New pistol

[ed lundquist]

I'm at the part of the build where I get really excited, inlays, carving , finishing touches. The tang inlays shown are some of the most difficult I have attempted and I am pleased I didn't mess things up too bad. This pistol has a Bob Roller Bailes lock and a Bob Hoyt 45 barrel, most of the small parts are made by me. This is my first attempt at a keyed barrel and I find that the barrel wants to move fore and aft a bit in the mortise. I left some room in the lugs and the lock bolt hole is nominally over sized. How do you recommend I get the barrel to stay tight to the stock at the tang/breech. Should I tighten up the lug mortises? Thanks for your input.

[tfornicola]

Ed, Glass bed the breech and tang. Accru Glass Gel works well, be sure to color to a dark brown.  Tom

[ed lundquist]

Had not thought of that Tom. That is the maple I got from you, it has been a joy to work,Thanks.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I suspect the barrel wants to jump forward a little as recoil makes the breech bubp against the end of the channel.  Bed it there for sure, and in the tang bolt hole.  Apply shoe polish with a toothbrush to the steel and allow it to dry before you drop the barrel back into the channel, and the tang bolt into it's hole.  Be sure to apply the wax to the trigger plate where the bolt will thread into the plate, otherwise, you can end up with a one-piece pistol.  Apply bedding to the ends of the tennon inlets in the barrel channel too, and that'll keep the barrel from moving fore and aft'.  Allow the AcraGlas to cure until the puddle that is left over is hard.  Place a brass rod into the bore, remove the barrel slides and the tang bolt, and gripping the forestock and the pistol grip, crack the brass rod on a bench top to start separating the metal from the wood.  It'll be tight, and require a good wrap.  Be sure there is no bedding compound overlapping the metal and wood...otherwise you can take chunks out of the wood, if the compound adheres to the steel.
And on your next build, don't leave gaps around inlet parts for "clearance".  Make your wood to metal as close as you can.

[ed lundquist]

Taylor, thanks for the explanation. The lugs look to pose the the biggest chance for a screw up. Better read the instructions before I start rather than after. I'll let you know how it goes.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

One more thing ... your grip looks to me like it wants just a little more shaping.  The bulbous end of the grip looks a little squared to me.  The corners are rounded off but need a little more to give the grip a more egg shaped section.  Ignore this if what you have is what you need and want.

[ed lundquist]

Taylor, I'm slowly taking wood off, the bulb rests nice on the bottom of the hand and helps counter the heavy barrel. Yes it does look a bit squareish in the photo, I'll have another lookover. Thanks.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I have a little device that is a series of pins held between nylon flats.  When you press the device against a curved shape, the pins are pushed out of the way and what is left is a copy of the shape.  It is very useful for shaping things like grips, forestocks, etc.

[ed lundquist]

I have one somewhere, gonna give a look.

[ed lundquist]

Bedding went problem free, all is good now. Thanks for the suggestions and advice, the preparation surely is important!