Underlugs came loose

[Steve G]

Two of my underling staples came loose. Anyone have a fix I can attempt?

[Stoner creek]

Try tapping them back in with a small hammer, light licks, then restake them with a center punch.

[smylee grouch]

I agree with re-staking it and I don't know if a drop of soft solder would help after that but if you did try you would have to clean up the rust first.

[redheart]

I think you're supposed to undercut the studs on the underlugs, kind of a dovetail effect pushing the metal into a little slot when you stake them so they can't work out. I'd do that and silver solder them too. D.Taylor Sapergia is the master at these. I think he mentions the best way to do this in his Hawken tutorial.

[Scota4570]

It is a modern gun?  I would install a dovetail lug. 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

The staples need a foot with a step filed into them into which you swage the barrel metal, to hold them firmly into the barrel.  I use this system too,to secure the rivets onto which the underrib is secured to the barrel.
Here's the tool I used to drive barrel steel into the rivet/staple undercut:  it's a nail set, ground off and set up with about a 3/32" dia area to move barrel steel.  I used a zip-cut to create a crescent so that the tool can be brought right up the the staple/rivet, thereby driving barrel steel down onto the foot.  Once installed like this, you will not be able to remove the staple/rivet.

[smylee grouch]

That looks like a dandy tool for both jobs Taylor. 

[flehto]

I made  bbl lugs for keys  from a nail, formed the legs, filed a groove in each leg, drilled 2 holes to accept the legs and peened steel into the grooves.....very neat job. Will never come off.....Fred

[Birddog6]

Two of my underling staples came loose. Anyone have a fix I can attempt?

The easiest repair is a new loop installed with the staking tool intended for them.
If you do this & clean the hole up, use a flat end mill bit to clean the hole out. (Not
a std pointed drill bit)

The staking tool Taylor S.  shows is easily made, or TOW did have them avail years ago &
may still sell them. The cutout part is important as it gets you right up against the lug
where you need to be.

OR

Put a dovetail Underlug in it place.  A dovetail installed properly will hold over 200#,
as I have tested them. I weigh 230# and I can hang on one with a wire thru it. Some
builders solder the dovetails in as well, but I never have had a reason to solder them in.

[paulitus]

I have used Fred’s method since the 1970s. Never had one work loose. Use the same nails for barrel pins, as well.

[J Henry]

  Perfect chance to Draw file the barrel then follow the advice,

[Frozen Run]

Do you have to insert a mandrel when staking a barrel to prevent dimpling of the bore or how is that prevented? Thank you.

[Hungry Horse]

 Without a foot filed on it you’re wasting your time. I use a properly sized finish nail, then I only have to file a foot on one side. The head serves as the other foot.

Hungry Horse

[Steve G]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I tapped the front lug back in. It seems to be holding. The next one came right back out. I will try retaking it next

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Steve:  in your photograph, two things are apparent.  First, the lug/staple doesn't have sufficient feet to hold in the barrel, and second, the holes appear to be wallooooned out too much.
When I use staples like that, I ensure that there is a good foot on each end, onto which the barrel metal can be staked.  Also, I drill a hole just large enough that I can tap the staple into the holes.  I use two drills and a drill press to ensure the depth is perfect, ie:  the staple bottoms in a flat bottomed hole at the same time that the body of the lug strikes the barrel.  The first drill has a standard grind, and the second, is flat bottomed.  The second drill bit removes the 82 deg taper that the first drill leaves behind.
Drawfile your barrel, at least in the area of the staple, so that the edges of the holes are sharp.  Solder will be of absolutely no use for this job...too little surface area.