When to pin and why?

[rick landes]

I reread everything I could find on pinning a barrel in the search, thinking to make a pin locating drill guide for myself. I found several good examples. However, I see pins being set in stocks early on (such as after barrel channel was cut) to drill after the molding above the ramrod groove was completed.

Question any opinions (and why) on when is best?

Thanks in advance as usual!

[Longknife]

The first operation is to inlet the barrel and tang, then you should install underlugs and pin the barrel in position. This will protect the fore end from warping or getting broken during the rest of the build. I keep the barrel in place till it is absolutely necessary to remove it, usually after shaping the fore-end (which is the last operation I do) prior to any carving, etc....Ed

[keweenaw]

The pin location, vertically on the forestock, is determined by the bottom of the barrel.  The barrel really has to be in the stock before the forestock is shaped because it's too flexible otherwise, so as soon as I slab off the sides of the forestock I put in the pins.  It's also easier to drill these where you want them if you're drilling from a flat surface rather than a rounded one.  On a swamped barrel the pins will be different heights down from the top of the forestock and moldings usually parallel the bottom edges of the ramrod groove so not all barrel pins will fall exactly the same place on the molding line.  The only exception to that is for a straight barrel where the pins will obviously be in a straight line that also parallels the bottom of the forestock or with a swamped barrel if you plane the ramrod groove to maintain a constant web thickness. In practice to determine where, front to back you want the pins to go, you figure out where your ramrod pipes are going to go and the install you barrel lugs at appropriate intervals so that the pins won't be at the same places as the lugs.

Tom

[rick landes]

Thanks for the input guys!

[Hawken62_flint]

Cain's Outdoors (www.cainsoutdoor.com) has a drill guide for this purpose.  I believe it goes from 13/16 ths up to an inch or 1 1/8 th barrel.  It only works on straight barrels, but I have used it and it puts the hole as close to the barrel as possible.

[longcruise]

I reread everything I could find on pinning a barrel in the search, thinking to make a pin locating drill guide for myself.

Rick, I highly recommend the drilling pin deally.  I've always had trouble drilling pins and seemed to end up every time having to fill a hole and re-drill.

I made mine with a piece of steel about 3/8 thick.  Toward each end, a 3/8 hole.  Then, a 3/8 bolt with the head cut off and sharpened to a point using the hand drill/grinder wheel method.  Mounted the pin (bolt) in one end by tightening a nut on both the bottom side and the top side.  My bench top drill press has a hole dead center in the adjustable table so the bottom nut simply fits down inside it.  Used a short carriage bolt and a wing nut through the hole on the other end which mounts in the slot down the side of the adjustable table where you would typically tighten down a drill press vice.


Practiced by drilling pin holes in round ball handles to mount range rods into.  Perfect function!   Since then have used it to drill side by side guide holes to make a keyway.  With careful measuring, the holes went dead center through the key way on the barrel.  I did not however drill them with the barrel in place!

[Jim Kibler]

You can install pins any time after the barrel is in place.  It could actually be one of the last things done before finishing.  This approach is beneficial if using a scraper to form forestock moldings.  If holes are present, the scraper can have a tendency to fall in the holes and create a dip.  The downside of drilling holes after the forestock is shaped is the difficulty of starting the drill on a curved surface.  With a little care, this can be easily overcome.  Another note...  The three forward pins can generally be placed in a straight line.  The amount of swamp is usually such that sufficient web is present to allow this.  Looks nice if they follow the forestock molding.  I've used many methods of drilling holes, but in my view there is no better way than using a drill press or mill and a good vise fastened to the table.  Remove the barrel and register the top of the stock against the fixed jaw of the vise.  Drill the holes in the stock, install the barrel and drill through the lugs with a hand drill.  With this method, when drilling on a curved surface, I start the hole with a flat bottom drill or endmill.

[BJH]

  I pin the barrel in place as soon as I have the breech and tang inletted.  For a preshaped forend, do your layout carefully using a square. Then start your holes with a scriber, wiggle it a bit. Then take a hobbyist's pinvise and the drill you are planning for your pins, and start your holes with finger power alone. Drill about 1/16 to 1/8 in. deep. Now finish drill the holes with the drill press and extension table. I even use this method when working from the slab. I seldom have any hassle with barrel pins this way. Of course the locations are only as good as your lay out.

[whitebear]

I like to install pins as soon as possible.  The barrel keeps the forend from being dammage as easily, and it is easier to drill the holes streight in the forearn while the stock is still square.

[Jim Kibler]

A piece of leather tied around the barrel and stock keeps the barrel in place.  No need for pins to be poking you during the build.

[Roger Fisher]

A piece of leather tied around the barrel and stock keeps the barrel in place.  No need for pins to be poking you during the build.

Atta boy

[smshea]

A piece of leather tied around the barrel and stock keeps the barrel in place.  No need for pins to be poking you during the build.

 I use electrical tape upside down ,so it sticks to it self and not the gun....but same Idea ,no poking .

[Ed Wenger]

"low tack" painters masking tape works well also...

      Ed

[chuck-ia]

OK, I'm confused. On a swamped barrel , why are the pins not in a straight line? Maybe i have done it wrong in the past. I have measured where the front (muzzle) pin would go, and then measured where the rear pin would go, drew a line between the 2 and marked the 2 center pins. I think the only draw back to this is the 2 center tennons would have to be taller than the rear and the front tennon, so what. On a swamped barrel I measure 1/8" (maybe a little more) down at the muzzle and 3/16 at the breech, draw a line, this should be the web, or the top of the ram rod hole, a straight line. Am I doing something wrong? chuck

[Rich]

I install the pins when the stock is still square. I put a fence on the drill press table, remove the barrel from the stock and place it against the fence. Adjust the fence until the drill bit will go through the staple. Put a mark on the barrel and the fence so that when the barrel is put back in the stock, you can line up the marks. With the barrel in the stock, place the barrel against the fence with the marks lined up. The pin hole can now be drilled. Doing it when the stock is square, makes this easier. I put some tape on the far side of the stock to prevent chip out. This method is described in Recreating the American Longrifle. I make my staples out of 1/16 inch nails. The hole for the pin is 1/16 inch. The stock web is 1/8th inch. On a swamped barrel, the pins will not line up unless you make the center pins longer.

[Jim Kibler]

OK, I'm confused. On a swamped barrel , why are the pins not in a straight line? Maybe i have done it wrong in the past. I have measured where the front (muzzle) pin would go, and then measured where the rear pin would go, drew a line between the 2 and marked the 2 center pins. I think the only draw back to this is the 2 center tennons would have to be taller than the rear and the front tennon, so what. On a swamped barrel I measure 1/8" (maybe a little more) down at the muzzle and 3/16 at the breech, draw a line, this should be the web, or the top of the ram rod hole, a straight line. Am I doing something wrong? chuck

Yes, they can be in a line if your ramrod groove and hole is straight.  The holes will then vary in position on the lug.  It's nice to push the holes as close to the barrel as possbible so if a straight line is desired, it helps to just concern yourself with the forward three.  The one nearest the breach doesn't matter visually as far as lining up.  Really this is all pretty minimal in all actuality.  If the pins are in a line or vary it doesn't make much a a visual impact. 

[keweenaw]

Poking your hand or hitting the pins while you are profiling the forestock isn't a problem is you simply use some short pins that are below the finished surface.  Make new pins to final length when you are done profiling the stock.

Keys through escutcheon plates are one time when alignment with the forestock molding is critical, particularly on pieces where the molding line also goes through the escutcheon.  There is one rifle done like that that I've thought about copying.  Might think about it for a long time....

Tom