keb]

Plug it with a (1/4" or 5/16") soft steel screw. Redrill it for a 8-32 tap.

[Lucky R A]

   That is why they make 10/32 tang bolts.....

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I've done the exact same thing with a clearance drill for 8 x 32 tpi.  So I just sub'd a #21 drill bit, and tapped it 10 x 32.  Sounds like Ron's been there too.

[PPatch]

Thanks guys! 10x32 it is. The only thing bothering me now is your solution is TOO DARN SIMPLE! I like those really complicated fixes... not.   

dp

[mountainman70]

Good to know I aint the only one to pull this'n.On my f/s flint Hawken,affecionatly named BooBoo-when time came to drill trig plate for the tguard front stud,I had the 1/4 28 stuff on bench,somewhere my poor ol brain  come up with 5/16-18.Yep,drilled that skudder for 5/16,then realized the stud on guard was 1/4 28.Went ahead and tapped it ,countersunk top and bottom of plate,screwed in a 5/16 bolt,peened over both ends,THEN drilled and tapped for 1/4-28.
Ol Boo boo has a few back ups,but still came out good for first build in 30 years.
Dave,yo be a'rite,bro.Dave

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

dp, you said you drilled it with a 3/16" drill bit...clearance drill for 10 x 32.  There's no steel left for threads buddy.  You might gt away with 12 x24.

[Curt Larsen]

Keb's solution is an easy one.  It's the one I always use.  Just tap it for a larger size, peen it, and file it off.  You'll never see it.  If you must, you could also solder it in before peening.  The only problem with that is that some of the solder might show when you're done.

[PPatch]

dp, you said you drilled it with a 3/16" drill bit...clearance drill for 10 x 32.  There's no steel left for threads buddy.  You might gt away with 12 x24.

I figured that out this morning Taylor. Got to messing with it and found matters just as you state. fortunately I have two sets of those triggers so I switched the guts (already filed, sanded and finished) to the other trigger plate which was intended for my next rifle gun. I will deal with the messed up trigger plate at a later date. Or, I could use this as a learning exercise and fabricate a new trigger plate as a replacement.

dp

Again, thank you all for your input.

[Curt Larsen]

Wouldn't you know it.  After reading this and commenting I promptly drilled for a tang bolt just off center.  I guess I'll try the 10-32 fix.

[mountainman70]

Hey Curt,I do believe the reason we are senior members is the amount of senior moments we seem to have!!!!lol,good luck,Dave

[jerrywh]

 Put a rivet in the hole and file it off so that it cannot be seen then silver solder a 1/4" lug onto the trigger plate , drill and tap that.  A lot of European guns have lugs like that on the trigger plate inside for the tang screw. You can drill the lug before solsering it on or afterwards. No charge.
  Ps. You could also thread the existing hole to whatever size required and thread a lug into the plate from the underside.
  I put lugs on some of my guns just because I don't want the hole to show . I also use this tactic for installing wrist escutcheons

[PPatch]

I like your ideas jerry - thank you sir.

dp

[PPatch]

Wouldn't you know it.  After reading this and commenting I promptly drilled for a tang bolt just off center.  I guess I'll try the 10-32 fix.

This is funny Curt - I was so concerned with centering the hole in the tang that when I KNEW I had it centered I felt so relieved I blissfully drilled all the way through the tang, wood and trigger plate without the least doubt that I was doing a great job...

I mean I had all the bits and 8-32 tap needed for the job laid out and ready for the next step, had thought it all through - then an old failing brain tricked me again.

dp

[Pete G.]

Wouldn't you know it.  After reading this and commenting I promptly drilled for a tang bolt just off center.  I guess I'll try the 10-32 fix.

This is funny Curt - I was so concerned with centering the hole in the tang that when I KNEW I had it centered I felt so relieved I blissfully drilled all the way through the tang, wood and trigger plate without the least doubt that I was doing a great job...

I mean I had all the bits and 8-32 tap needed for the job laid out and ready for the next step, had thought it all through - then an old failing brain tricked me again.

dp

Been there, done that......

[Birddog6]

Weld it up with a wire welder. Dress it off . Heat it red hot & let it cool naturally.
Drill a Pilot Hole. Then re-drill with proper drill bit in Drill Point on a drill press, from
triggerplate Up to tang.  Drill clearance hole from Tang just TO triggerplate, then
tap down thru tang into the triggerplate & go on.  

No dif. than welding up a crack or flaw in a iron triggerguard or buttplate.

Keith Lisle

[PPatch]

I got it fixed today guys, thanks again for all the suggestions. You wouldn't know a repair was ever made, came out good.

dp