Barrel pin diameter?

[Model19]

I'm at the point were I need to drill the holes to pin the barrel in the stock.  What size wire do you folks use?  I have 1/8" brass on hand, but I think that may be a bit large?

TIA,
 Geoff

[coutios]

I normally use either .062 or .078.. Your correct that 1/8 is way to large...

Dave

[Dphariss]

I'm at the point were I need to drill the holes to pin the barrel in the stock.  What size wire do you folks use?  I have 1/8" brass on hand, but I think that may be a bit large?

TIA,
 Geoff

Go to a hobby store and obtain some 3/32 and/or 5/64 piano wire and drills to match.
It is high carbon steel, fairly hard (soft spring temper) and will not deform easily. So in removing the pin worries about peaning it and causing it to stick in the hole and/or damage the stock are eliminated.
I don't like soft steel pins then deform to easily.

Dan

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Be sure to pick up some extra 3/32 Drills. They will come in handy. Don't ask how I know this.

[Don Getz]

I use a 4 penny finishing nail, they mike out at about .070.  For some unknown reason, I drop down to 1/16" wire for
the ramrod thimbles............Don

[Model19]

Don,  what do you do to finish the ends of the nails?

[Dennis Glazener]

Not sure how Don does his but I use 1/16 drill rod, then put it in my hand drill chuck and sharpen the ends against my bench grinder wheel (like a pencil point). Then I put the point at 90 degree to the side of the grinder wheel and grind the end of the pin flat.

Ends up with a bevel around the end of the pin so its less likely to chip wood out when the pin is driven out, but the pins has a blunt point that works well with a small 1/16 pin punch. Hope I made sense!
Dennis

[kutter]

I use 1/16"dia  brass 'brazing' rod for the pins. The material is harder than the hobby shop brass wire. Doesn't peen over or bend as nearly as easily.

It was handy when I needed it, so I used it and kept on using it. Steel wire of the same dia would be fine too.

I just slightly dome the ends and make them so that each is slightly below the wood surface when seated.

[Acer Saccharum]

I use steel pins, .078 diam., which is 5/64. I don't like 1/16 as it's pretty small for my liking. Plenty strong, but awful small looking. I like a pin that I can see . The bbl is held by the tang screw and the first pin in the grip area, but every pin from there to muzzle is holding the wood to the barrel, not barrel to the wood.

Most of the original work I've seen has had the pins replaced with nails at one point or another, enlarged holes in the wood and tenons.

[alyce-james]

I have a small pile of very old coat hangers, from long ago. I use a #44 drill for hanger wire size .084 with wire  coating removed. I've used these for years. A must, dress the tips of each pin so as not to bust out the stock wood. AJ

[Tizzy]

Though I haven't the experience of other members of this forum, I discovered that survey flags have about a 1/16" diameter, and they have held up ok for me so far. The best part is they are cheep and easily found at Lowes or at most any hardware store.

[whitebear]

I see that some of you use brass pins.  I have been told over the years that brass pins and screws were a nono.  Has common consent changed to now allow the use of brass pins?

[Gaeckle]

I use hangers for clothes and find that a #48 or 49 drill bit will do the job. I also file them into a taper.

[wmaser]

I use 1/16" tig welding rods and round the ends for barrel, rr thimbles and trigger guards.

[flehto]

I use .062 dia. music wire for all the pins in a LR.  Chamfer the ends and they're set to go. My main reason for using the .062 dia. is that w/  1/8"-5/32",webs, there's not a whole lot of room for a larger pin and the stiffness of the music wire is necessary because of the small dia.....Fred

[David Rase]

I use 1/16" steel welding rod.  To finish the ends I put the cut off piece into my electric hand drill and round over the ends with a smooth file.
Dave

[satwel]

I use 1/16" stainless steel rod that I bought online from Tower Hobby in Chicago. It's from K&S Engineering. Ordered a box of 16 rods x 12". I used to buy it in hobby shops in the RC airplane department, but the internet put all the hobby shops out of business. So it goes. Like the previous posters, I slightly round over the end of the pin that goes in first.

[omark]

i generally use 1/16 welding rod and finish nails that are 3/32 for thimbles and tenons respectively. and i also dome the ends. was shown this by a friend that used to work at GRRW.            mark

[jrice]

For hardware pins I use the older metal coat hangers. I'm with Don, I think they are close to a #4 penny finishing nail with drill diameter to match. Regards, Jerry