Sling attachment!

[Roger Fisher]

Save me from taking my smoothy shooter apart to see if I soldered a lug for the upper swivel or if I was satisfied with drilling thru the wood only!  I built that ol girl something like 7 or such years ago and simply can't remember.  Maybe I can tell if I pull the rod!   Read lazy!   Haven't split the forestock 'yet'!
My current build will involve a leather sling. Do you folks use said lug??

[Black Hand]

I cheat and tie the forward end over one of the pipes and the rear to the trigger guard.  No permanent swivels for me.....

[Longknife]

I can't imagine just the wood holding the sling, I believe it would split with very little use.  You should be able to tell if you pull the screw though.....Ed

[Roger Fisher]

I can't imagine just the wood holding the sling, I believe it would split with very little use.  You should be able to tell if you pull the screw though.....Ed

Jeez, thanks for the quick response... I must say that when you get long in the tooth you get short in the memory!!   You just wait awhile

[Acer Saccharum]

Roger, if you get some of those X-ray glasses, ordered from the back of any decent comic book, you should be able to see what's under the wood without taking it apart.

[northmn]

Were I to build a fullstock with a sling I would definitely use a lug.  Maybe combine it with as an underpinning lug.  I am commenting mostly because I have an interest in slings and was wondering about the back sling holder.  Some use buttons.  Have been thinking about how to make an authentic sling that is easily "detachable"  Could one use a rear button and a sling that can be removed easily that way?

DP

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I always use a lug let into the bottom flat of the barrel so that when the swivel is installed, it falls against the thimble when the rifle is vertical.  That way it does not interfere with the ramrod going in or out of the pipes.  The lug insures that the wood is not going to be torn away when the muzzle gets snagged by a bush.

[Jerry V Lape]

Geez Roger, how hard is it to dissassemble you smoothbore?  What did you do, epoxy the whole thing together?   

[Roger Fisher]

Geez Roger, how hard is it to dissassemble you smoothbore?  What did you do, epoxy the whole thing together?   

No but I was tempted once or thrice!!

[Roger Fisher]

Couldn't stand it so I pulled the rod and there she was - broke in to the groove - this later one will have that swivel resting upon the middle pipe to stop that minor aggravation of said swivel catching the rod when entering the pipe. Memory loss is a serious thingee!
She will ride above my shoulder higher than my present shooter - so I'll just have to bend more under the limbs

[Roger Fisher]

Were I to build a fullstock with a sling I would definitely use a lug.  Maybe combine it with as an underpinning lug.  I am commenting mostly because I have an interest in slings and was wondering about the back sling holder.  Some use buttons.  Have been thinking about how to make an authentic sling that is easily "detachable"  Could one use a rear button and a sling that can be removed easily that way?

DP

I use that neat button and sling removal that is so easy an ol Deutscha can do it!

[Daryl]

If you cut the barrel off to about 32", yyou can tie a not around the rear sight - just install a relly high one.

[Acer Saccharum]

If you make your front sight tall, as Daryl suggests, drill a cross hole through it, and there is your swivel mount!

[Roger Fisher]

If you make your front sight tall, as Daryl suggests, drill a cross hole through it, and there is your swivel mount!

So many wonderfull suggestions and so little time!

[Jim Filipski]

Roger
A really strong method of afixing the front swivel is with the "blind tennon" ( Drilling through the center of the barrel) This precludes having to dovetail a tennon....however it does slow down loading and plays havoc with groups!
Jim

Yes Acer ,I'm starting the Christmas celebrations early!

[Acer Saccharum]

Jim,  I agree with you. For the neatest installation of the barrel thru-bolt, cover the ends of the threads with an acorn nut, which if placed far enough down the barrel, can serve as your front sight. With our old eyes, it's easy to spot in a jiffy when drawing a bead on old buckaroo.

[Jim Filipski]

Jim,  I agree with you. For the neatest installation of the barrel thru-bolt, cover the ends of the threads with an acorn nut, which if placed far enough down the barrel, can serve as your front sight. With our old eyes, it's easy to spot in a jiffy when drawing a bead on old buckaroo.

Oh $#@* you must be in to better stuff then I!

[Stophel]

Here's a 240 year old gun that had it's sling swivel only attached in the wood:



Now, I always use a tenon, but for a relatively lightweight gun like this one, I think you'll be fine without one. 

[AndyThomas]

I always use a lug let into the bottom flat of the barrel so that when the swivel is installed, it falls against the thimble when the rifle is vertical.  That way it does not interfere with the ramrod going in or out of the pipes.  The lug insures that the wood is not going to be torn away when the muzzle gets snagged by a bush.

I do it this way too. I use a lug with a thick blade, about 3/16". The wider the lug blade the less the bolt will wobble, and the less damage to the wood. Also, I drill the hole in the wood oversize some, and put a leather doughnut between the sling and the wood. Perhaps this is all overkill.

Hope this helps,
Andy

[northmn]

Its hard to ctitisize "overkill".  It ususally costs only a little more in time, doesn't hurt anything and may actually help.  Most 42 inch barrels can be held in with 3 pins, yet a lot of us use 4. 

DP