Pete Alexander vs Chuck Dixon!!

[David Price]

Why would you not want to pin the barrel first.  It is easier to get the pins in square  while the stock is square.  You  got to do it anyway, why would you want to bother with tape or clamps.  I also secure the tang with a  temporary wood screw, until I put the triggers  in.  Now I know that the barre is exactly where it will not move, and I then mark where the end of the plug is on the outside of the barrel.  I then set the lock, then the triggers, and then replace the temporary wood screw that I put in the tang with a machine screw down through the trigger plate.  The very last thing that I do is drill the touch hole.

[Acer Saccharum]

I like to have the barrel pinned and tandg screwed down before I set the lock. I put a sheetrock screw in at the tang. This temporary screw comes out later on when I know where the trigger plate is to be.

[California Kid]

The 1970 version is still all Buchele. I have It here in front of me. I don't think Alexander was in the picture until 1983?, when Shumway added some pics. Used pics that are in RCA.
 The old books were all line drawings, done by Buchele.

[Don Tripp]

Peter Alexander's book used in conjunction with his videos are the best instructional resources available (if the videos are still available). I have all of the books mentioned and all the videos that have been made over the years and they are all good but I wish that I would have had Alexander's book and videos before I ruined my first stock blank in the mid 1980's. I made a lot of common and sometimes expensive mistakes over the years that Peter's book and videos would have prevented.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I'd sooner smash a stained glass window than harm a hair on Bill's head.  But i can see us destoying some brain cells with Appleton's... not whiskey..next July!?  And you're seriously involved, Ian!

I too like the barrel solid before anything else gets done.  Anytime I've used tape, it has allowed the barrel to creep forward allowing a gap at the breech face.  The draft of the tang and the angle of the tang screw does that if you're not careful.  So, inlet the barrel, or better yet, have David Rase do it perfectly, then install and inlet the lugs, and pin or key it.  Solid.  Everything else revolves around this.

[Randy Hedden]

Why would you not want to pin the barrel first.  It is easier to get the pins in square  while the stock is square.  You  got to do it anyway, why would you want to bother with tape or clamps. 

David,

This is a case of "to each his own". I drill the pin holes for the barrel under lugs after my stock is down to almost finish shape. I have always done it this way and still prefer to do it this way.  Until I actually drill the holes and install the pins I keep the barrel in place with a wrap of duct tape in three or four places on the length of the barrel. Why would I do this? I would rather have to remove the tape and retape the barrel every time I want to take the barrel out of the stock rather than having to pull the pins to remove the barrel. I have never had the barrel creep out of position.

I guess my question would be why would anyone want to have to drill all the way through a thick, square stock blank with a tiny drill when it isn't necessary? I use standard length drills that aren't long enough to drill all the way through a square stock blank, but I also don't have to pay extra for a much longer drill that is more prone to breaking and running out than a standard length drill. What advantage is there to drilling the pin holes in the square stock blank if a builder doesn't have a drill press?

BTW, Hershel House drills his pin holes late in the building process when the stock is fully shaped.

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

 

[B.Habermehl]

I am certainly in the Drill and pin the barrel ASAP clan. However I will band saw the forend down to within 1/16 in of finished thickness. This prvents the wandering that Harddog is concerned with.   And permits the use of normal jobber's length drills.  Pluss you have the benifit of having square surfaces to  work with. The touch hole is normally one of the last three  things I do before I start the finishing process. Usually the same time I have the barrel out to install the sights.

[Mike Brooks]

I too like the barrel solid before anything else gets done.  Anytime I've used tape, it has allowed the barrel to creep forward allowing a gap at the breech face.  The draft of the tang and the angle of the tang screw does that if you're not careful.  So, inlet the barrel, or better yet, have David Rase do it perfectly, then install and inlet the lugs, and pin or key it.  Solid.  Everything else revolves around this.

Exactly. I've seen some super high dollar guns by some of the ultra popular builders with a big ol' gap at the breech.....what a turn off, not to mention they are going to shoot like crapola with out the barrel bedded against wood at the breech.  In fact, I believe Alexanders guns were some of those I've seen with this gap....what a qwinky dink......

[Leatherbelly]

ROFLMFAO!!!! mIKE,YOU CRACK ME UP!