Barrel Inletting

[mustanggt]

Ive used the search function and cant find my exact question. When I inlet a barrel do I black the whole thing and inlet from there or start at the largest diameter end (breach) and work towards the muzzle? First build from Chambers kit. I have many videos and books but I guess I'm too dense to get it from there. Thank you.

[flehto]

The bbl should be already be inlet on a Chambers kit. The lock is also inletted but might require some chiseling of tight spots. Get the lock inlet so it accepts the lock and then move on to the location of the TH liner {White Lightning}.

Lightly mark on the side bbl flat the end of the threaded length of the breechplug  {usually 1/2"} and then scribe another line from the end of the threaded length of 1/2 the TH liner dia plus 1/32" . This is the location for the TH.

The bbl needs to be set back until the line denoting the TH location on the side flat of the bbl  is centered w/ the lock pan.  The breech end of the bbl should "spot" 90%  of the area backing up the bbl.... so you kinda got to sneak up on setting the bbl back when getting close to centering the TH line w/ the center of the pan.

The bbl inlet might require some  fine scraping but on all the Chambers kits I've done, the bbl fit is good as rec'd.  But it's a good idea to coat the bbl w/ spotting compound and see if the bbl is bottoming out. If not, remove the high spots  denoted by the spotting.

After you've done the bbl set back, study some "how to" books for further tasks......Fred

[n stephenson]

I`m pretty sure the rear corners of the breech will need to be cut square , from where they where milled out . I would start with the breech and go forward. JMHO Nate

[PPatch]

The Chambers barrel inlet should be about 98% done, you will likely have to do some scraping to get the barrel the barrel a small bit lower and to fit as it should, you may also have to move the barrel back a small bit in order to have your touch hole aline with the pan on your lock - alternately, instead of moving the barrel back to aline with the touch hole a notch can be filed in the breech face of the breech plug.

I remove the breech plug, and I then begin inletting at that end, and move forward with my blackening of the barrel and scraping, I do about a third of the barrel at a time. Once she is down where you want it be very sure that the rear of the barrel is seated solidly against the wood. You'll next reinstall the plug and do the tang inlet.

dave

[mustanggt]

Thanks for the help. The area along the forearm will need to be scraped for sure. I can push it down but it kind of springs back up out of the channel.

[moleeyes36]

If you are going to draw file the barrel to remove any tool marks and the like, you should do that before you do any final inletting of the barrel channel.  You will likely find on a Jim Chambers' kit that removing that small amount of steel by draw filing will make the barrel fit the inlet pretty well.

Mole Eyes

[mustanggt]

I have done the draw filing on the barrel and am ready to move to the next step. I also thought that maybe inletting the breach area would then tell me how well the rest of the barrel will fit in the barrel channel.

[PPatch]

I have done the draw filing on the barrel and am ready to move to the next step. I also thought that maybe inletting the breach area would then tell me how well the rest of the barrel will fit in the barrel channel.

It will, you will know how things stand once that breech is in place.

Good luck with your build and have all the fun you can. )

Cheers

dave

[mustanggt]

Thank you fellas for all the helpful advice. I'm looking forward to this project. I'll be back soon. 

[Long John]

Mustang,

Like the others have said, the inlet in your kit is 98% there.  You will have to square-up the back of the groove.  When you do this make sure that the lock inlet lines-up with the vent location on the barrel.

Be careful when draw-filing.  It is easy to take too much material off and end up with a sloppy fit.

I find that once I have a smooth finish on the barrel it helps to paint the side flats with a Sharpie (R) or other black marker from end to end.  Then I draw file the side flats so only the bottom half of the black marking is removed.  This makes a slight draft on the side flats and helps get a nice fit.

Finally, I have never needed anything more than a nice sharp scraper to relieve the barrel channel enough to accept the barrel on a Chambers stock.  If you think you need to widen the barrel channel with a chisel its time to slow down and re-evaluate your plan.

Best Regards,

JMC
John Cholin

[mustanggt]

Thanks for all the help. I'm working on the barrel inlet this whole weekend. I'm using a nice, scary sharp Hersch 6mm chisel. It's working real well as I scrape just a little bit away at a time.

[Mike Brooks]

Thanks for all the help. I'm working on the barrel inlet this whole weekend. I'm using a nice, scary sharp Hersch 6mm chisel. It's working real well as I scrape just a little bit away at a time.

