Premade nose cap fit too high

[HighUintas]

I've got a premade steel nose cap for my 1" barrel I was going to use, but it appears that the top line of the cap will be higher than my stock line because I have a bit more than half of the top half the barrel above the stock line. I guess the nose cap was made to have half the barrel showing.

I assume that if I fit this cap, then file the top line of the cap down to match the stock, it's going to open up a gap on each side right?

Am I better off just making a cap?

[Stoner creek]

It depends on how thick the web is. You might be able to solder another forward end of the cap and refit it to the muzzle end of the stock. Simply lower the cap if you can.
W

[rich pierce]

Agree with above. It would be easier to replace the front plate than make a new nosecap. I always make my own. Well to tell the truth I usually make a couple if I’m doing a one-piece cap, throwing out the first attempt.

[HighUintas]

Ok.

The web of the stock matches that dimension of the cap just right. Fit as is, the outside bottom of the cap would be flush with the bottom of the RR channel. But, the top line of the cap would be abovw the stock. So I'm not sure why I'd need to make a new face plate for the cap body. If I just made a new plate that put the top line of the cap flush with the top line of the stock, the bottom of the cap would sit proud of the RR channel bottom.

But, I CAN understand removing the current faceplate, bending the bending and filing the top line of the cap body to fit the stock line, then resoldering the face plate or making a new one.

Does that make sense?

[mikeyfirelock]

That’s what I’d do……if all it takes is detaching the front, and the re bending the sides and trimming to fit the sides of the barrel,  then refitting the front, and trimming to fit, then do it.     You can always make another one if that doesn’t work…….but it should.
( don’t ask why I should know this)

[HighUintas]

Great. I like the idea of modifying/refitting a part to get the feel of making one before diving in on it. If I doesn't work, I'll make one.

I'll fit it up, see how it looks (my measuring and eyes are so crooked it's possible it will fit just fine) and then determine how to proceed. At worst, I'll have the wood shaped so that I have a place to start on bending a new piece of sheet around it.

Thanks all!

[HighUintas]

It turns out it fits near perfect. I took a file to the top line for a few light passes, and maybe a hairline gap is there. Tiny gap around one diagonal flat on the front plate, but not sure how I'd file the others to improve that.  I'll call it good 👍

[flatsguide]

That looks pretty good, nice job!  In the next to last photo, you may want to straighten the wavy line of the top edge of the nose cap. How do you plan to keep it in place?
Cheers Richard

[HighUintas]

That looks pretty good, nice job!  In the next to last photo, you may want to straighten the wavy line of the top edge of the nose cap. How do you plan to keep it in place?
Cheers Richard

Thank you. Yes, I still need to do the filing along the top side edges to smooth that corner and remove that wavy line to mention.

I plan to pin it in place, with a single pin on the underside.  I'm not sure yet if I'll include epoxy underneath or not. Also, I'm not sure if I'll do a copper wire pin or a finish nail pin. I haven't seen many comments on steel pins for nosecaps in the search yet.

[Stoner creek]

That looks pretty good, nice job!  In the next to last photo, you may want to straighten the wavy line of the top edge of the nose cap. How do you plan to keep it in place?
Cheers Richard

Thank you. Yes, I still need to do the filing along the top side edges to smooth that corner and remove that wavy line to mention.

I plan to pin it in place, with a single pin on the underside.  I'm not sure yet if I'll include epoxy underneath or not. Also, I'm not sure if I'll do a copper wire pin or a finish nail pin. I haven't seen many comments on steel pins for nosecaps in the search yet.

 Just how I like to attach them. I’ll make a rivet out of soft solder, countersink the wood and the cap and hammer the rivet into place. A #29 drill bit is the same size at the solder. Really easy and if the cap loosens, a couple of licks with the ball pein will snug right up.

[HighUintas]

Soft solder is a good idea, but the only solder I have is much too thin. Is it inadvisable to use a finish nail due to the hardness and trying to pin it down into the countersink of the wood inside the barrel channel?

[Stoner creek]

A finish nail might be a little hard. Of course you can also use other materials like copper and brass.

