Drilled through the barrel

[Tennessee.45]

I measured 4 times for the underlug, but I still managed to drill through the barrel, I even used a little homemade jig to hold everything in place that worked perfectly on the last one I just built. Is there any way to fix my mistake or should I just buy a new barrel? It's a Rice 42" .58 c weight

[little joe]

Did the bit go into the rifling?

[Tennessee.45]

I pulled the breech plug, I can push a patched ball down no problem, when I push it out from the breech end to the muzzle, it slightly snags the pin

[oldtravler61]

Tennessee is it threw the bore of the barrel bore?  If not it could be salvageable. The guy's in the know should chime in. Oldtravler

[Tennessee.45]

Tennessee is it threw the bore of the barrel bore?  If not it could be salvageable. The guy's in the know should chime in. Oldtravler

I shined a light on the hole and can see light when I look down the barrel

[T*O*F]

Congratulations,
Depending on where that hole is located, you either have a carbine length barrel or a couple of pistol barrels.

[smylee grouch]

It's not the end of the world but it is the end of the rifle barrel that you started with. Is the offending hole far enough away to salvage a shorter barrel out of the longest section?

[g2608671@verizon.net]

I feel for you my brother.  The only thing I can say that may be of use is to thoroughly review how this happened - write it down and review it every time you do this procedure in the future so that you do not do it again. Mistakes happen to everyone and don't let this take the wind out of your sails.
What are you building / kit gun name / a scratch creation?

[Tennessee.45]

I was building a generic early Virginia, I guess I'll chop the barrel down and build a pistol. It was the 2nd lug from the breech

[smylee grouch]

When I drill those holes I stop when I feel the bit contact the steel, then check it out by removing the barrel so you can verify where your bit is going.

[Darkhorse]

What kind of homemade jig did you use? I drill my underlugs using a type of fence, it's a simple piece of angle and a few C clamps. Almost foolproof.

[Tennessee.45]

What kind of homemade jig did you use? I drill my underlugs using a type of fence, it's a simple piece of angle and a few C clamps. Almost foolproof.

That's what I use

[Darkhorse]

Either your using it wrong. Something moved and you didn't catch it. Or your drill ran off center. It's easy for a drill to run when drilling the pins as it's going through a curved surface, but I would have thought it would run down instead of up. I use a center drill and carefully start the hole before I actually drill it.

[smart dog]

Hi,
Not that it helps now but next time use your jig to mark the hole on the stock and drill it without the barrel or without the underlugs in place. If something went wrong, it is easier to plug a hole in the wood. Replace the barrel or lug and then redrill the hole.  Sometimes the lug can push the drill off track if you try and do the job in one go.

dave

[Joe S.]

Bummer!I would get another barrel and make up a couple pistol barrels with this one.I did as another poster said,pulled the barrel and drilled thru the wood only,made sure it was on the mark and then put the barrel back in.Kinda funny but I was more worried about srewing up the holes building this rifle than doing real work on site,musta did the layout on the stock,three,four times,checked and rechecked,real OCD moment

[Mike Brooks]

That sucks..... Can't you just jam a tooth pick with  some crazy glue in there?

[Tennessee.45]

Just measured the the hole, it's 24" from the muzzle

[oldtravler61]

  Tennessee save it for a carbine or as we say in the North a canoe gun project. In the future I'll bet yeah don't do it again! Oldtravler

[Dale Halterman]

Maybe it's just me, but that hole looks awfully close to the bottom of the lug dovetail to have hit the bore. How much wall thickness did you have between the dovetail and the bore?

Dale H

[Marcruger]

I am sorry for your misery. 

As has been said here, you could make a pistol barrel out of it.  The caveat is that with a slow rifle twist, it will take more powder to stabilize a ball in a cut-down short rifle barrel than a normal "pistol twist" barrel.  At least that is what I have been informed by people smarter than I.  I am not sure where the hole is in the barrel, nor what ramifications the swamp will entail to obtaining pistol barrels from it. 

Now for some good news.  I know from first-hand experience that if you talk with Jason at Rice Barrels, he can make for you another barrel with the exact outside dimension as your current barrel that will drop right into your stock.  He will re-use your breech plug.  You'll need to ship him your barrel.  Perhaps he can even cut some dovetails for you?   

Just a head's up that Rice is not producing all patterns all of the time.  You may have to wait a few months for when Jason gets back to making your configuration barrel again.  I'd give Jason a call right away.  He was super accommodating to me. 

Each day is an opportunity for a learning experience, that's for sure. 

Best wishes, and God Bless,   Marc

[Old Ford2]

All I can say, is that none of us have ever made a screw up such as this!.Nooooo wway!
Ever since they invented "J B Weld", things have got better.
As said above, try and get a new barrel with the same profile.
By the way, there is nothing wrong with a matching pistol to go along with a fine rifle ( with a bit of a story )
Fred

[Maalsral]

What is the profile of the barrel from the breach to the 24" point where it will be cut?

[kutter]

If I was just making the rifle for myself,,Id soft solder a close fitting 12L14 steel pin thru the hole. Trim it off to the oct flats on the outside and lap the bore out to take any offending bit of matl away inside.

(If a customers gun or one built for sale on speculation, of course the bbl would be replaced.)

It'll save the bbl for shooting purposes, you won't notice any difference in performance and the oops will still be a reminder for the next project. It's called learning, everyone has their storys to tell.

You can always come back and change the bbl, use the punctured one for pistol bbls, ect later on. But for now, avoid the extra cash outlay, that can sour an otherwise fun project.
Learn from it and make something of it.
Put a mark on the bottom to indicate the flaw if you want to avoid anyone from not knowing should the rifle pass on to someone else w/o your consent.

Just my thoughts..keepin it low cost to keep it fun.

[ghost]

Been there, done that, really feel for you!

[Bob Roller]

Congratulations,
Depending on where that hole is located, you either have a carbine length barrel or a couple of pistol barrels.

T*O*F has the right idea. These things happen and are costly but are part of the
learning process. I did the same thing in high school shop class in 1954 while making
a rifle.

Bob Roller