Gap at the muzzle

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Hello everyone,

I am building my early rifle and my plan has been to do a simple wrap around nosecap of brass.  The lugs are tight with the pins, no problem there.  But from the formost lug to the muzzle there is a gap at the muzzle.  At its widest it is maybe 1/16th.  Now I am thinking about making a cap that covers the front to conceal it, because it bugs me.  A friend suggested I go with my orginial idea and don't worry about the gap. 

Any suggestions on how to fix the gap, or whether or not to care about it?

Coryjoe

[Rootsy]

You could always get some maple veneer and use it to fill the gap... (If maple is what you are using for stock wood anywho).

[Stophel]

The lugs may line up with the pins, but maybe the lugs/barrel is not inlet deep enough and it's being held up.   

And, depending on how far the muzzle end is from the first pin, the wood could have just warped away from the barrel.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Stophel, that is an interesting point.  I will check that out.  The placement of the lug was where Chambers suggested it should be, but it does seem to move from that lug.  Thanks

Coryjoe

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

If there is a gap at the muzzle before you drill for the pins, it isn't going to go away later.  What do you see when you look down the barrel channel toward the muzzle?  Does the wood drop away, or is the channel edge straight? 
All that may be needed is to heat the forend and add some upward curvature to take out the gap.  Bend the wood a little past straight, and when it cools, it will take care of the gap.  Wood has to be very hot...almost to scorching heat.  Steam is safer but not as hot.

[Acer Saccharum]

You're a brave one, Taylor. I am going to try this someday. I assume you would use this technique before the wood is to final contour. Then you can scrape and finish the outside down to final shape?

Have you done this technique with finished stocks?

Thanks, Tom

[T*O*F]

If all else fails, pour a pewter nosecap on it.

[keweenaw]

Taylor solution will work very well and isn't nearly as hard to do as it sounds at first.  As for doing this on a finished stock, they bend finished shotgun stocks at the wrist on guns that cost mucho dollars and they're bending lots more wood than that little shell at the end of the forestock.

Tom

[Ken G]

I have done something similar to take the warp out of a already carved stock.  I C-clamped the barrel in place with no pins.  Laid the stock and barrel on my wife's ironing board.  Wrapped the stock in a wet rag and basically ironed it, pouring the steam buttom to it all the time.  You can slowly tighten the C-clamp as the moisture and heat works into the wood.  Don't rush it and keep the rag good and moist. Once the warp is out, leave the barrel clamped and let the whole thing dry. 

Careful, the rag will get hot!!!

Ken

[Black Hand]

Wrapping the barrel into the stock with tubing and pouring boiling water over it will also work to close small gaps.  Steam-heating and then bending as Taylor describes also works well.  I've taken side-to-side & top-to-bottom bends as well as propeller-twists out of forestocks using the steam/bend method.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I've never used this method on a forend, Tom, but I'm confident that it will work.  So will all of the other methods described here.  I added over 1/2" of drop at the comb to a brand new Tulle musket using hot cooking oil, and it didn't harm the finish in the least.  But I wouldn't use oil on a forend that was unstained or finished.

[Dale Campbell]

Hi Coryjoe,

Was the gap there before you added the lugs? If not, was it there after you drilled the pins? If not, is the gap wider on one side like it was twisted after the pins were drilled? Notice, I can ask the questions, but someone else probably has a better solution.

Dale

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Hello all.  Stophel had the right idea it seems.  It was the base of the front log that was causing the gap.  I filed it down some and the situation is much improved.  I will probably work with it someone to see if I can close it up more. 

Thanks everyone.

Coryjoe

[Stophel]

if it's just not inlet enough, you'll have to either put on a new tenon and inlet it and when the barrel is all the way down, drill it through the hole that's already in the stock (the better way), or sink the barrel/tenon down, plug the hole in the stock, and carefully locate the proper position to drill a new hole in the wood to meet the hole in the tenon (the harder way)  Even with this, I'd put on a new tenon, 'cause there's no way on earth I could ever hit that hole perfectly.

Depending on whether or not your pin hole is in the "right" location now (meaning in line with the others, and in proper position in relation to any fore end moulding you might have), either one of the above could be the proper course of action.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Got it Stophel.  WHen the pin is out the barrel seats fine, the pin lifts it up.  I have scrap underlugs so I will just swap it out.  I appreciate your help.

Coryjoe