[flatsguide]

HUintas, If you take a short steel block and drill a hole through it just so the wire or rod you intend to be the rivet, be it steel, copper, brass or whatever, slips smoothly into the hole. Then countersink the hole so it gives you the diameter of the head of the rivet you want. Place the block on a steel plate slip the rivet material into the hole till it bottoms out then clip of the material so you leave enough material for the rivet head then peen the wire over into the countersunk hole then file the head flat and you’ll wind up with a rivet of the correct size for the job-do the same on the cap.
Hope this gives yo7 an idea.
Cheers Richard

[smart dog]

Hi,
I usually use a flat head machine screw.  I drill a hole through the stock and cap.  I then tap the hole in the muzzle cap and slightly counter sink the outside of the hole.  I then countersink the hole in the barrel channel to fit the head of the screw. I install the cap and screw it in place leaving a little excess screw sticking out from the cap to be peened into the counter sink when I am ready.  I don't rush to permanently attach the cap until I am really ready so that I can make minor adjustments if needed. Then I put the barrel in place to act as an anvil, and peen the excess screw down to rivet the cap in place.  Finally, I file everything flush.

dave 

[Stoner creek]

My little rivet tool.

[flehto]

Most of my Mcaps are brass and I start w/ the end plate which fits inside the sheet brass sleeve. The octagon of the muzzle is laid out first and  scribed onto the oversized 1/8" thick  end cap brass. When the no gap  fit w/ the muzzle is achieved. the outside contour is filed. This contour is used as a gage  to form the sleeve. When both parts fit w/o gaps,   baling wire is used to "clamp" the 2 parts and borax flux  is applied  at the corner and a length of  1/16 dia high temp silver solder is bent and lays in the corner, A Mapp Gas torch applies the heat. The silver solder I use matches the color of brass so the seam is invisible. These Mcaps require very little filing or fitting....Fred

[HighUintas]

 I ended up using a steel plate that I have for my shop press. I'm short on spare raw materials, so that had to do. I drilled a 3/32 hole, countersunk it, then slipped a finish nail through the hole. I sat the plate on top of my bench vice and locked the nail into the vice jaws underneath the plate. Then went to hammering on the nail head to form that rivet. It worked very well.

I drilled a 3/32 hole through the cap and stock, removed the barrel, finished the hole through the wood, then countersunk the hole in the wood and the nose cap.

I test fitted the rivet to get it flush inside the barrel channel, then marked the spot I wanted to cut the excess off outside the cap. I removed the rivet, cut the excess off, then annealed the stem that I'd be peening into the cap countersink, then reassembled it.

I locked the barrel in tight with a clamp, then peened the nail stem down into the cap countersink. Voila! I filed it flush. It looks pretty good.

Then, disaster struck. I removed one clamp that was holding my gun on my bench mount, went to adjust my headlamp, and the remaining clamp that was on my gun apparently had a bit of rotational tension and it tipped my gun over, rolling it right off my bench onto the floor.

It bent the !$@! out of my nosecap corner, knocked it out of whack a bit, and put a huge dent in the butt stock on the toe line corner.

So sad. I'm lucky it didn't break the toe or crack the forestock. I was able to bend the nosecap back a bit and I think I'll be able to file the humps etc out. But, it's going to remain out of whack and with a small gap under the barrel. That's a bummer.

Now... How to remove that huge butt stock dent?

The pictures are after I bent the cap back. It was much worse looking.

[Birddog6]

A finish nail might be a little hard. Of course you can also use other materials like copper and brass.

I attached them with Accraglass & let it set up.  Then drill & countersink inside & outside. Make a
copper rivet & install. Then file flush on both sides& sand the outside flush with the nosecap..

A little block to make the copper rivets is simple to make with 2 pieces of keystock.I have prob
made a hundred rivets with this gizmo.  Have 2 dif sizes, one for 16 ga wire & one for 12 ga wire.
I just save a 12" piece of Romex & strip it. 12" long x 3 wires will make allot of rivets.







Be Sure to put a cutoff piece of barrel that fits inside the flat when ya hammer the rivet to flatten it.

[taterbug]

for that dent in the stock, a little steam should take out most of it.  place a damp cloth on the dented area, three or four layers folded over, then a hot clothes iron pressed onto the damp cloth.  you'll need enough water in the cloth to hear it sizzle a bit when you apply the iron.  It probably wont take all of the dent out, but it might surprise you.  I know I was surprised the first time I did it.  you can do it a couple times if you re-wet the cloth.  Dont let the cloth dry out. 

I think we all know how frustrating it is to have these 'imperfections' show up, and at first we agonize over them.  At least I do.  But after the finish is on the wood, and the metal parts browned or blued, so much seems to almost disappear.  After you shoot it a bit, it all just turns into 'character'.  only the more  experienced eyes here will ever spot them

looks like you're doing a great job with everything.  Thanks for letting us follow along.  so many great tips get offered up here on threads like this one.