Barrel breech inletting

[rogerpjr]

A few of us in the local club were talking about building guns the other day and a bit of a disagreement came up concerning inletting the breech end of the barrel.  Many of us said we always left the breech plug in and just inlet everything at once.  Others said they remove the plug and inlet the barrel only to get things square and to the depth they want.  Then they put the plug back in and inlet it.

Are there any opinions out there on which is really the best way to do this process?

[David Rase]

I prefer to inlet the barrel separate from the breech plug.  Once I have the barrel inlet, I then  seat the breech end of the barrel to the stock.  Once I have a good fit between the end of the barrel and stock I install the breech plug and inlet it.  I like the idea of having the barrel seated prior to inletting the flared plug, less chance of unsightly gaps in the tang.  Of course, I am deliberative and prefer doing one thing at a time.  I inlet my locks one piece at a time as well. 
I am sure the majority of the answers to follow will lean towards inletting the barrel and tang as a unit and the lock as one piece to save time.  Everyone wants to say they are like Mark Silver since he came out with his DVE on traditional gunstocking.  As for me, no one ever questions how long I took you to do something when the results are stellar.
David       

[Mike Brooks]

I prefer to inlet the barrel separate from the breech plug.  Once I have the barrel inlet, I then  seat the breech end of the barrel to the stock.  Once I have a good fit between the end of the barrel and stock I install the breech plug and inlet it.  I like the idea of having the barrel seated prior to inletting the flared plug, less chance of unsightly gaps in the tang.  Of course, I am deliberative and prefer doing one thing at a time.  I inlet my locks one piece at a time as well. 
I am sure the majority of the answers to follow will lean towards inletting the barrel and tang as a unit and the lock as one piece to save time.  Everyone wants to say they are like Mark Silver since he came out with his DVE on traditional gunstocking.  As for me, no one ever questions how long I took you to do something when the results are stellar.
David     

Ditto. Great minds think alike.

[BOB HILL]

I also inlet my barrel first, then reinstall the plug and inlet it next. I guess I'm just set in my ways. Just always done it this way. Always liked to see that the end of the barrel was a tight fit before I went farther.........Bob

[SingleMalt]

Better to do the barrel first. There's enough going on there keeping a barrel straight and level without compounding things by adding a breech plug.

[PPatch]

Barrel first, then tang.

dp

[flehto]

bbl first then tang....Fred

[bama]

Yep barrel first then seat the breech plug back in the barrel and fit the breech plug.

[rsells]

I inlet the barrel first then install the plug and fit the assembly.
                                                                         Roger Sells

[galudwig]

As for me, no one ever questions how long I took you to do something when the results are stellar.
David     

This is one of the best quotes about gun building I've ever seen. I'm going to use this as my excuse for being such a slowpoke...

[conquerordie]

I would add that doing them together is only an option if you do it yourself. If you have any of the talented people inlet them for you, you have to do the breech plug separate. I've tried it both ways. I like doing it as one piece, but it took me sooooooooooooooo long to do because of all the different surfaces your watching all at once.
Greg

[KentSmith]

Barrel first then the tang.  Lock bolster first then the plate then one part at a time.  Etc.  One thing at a time. 

[delivered]

This is along the line of inletting the breech plug?
Taper on breech plug bolster? A friend order a kit that came with a Rice barrel and the breech plug has no draft for inletting. I though most barrel makers were adding draft. I'v got him filing draft on it to get a better inlet.
This is his first build:)
 

[deepcreekdale]

I have done it both ways but agree with the posters here, barrel first, then plug/tang for me. I doubt there is much of a time advantage doing it either way. Either way you are doing the same inletting, just at different intervals.

[t.caster]

Ditto what Mr. Rase said in the 1st response. Also you must file some draft angle on the bolster and tang if it didn't come that way.

[Mark Elliott]

I guess that I am really the contrarian here.    I inlet my barrel with the breech plug installed.   It is the first thing that is inlet and it guides the rest of the barrel inlet.   I also inlet my locks assembled.   I do it that way because Wallace Gusler gave me a hard time for doing it the other way.   Who am I to argue?

Of course,  if you do a machine or semi-machine inlet,  you need to do the barrel first and then the breech plug and tang.   I do everything myself and by hand. 

[James Rogers]

Of course,  if you do a machine or semi-machine inlet,  you need to do the barrel first and then the breech plug and tang.   

Not really. I can machine inlet the barrel and plug with formed tang at the same time. All is needed is to cut in any square corner areas of the tang by hand.

[ron w]

if you're hand inletting, the barrel must be inlet to some extent, first. the barrel locates the plug and tang in relation to the barrel channel. even if you inlet both at the same time, the barrel gets partially inlet first and that guides the breech plug's inletting alignment to the barrel channel.

[Mark Elliott]

if you're hand inletting, the barrel must be inlet to some extent, first. the barrel locates the plug and tang in relation to the barrel channel. even if you inlet both at the same time, the barrel gets partially inlet first and that guides the breech plug's inletting alignment to the barrel channel.

I don't do it that way.   I almost always inlet the recoil lug, and about an inch of the breech to get the barrel down to the point that it is resting in a groove that will allow the attachment of the barrel guides.   I cut away all the wood above the centerline of the barrel so that I don't have that to cut through.    Everything is laid out in pencil on the stock.   I know where everything needs to go.    I really do inlet the breech plug and the breech of the barrel at the same time.    The result is good, or at least, I think it is good.  I guess others could argue about that.   

[jerrywh]

 When I did it by hand I did the barrel first. I now do it by machine and do the whole thing at once. However when done by machine the final touches must be done by hand because of the shape of the cutter it will not get in the tight corners of the plug. I also have my cutter set to cut slightly under size.