Securing pins for under-lugs

[Don Tebbet]

Should under-lug pins be secured? Bees wax? Pine tar? Loctite?

[Mauser06]

I'm not a professional.  But the guns I've built and others I've had my hands on, the pins are snug and not going anywhere.  If the holes or site of the pins bother you, you could cut the pins a little short and wax the holes.

[Scota4570]

No.

[rick/pa]

The finish alone will keep them in place, either by being sticky or a slight swelling of the wood.

[Mark Elliott]

I drill my pin holes the same size as the pin.   This makes them a press fit.   They are always plenty snug.   I have never seen pins intentionally secured.

[Ky-Flinter]

I shoot quite a bit and I remove my barrel for cleaning after every outing.  After 20 years of this, the pins can get a little loose.  Rub the pins on a block of beeswax and shove them in the hole.  Pins stay put til the next cleaning.

-Ron

[jerrywh]

 I don't worry about them coming out But I like to put brown wax in the holes to keep out water and camo the holes.

[Ky-Flinter]

I don't worry about them coming out But I like to put brown wax in the holes to keep out water and camo the holes.

I like Jerry's answer better.

-Ron

[Dennis Glazener]

I fill the pin holes with beeswax which is dark but also makes the hole/pin a little tacky. Never had one back out.
Dennis

[Don Tebbet]

Thank you, gentlemen - I believe I'll try the bees wax.

[Pete G.]

I use colored wax "crayons" intended for furniture repair available at Lowe's. They are available in several colors.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Same here or I use regular crayons

[rfd]

i put a drop of quality (hobby shop) water thin CYA into stock barrel under lug pin holes and allow to cure before inserting waxed pins, thus hardening the wood against wear during barrel removal.  pins are drifted in a hair below the surface of the finished stock wood.   

[Don Tebbet]

Please inform the less knowledgeable - what is quality (hobby shop) water thin CYA?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

CYA or simply CA is cyanoacrylate glue - super glue - crazy glue.  It is a bonding agent for balsa airplane construction, but has a multitude of other uses too.  I recently had the opportunity to use it to solidify and fill some checks in the grip of a pistol stock I'm making for a buddy.  I did the same thing to heal some catastrophic checks in the surface of the back of a 100 pound warbow, turning a piece of kindling into a functional and deadly bow.  The super thin glue finds its way to the very bottom of a crack, and when it 'kicks' (sets/cures), completely heals the crack.  In soft or end grain wood, after running a screw into the hole, ie:  the lower butt plate screw, remove the screw, and squirt some super thin CA into the hole.  It will set and harden the end grain of the thread-cut wood, and make it considerably stronger when you return the screw.  Make sure the screw hole is completely cured before you return the screw, and apply wax to the screw first, or you will never get the screw out again.  Acetone is a solvent for CA.

[Bill Raby]

If pins are loose, just bend them a little bit and put them back in. Nice and tight again.

[rfd]

Please inform the less knowledgeable - what is quality (hobby shop) water thin CYA?

most all the brand name hobby shop CYA glues are excellent.  for my profession, i buy the water thin "hot stuff" brand by the case and refrigerate 'til needed.   there are also medium and thick viscosity types, but for hardening wood the thinnest will properly wick into the grain quite fast.  DO NOT use "krazy glue" or other such inferior CYA glues, they're literally junk, buy the good stuff.  i'm also not a fan of CYA accelerators and prefer to allow the glue to set and cure on its own.  a fresh batch of CYA will puff smoke on application!