Order of procedure in building a rifle

[eagle24]

I'm about to start the building of my second rifle.  This time from a blank (the first was a precarve).  I sent the stock blank and barrel to Dave Rase for the inletting and ramrod hole and should have it back in the next couple of days.  This afternoon, I was thinking things over in my head trying to decide what I wanted to do differently this go around.  I was scanning through my copy of "Recreating the American Longrifle", and ran across the page that had the basic order of procedures.  This book recommends inletting the lock and installing the lock bolts before inletting the breech tang.  I didn't do that on my first rifle, and although it was a precarve there was no lock mortise.  Only a barrel inlet and the stock was square from the wrist forward.  I'm just curious whether most of you inlet the lock before the barrel tang.  I was thinking I would inlet the barrel tang first, install the barrel underlugs and pins, then inlet the lock.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Greg, I always inlet the tang after the barrel is in it's channel, though I don't install the lugs or loops, nor the pins or keys.  You certainly can do that work right away - I just am anxious to see some more of the major stuff on the rifle first.  After the barrel and tang are inlet but not bolted down, I inlet the lock, then the trigger/trigger plate, then do some drilling and tapping for tang and lock screws.  Etc...

[eagle24]

Thanks Taylor.  I couldn't really see any disadvantage or problem inletting the tang before the lock.  I guess if you waited on the barrel pins (or keys) and happened to get the lock inlet a little low, you might inlet the barrel a little deeper to help the matter.  Other than that, I can't see any problems with installing the underlugs and pins either.

[flintriflesmith]

I inlet the tang and go ahead and drill it for the tang bolt. That way I can fasten it down with a short, fat woodscrew while I'm working on inletting and stock shaping. Replace the screw later with a bolt to the trigger plate if so desired.

I hate having the pins in the forestock while I'm shaping it and fitting the nose cap and pipes so I save that task until much later. Taking the pins in and out is a lot of unnecessary work and I would end up hitting them with the rasp or plane while shaping that area.

Gary

[B.Habermehl]

When starting with a pre routed barrel channel, I will square the breech shoulder first. Then inlet the tang. After determining where the breech face falls then I lightly center punch the touch hole. This is only a guide so go light. Then I lay out and inlet the lock bolster. Double check for correct position then layout and inlet the rest of the lock plate.   BJH

[Don Getz]

If you are working from a "blank" with only the barrel and ramrod groove done, I would think the next thing to do would be to
draw out the rifle and saw it out in profile, then inlet the tang.   That is what I would do.......Don

[eagle24]

If you are working from a "blank" with only the barrel and ramrod groove done, I would think the next thing to do would be to
draw out the rifle and saw it out in profile, then inlet the tang.   That is what I would do.......Don

Most definitely Don.  I just didn't mention that step.

[Nate McKenzie]

For me, a lot of the procedure depends on what I'm in the mood for but barrel tang is always first and then drill all cross pins while sides are still flat and square. Well, maybe leave the trigger guard pins till later.

[Don Getz]

In my old age I would hate to start building a gun from scratch, or from a blank with merely having the barrel and ramrod
groove done.   Having just completed four months of bursitis, and no gun work, I sure wouldn't want to aggravate that condition more with all of that rasp work.   We have a generic lancaster pattern with a 44" inch swamped barrel inlet
which I use a lot for a lot of barn guns, and have built some Dickert's from this pattern.   We have also come up with a
pretty good Beck pattern with a 44" octagon/round barrel inlet.   By getting this much done by machine it save so much
time and effort, and they do allow for a lot of modification if the need arises.   When I start to build from one of these
pre-shaped stocks, I usually scribe a line along the barrel channel, about 1/8" thick on either side, slightly thicker in the
forestock area, and then band saw these side off.   I'm now down to a working size.   I then inlet the tang, install barrel
hangers and do the barrel pins.   Then inlet the lock, cut down the wood under the lock to slim things up, then install the
trigger, etc., and go from there............Don

[eagle24]

In my old age I would hate to start building a gun from scratch, or from a blank with merely having the barrel and ramrod
groove done.   Having just completed four months of bursitis, and no gun work, I sure wouldn't want to aggravate that condition more with all of that rasp work.

Don,
It's strange you mentioned that.  Last fall, I was finishing my first rifle.  Lots of rasp work towards the end.  Then, as soon as I got done, I started making a set of triggers for this rifle.  Lots of hacksawing and filing.  I was also shooting my bows a lot getting ready for a trip to Kansas in November.  Next thing I know, I can't my left arm higher than about 30 degrees to my side.  Went to see an orthopedic doctor who told me he suspected it was either a partial or full rotator cuff tear.  Only way to be sure was an MRI, and the only fix was surgery if it was my rotator cuff.  Not willing to miss the trip to Kansas, I let him give me a cortizone shot and gave it some rest.  He told me to come see him when I got back if it wasn't better.  Long story short, it gradually got better and by mid Feb was back to 100%.  I am starting to suspect it was the repetitive rasping, filing, and sawing that flared up some inflamation in my shoulder.  I've never had problems shooting a bow.  I'm going to take it easy, but I am anxious to see if I cause myself any shoulder problems building this one.   Heck, I'm only 47, I hope thats not considered old.

