$%@@## Ramrod hole

[Stophel]

My first hole went perfectly too....it was all downhill from there...

But, ya gotta go for it!   

[bdixon]

My first hole did not go well, it is low and I had a blow out, I plan to install a blow out belly patch and finish the gun.  Does anyone have a method of moving the ram rod hole towards the barrel or am I where I am and deal with it?

[Acer Saccharum]

Everyone runs into this problem one time or another. 

W W J K do?

[Dphariss]

After quite a few builds I finally had one come out the bottom.  Didn't catch it until I started final shaping.   Tried gluing in a dowel but the drill has to follow the dowell despite my efforts.  Need to look at bottom plates.  Its a Tennessee poor boy so I assume they used pretty much a rectanglular peice of sheet metal, but was wondering if they got a little more artistic.  Some of the Pennsylvania rifles had some that were almost an improvement.

DP

Pretend the Tennessee rifle was made by a gun maker instead of a blacksmith or farmer who stocked guns on the side and you can make a nicer "wear plate".

I won't drill a rod hole with anything but a gun drill type drill. Your mileage will vary likely but the gun drill has always run right where I pointed it.

Dan

[brokenflint]

Dan  can you show us a "gun drill type drill"?  I want to make sure I understand what it looks like.

Broke

[Michigan Flinter]

The first hole I drilled,in a blank, I goofed up laying it out and it wasn't parallel to the barrel .had more wood on the blank on one side but I saved  it.The way I do it is I cut in the ramrod grove to finish demension install the pipes except the entry one and use the pipes ,as drill bushings, to drill the hole. I use a bradpoint and back out for chip removable often.

[Dphariss]

Dan  can you show us a "gun drill type drill"?  I want to make sure I understand what it looks like.

Broke

I make my own but TOW sells them



Once in 1/2" or so they track straight unless the operator REALLy works at making it run off. So make SURE its pointed where you want it.
If you drill far enough they will dead center the tang screw.
Something that drills that cut on the sides,  twist drills, no matter what point they have, have never done for me reliably.
Ramrod holes are not the only thing that I have used them for. Some SS rifles with through bolts will not tolerate having the hole come out 1/8" off. It can make the stock unusable since it can change everything concerned drop, cast off etc. or move the edge of the receiver off the edge of the stock.
Yeah I could plug the hole, redrill, etc etc but its easier to do it right the first time.
I do burr the edge of the flute just slightly to cut a hole maybe .002 larger than the shaft since these tend to cut exactly to size making a really tight fit for the shaft which can heat the wood excessively due to friction.
Dan

[brokenflint]

Thanks Dan, like in Buchele book as I thought. I need to make or buy one of these to try out, have read about the shape just never used one. 

Broke

[Swampwalker]

I've always use normal drill bits braised onto cold rolled steel rod.  When I've had problems it's always been because the ramrod groove (which guides the drill rod) has been off.  Put the groove in the right place, and (barring hidden knots) the hole will end up in the right place, regardless of the type of drill.