Which comes first....

[Wolfshead]

I have just finished drilling and taping the tang bolt into my rifle.
I am working on my first kit assembly which is a Jim Chambers, Isaac Haines .50
My question is having successfully (consider my level of ability) finished that aspect of the assembly, should I fit the lock now as Ron Ehlert does in his video or, should I set in the barrels underlugs first?
What say you experienced gun builders?
Thank you in advance for you replies, time and help.

Doug

[greybeard]

Personally I pin the barrel once the tang bolt is installed.  Bob

[P.W.Berkuta]

Me too

[n stephenson]

I inlet the tang ,then pin / wedge the barrel. Some people like to do it later ,but I like to have the barrel secured in place where it will be. Just personal preference.   Nate

[Dennis Glazener]

Either one is fine, I usually inlet the lock as soon as I get the tang inlet and screwed down (SMR's with wood screw), not sure why but this is the way I do it.
Dennis

[Wolfshead]

Thank you all gentlemen
I truly appreciate you replies
I have thought a lot about it and given my level of experience I feel that I would like to have the barrel secure in place where it will be so....
I think I am about to pin my barrel.

[Mike Brooks]

1) inlet breech of barrel
2) inlet breech plug tang
3) install under lugs and inlet into barrel channel
4) pin barrel to stock
5) inlet lock
6) inlet trigger plate and trigger
7)Drill and tap and install tang bolt
etc. until you're done

For me, drilling the tang bolt in with out the pins done and in the stock will allow my barrel to scoot forward while installing the tang bolt. Nothing worse than an unsightly gap at the breech of the barrel from the barrel scooting forward.

[smylee grouch]

Drilling and tapping the tang bolt into say the trigger plate might put the trigger in a less than ideal position as its relation to the sear is concerned. Too far forward or rearward with the trigger/sear contact point. If you pin the trigger through the wood in the lock mortice it might work out ok.

[Tim Crosby]

 This may help:

  http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=23449.0

  Tim C.

[smallpatch]

I pin before the tang bolt.  Don't have to worry about the barrel moving when doing the tang bolt.

[Algae]

Ditto what Dane said!

Al J.

[BOB HILL]

I use the same sequence Mike lists. I also keep my barrel pinned when working on the gun. Once I brought a rifle I was working on into the house and leaned it in the corner. I had not put the barrel pins back in before leaving the shop. The butt plate slid on a waxed floor and when it fell it snapped that stock into right across the lock mortise. The tang screw was in and all the leverage of the barrel was on the weak area. After this incident, I  never leave the shop with a gun without the pins in place.     Bob

[Eric Krewson]

I knocked an unpined barrel and stock off my workbench,(senior moment) the tang screw was out as well. The tang broke a dime sized chunk out of one side of the tang inlet and a smaller hunk out of the other side. I wasn't able to find all the splintered parts in the saw dust mess on my shop floor but I did find enough of the surface wood to make an invisible repair. I used superglue and sawdust to fill the void below the surface.

[oldtravler61]

  When I drill the tang hole. Whether to use a tang bolt to trigger plate. Or just a screw as on a smr.
  The barrel is pinned an clamped in place. As Mike said it makes an ugly gap.  Oldtravler

[thecapgunkid]

Pretty sure this forum was where I learned to pin the barrel before moving on.  That way  keeping it tight prevented any drift and actually helped position the lock plate.