barrel staples

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I have a TVM kit that comes with barrel staples and the holes are pre-drilled.  The staples are kinda weird looking.  The legs have broad flat heads - almost like they were already flattened.  But perhaps this is just flanges from the mold?

Do I tap these in place as is?  Or do I file off the "wings" and then tap in the legs?

Also, how necessary are the special staple staking tool?

[galamb]

You leave those "flat heads" there, insert the staple into the hole and then "peen" the hole in the barrel "closed" around the staple.

So while it may be counter-intuitive, the barrel holds in the staple if you get what I'm saying. You can use a nail set, a center punch or a handy/dandy staple setting tool (staking tool) to peen the hole around the staple.

Places like Track of the Wolf sell the tool (or you can use their design to make your own) https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/956/1/TOOL-105-S

[thimble rig]

Be vary careful when youre drilling youre holes for the staple.You don't want to drill into the bore of youre barrel.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

TOW's staking tool moves too much metal all at once. It requires much too ;heavy a blow to do this, and you will likely dimple your bore.
I use a nail set with a flattened end a little over 1/16" in diameter.  I ground a shallow groove alone one edge so I can get it closer to the staple while stamping in the barrel steel.  I start with a blow on each end, then two on the sides, and then another to make up five strikes on each leg of the staple.  It makes for a neat job and it is impossible to remove a staple set in like this.

[flehto]

Used staples on the firat 3 builds for keys and made them out of nails. Both legs had a groove filed in just below the bbl surface when seated in the holes.. The bbl metal was then  staked into the groove. This type of staple enables a shallower, flat bottomed hole that I felt more comfortable  with.....drilling too deep can be disastrous.  On the guns that I still have w/ these staples, they're still tight.

No longer use staples, much preferring dovetailed lugs......Fred

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Wow!  Thanks.  This is such a great forum.

So . . . TVM pre-drills the staple-dimples.  It seems that the dimples are a bit too small for the flat heads on the staples; or the flat heads are too big.  Do you just force the staple in, with light hammer taps?  Or do you take some of the head off?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I make the holes a little undersized...and tap the staples into the holes.  I have no way of knowing how large/small your are, so it's hard to advise.  but they have to be tight.

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Thanks Mr. Sapergia.  I looked around for tutorials that show installing staples but turned up nothing.  It would be nice if there was a video on this.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Do a little practice run.  If you have a barrel stub from a previous job, set a staple just like you would in your good barrel.  That will give you the confidence to go for it on the good one.