[Birddog6]

I can save your shoulder on allot of pain from that rasping...... Get a Sureform and a large square Microplane & a large round Microplane rasp & that will cut your rasping time in 1/2. Those suckers will eat wood off a stock like you won't believe.      It will save you Hours of rasping........

http://us.microplane.com/microplanewoodworking.aspx   Click on Shaping Rasps

[Acer Saccharum]

Sequence of operations is always interesting to me. I try to do things differently sometimes to see if everything still goes together OK.

However, I do things as many others have said:

Taylor: I always inlet the tang after the barrel is in it's channel, though I don't install the lugs or loops, nor the pins or keys.

At this point, I get the profile at the top of the tang and wrist close to what I want. Bend the tang if needed, inlet a little deeper if needed, rasp the wood down to the tang. Look hard at the profile and make sure it's what I want.

Gary: I inlet the tang and go ahead and drill it for the tang bolt. That way I can fasten it down with a short, fat woodscrew while I'm working on inletting and stock shaping. Replace the screw later with a bolt to the trigger plate if so desired.

Then I am ready to place the lock. I lightly punch the touch hole location. This fixes the lock location fore and aft, up and down. Around the punch mark I can rotate the lock slightly to accommodate the profile of the wrist, and/or to make room for the front lockbolt.

Once my lock is set, I can shape the lower profile. Now is the time for me to inlet the trigger plate and run the tang bolt into it. I also put the lock bolts in now. This paves the way for the sideplate install and the side panel shaping.

Now I know the pull, approximately, and can set the buttplate.

I leave the trigger undone until the shaping is well under way. The guard comes later, too. I want to develop the form completely before installing the guard.

Now the forestock needs attention, so before I start hauling the wood off, I like to put the tenons and pins in. I rough shape the forestock, then I install the entry pipe. The pipe configuration and placement dictates the shape of the forearm between the lock and the pipe.

Then I work the stock all over several times, removing wood from the wrist, back to the forearm, working the lock panel area over, back to the buttstock, and to the wrist again. One area affects another, and a balance must be attained by gradual shaping and looking. (Unless you are Mike Brooks)

[northmn]

Like the others I fully inlet the barrel and tang together as a first step.  I do clamp the barrel when aligning the lock but nothing special.  With a single trigger you can go to the buttplate next if you want to get it out of the way.  When you use a blank, the lock area kind of sets the feel for the gun.  Do your best to get the lock parallel with the barrel.  I have even seen pictures of originals where the tail is dropped, which I think was unintentional.  Once the lock is in in I know where the trigger will be but can inlet it next or wait.  The buttplate is a major hurdle, especially if cast off, and the buttplate positioning also is one controller of the buttstock shape.  
I have built from blanks and have had no shoulder problems from that, but have from shooting too heavy a bow and have cut back to 50 pounds.  I understand Don's argument, and appreciate it.  Don has built from scratch and "paid his dues".  I admit to being something of a snob on this issue, but the creation of a gun from a blank gives me my satisfaction.  There are many better carvers and engravers, and some of them that are really good may waste their time on a blank??  I just prefer a shimmel I made from a blank than a carved rifle made from a precarve.  I have done both, but I admit to getting a little tired by the time I get to the carving stage, and as I said I am not all that artistic.  Another advantage of a blank is that I can make anything, I am not dependent upon finding a stock to fit the barrel or vice versa or a precarve to fit what I want to build.  As I get older the time between starting and finishing also gets longer.  I am currently working on a project started 2 years ago.  Due to short plant shutdowns I may even finish it this year.

DP

[Roger Fisher]

In my old age I would hate to start building a gun from scratch, or from a blank with merely having the barrel and ramrod
groove done.   Having just completed four months of bursitis, and no gun work, I sure wouldn't want to aggravate that condition more with all of that rasp work.   We have a generic lancaster pattern with a 44" inch swamped barrel inlet
which I use a lot for a lot of barn guns, and have built some Dickert's from this pattern.   We have also come up with a
pretty good Beck pattern with a 44" octagon/round barrel inlet.   By getting this much done by machine it save so much
time and effort, and they do allow for a lot of modification if the need arises.   When I start to build from one of these
pre-shaped stocks, I usually scribe a line along the barrel channel, about 1/8" thick on either side, slightly thicker in the
forestock area, and then band saw these side off.   I'm now down to a working size.   I then inlet the tang, install barrel
hangers and do the barrel pins.   Then inlet the lock, cut down the wood under the lock to slim things up, then install the
trigger, etc., and go from there............Don

Another ol guy with shoulder pain!!  Last Nov or so, splitting heavy white oak with a spliting mall I felt the ol left shoulder 'give' when really heaving that mall - hurt like the devil and holding the rifle was painful.  I thought , $#*!, shoot thru the ache.  Well good intentions; but didn't work too well..  Chiropractor now on his 3rd Mercedes!  Finally my medical doctor suggested Aleve!!  That easy sez I?  Tried 2 a day for 2 days and the pain nearly disappeared, a near miracle.  In any case, try it you might like it.  And cheap also.

[g.pennell]

Here's another vote for Aleve...some days I couldn't get out of the bed without it.  I just wish I'd found it while I was still on active duty...20 some years of running on pavement, jumping/rappeling out of perfectly good aircraft, and humping 80+ pound rucks have done a number on me...

Greg