Ramrod channel wandered...

[jm190]

Hi All!
  This morning I discovered the ramrod channel on my latest creation wandered to the right and down. It dropped down about an 1/8" and went to the right about 3/16". I discovered this while in-letting the trigger guard.  So what I have now is only 1/2 of the trigger guard extension(finial?) forward of the front lug is supported by the fore-stock.

   I flipped out for about two minutes and then realized this probably isn't that big of a deal. I think the front of the trigger guard is sufficiently supported to continue and all I have to do is taper the last 6" or so of the ramrod to fit under the front trigger guard extension. 

As always, your comments and suggestions are most appreciated!

Thanks!
John

[rich pierce]

I agree, you’ll be fine.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

You can move the hole over and up, if it really bugs you, but it isn't necessary, as long as your rod clears the forward lock nail, and doesn't interfere with the mainspring in the lock.
Suppose your rod hole is 3/8".  Make a hooked scraper out of some god steel stock like drill rod or the like.  You could start with 3/8" rod.  In that case, peen the end of the rod to create a burr, and remove all of the burr except along one edge.  Insert it into the rod hole with the burr on the side that needs removal, and push it in carefully.  Clear the chip/scraping that rises and continue.  As you get deeper into the stock, the hole will move in the direction you are scraping.  Keep adding 'hook' to the rod and continue until you have moved the hole over enough to insert a different scraper.
This one is made from 5/16" stock, for a 3/8" hole, and has a bend and hump about two inches from the business end.  The end of the rod is bumped up like the first tool, and a sharp cutter formed.  But this rod will really take out wood.  the bent up hump will press against the off side of the hole and the cutter will remove wood in the direction you wish to move the hole.  You can even dispense with the first tool, and go straight to the second one.  I've used it lots to get the rod hole under the barrel properly.

[Craig Wilcox]

Taylor, some of your "work Arounds" simply amaze me!  I thank Heaven I found this forum, as I constantly improve my knowledge base.
This one is "cheap 'n' easy"!

[TommyG]

I recently had a similar problem drilling a RR hole.  Mine walked about 3/16 toward the sideplate and up toward the barrel channel leaving me with a 3/32 web at the breach(which I think is a good thing).  My only concern is when I start rounding the forearm and shaping the bottom flats to the triggerguard, that I do not shape into the hole.  I got some graph paper and plotted everything by drilling 1/16 test holes a a few spots in the barrel channel.  I like surprises deer hunting and Christmas morning, not building long guns.

Plotted the hole on graph paper


I think this might have been the culprit.  I had no idea this knot/hard spot was there until I slabbed the stock to rough shape after drilling the hole


upload

[BarryE]

Or.....you could cut out the bottom of the barrel channel over the ramrod channel, gouge out the hole in the desired direction, and glue the removed section (or a new piece) back into the bottom of the barrel channel. 

[davec2]

I had a ram rod drill come up into the barrel channel on a highly figured piece of maple.  I thought about doing a repair by several different methods, but I got lazy.  I cut out the floor of the barrel channel and deepened the groove to get the ram rod back into the correct location.  Then I got a piece of thin walled (hobby shop type "K & S") brass tube that the ram rod just slid into.  I put the brass tube in the groove and sealed the front and back ends with a very small amount of 5 minute epoxy.  Once that set and I was sure the tube ends were sealed, I filled that area inside the barrel channel with Acra Glass, sprayed the barrel with separator, and then clamped the barrel in place to let it cure.  When finished, I had a brass lined ram rod hole embedded in Acra Glass.  The repair is not at all traditional but made the stock really strong in that area.  I could have glued a new piece of wood and re-drilled the hole as well.....but the Acra Glass was easier and there was no risk the hole would go the wrong way again.

[jm190]

Thank you all for your input!

I'm going to leave well enough alone for now but will save all your suggestions for when I screw up a real masterpiece.

Thanks again!
John

[Stophel]

It may be "fine", but it would drive me absolutely crazy.  I would plug the hole and redrill or do just as BarryE described.   

[jerrywh]

Well I hate to admit I missed one once but if Davec2 will then so have I.  First I glued a 3/8 dowel  in the RR hole. Then I ran a router bit down the bottom of the barrel channel. to the depth of the ramrod. Then I put a 3/8" Aluminum rod that was waxed in the ram rod hole and glued a piece of maple in the top of the slot over the ram rod with Elmers wood glue. I finished the Barrel channel to fit and stained the channel. I still have that rifle and cannot see where the repair was done.  Sounds like even Taylor missed one once.

[jm190]

It may be "fine", but it would drive me absolutely crazy.  I would plug the hole and redrill or do just as BarryE described.   

Stophel was right; it started bugging the $#*! out of me. Being a novice (and that's my excuse) I was reluctant to attempt a repair for fear of doing more damage. So I used a little bit of  BarryE's and Taylor's suggestions and started the repair today. 

I cut out the bottom of the barrel channel back to where the channel was straight left to right. I had a 3/8" steel rod and peened of the end to get a good burr. I used that to move the channel up towards the barrel. I have enough room that the front lock plate screw will still clear the ram rod channel. I'll fill everything back in tomorrow and clean up the barrel channel. Here's what it looked like when I started and after moving the channel.

Thanks for the inspiration to make the repair!

[Stophel]

The problem is the wood underneath the rod... or the lack thereof.  Fit a piece of wood to go in the bottom of the bad hole and glue it in place.  Re-inlet the ramrod after the glue is set up.  Then you will have solid wood again underneath the ramrod.  Would have been easier to do if you had plugged the hole with a dowel and glued in in place, then cut down from the barrel channel.  Anyway, if you wish, you can then fit a new piece of wood to go on top of the rod and glue it in place (and then you get to re-inlet the barrel on top!  Fun! )

For me, if a rod is gonna go off (and it will), it will go off track immediately. I don't know if anyone has ever found "witness holes" drilled into the barrel channel of any old gun, but for me, they are a necessity.  Check, check, check.  You can tell if you're off right away.  If it's off within the first three inches, I'll plug it and try again.