Back in the old days barrels seemed to have fit the channels better, I don't know why that is. Back when Don Getz supplied barrels and Jim Chambers was in the kit business you'd buy a kit and it would  come to you with the barrel nestled down in the channel where it belongs. You'd have to clean out the breech corners a bit but that was it. I'd use that chisel to cut the wood out off the channel, not scrape it. Draw filing will help some, built you really need to be removing wood in this case. You ought to be able to get that barrel to settle in in an hour, 2 hours max.
 This can be a very aggravating situation to deal with.....

[mustanggt]

Thanks Mike. I have just begun to learn wood working in the last few years and know my limitations when it comes to chiseling. I know it's slow going but I'm hoping for it to pay off with a nice fit then me going !@$%$##$%^%$ when I take too much wood accidentally. It's going well so I won't go any faster than I am. I keep in mind that I don't want to screw up a $1000+ kit.

[flehto]

The bbl inlet on the 3 Chambers kits I've done was in fact just right or oversize and one had to be "wrapped " w/ surgical tubing. I don't draw file the bbls until the bbl is ready for browning...nearly when the LR is done except for the staining and finishing.  Never had to draw file that much off a Rice bbl  and don't file to the point of having no machining marks.....the etching of the LMF browning makes the shallow machining mark remnants  invisible.....Fred 

[mustanggt]

That's good to know. I wondered if that might happen. Thanks

[John SMOthermon]

The bbl inlet on the 3 Chambers kits I've done was in fact just right or oversize and one had to be "wrapped " w/ surgical tubing. I don't draw file the bbls until the bbl is ready for browning...nearly when the LR is done except for the staining and finishing.  Never had to draw file that much off a Rice bbl  and don't file to the point of having no machining marks.....the etching of the LMF browning makes the shallow machining mark remnants  invisible.....Fred

Fred, can you give us a little more info on "wrapped"  with surgical tubing?

Are you using the tubing to hold the barrel in place?

Thanks

[flehto]

The bbl inlet opened up  and was too big for the inlet...so I put the bbl in and tightly wrapped surgical tubing around the  bbl/stock and let  it sit for 2 weeks. and had a nice fit after the tubing was removed.....and it stayed that way. Normally build from a blank, but have had to do the same thing after the bbl and RR work was done by an outside source and then the sides were taken down to 3/16". Just the nature of the wood..

The wraps of surgical tubing are about 1" apart  and are stretched pretty tight.....Fred

[John SMOthermon]

Thanks Fred, I can see where that would work.

Was this after the sides were 3/16" or before?

Seems it would make sense to do it after the wood was removed.

Thanks again

[flehto]

Yes....the sides were 3/16" thick....Fred

[John SMOthermon]

Thank ye' kindly, Sir

[mustanggt]

As this is my first build I have discovered things about this stock I didn't notice till I got to work it. The lock side of the forearm is about 1/16" thick and the lockplate side is 1/8" thick. It looks like I'm real tight on that right side. I don't think I can remove anymore material there and risk it being too thin. I'm also working with a slight twist as well. I kept it attached to the furring strip than it came with from the manufacturer. Any thoughts on how I should proceed?

[davebozell]

While you are building, it is best to keep the barrel in the stock.  The barrel will help keep it from twisting and will support it while you work on it. You definitely do not want to store them separately, as the twist that you mention will likely occur.  I have seen surgical tubing used to keep them together, but you can also use Velcro cable organizers to keep the barrel and stock together.

[mustanggt]

Thanks for the advice. I saw a thread by Curtis Allinson where he said that he used that method. I'll see if I can scare up some of those things.

[mustanggt]

Everything has been going well with the inletting process till I started to notice a few things. I've got a bit of a twist going on when I tap the barrel in place to get good contact with the black it twists a hair. As my progress has gone on I've done what I thought was right and just removed the black areas with my chisel. Sounds easy enough eh? The black on the barrel and what is smudged on the wood made it hard to see the gap developing at the rear 1/3 of the barrel. I found it with a flash light. Everywhere else is good. Well at least it's a consistent 1/32" or so. Consistency is what I've been striving for!!!  I have full contact with the bottom flat for the first 2" and sporadic for the first 1/3 of the barrel. I really don't know how I did it. I just scraped the black off. Will I need to do something to fix this or once it's full down in the stock will it  look better?

[mustanggt]

I'm really beside myself with how far I let the inletting process go before I noticed I went to far and developed those gaps around the barrel. I guess I'll have to live with it and be even more careful from here on out. I really was proud of myself that it seemed to be going so well and thought I was going to get a nice tight fit.