barrel pins

[eseabee1]

What do you all use for the pins the attach the barrel to the stock ?I have seen nails, steel rods,brass

[490roundball]

drill rod

[David Rase]

1/16" or 3/32"steel welding rod.
DMR

[Pete G.]

.0625 stainless steel from the hardware store. Won't rust and stick to the wood.

[B.Habermehl]

5/64th musick wire  obtainable from any hobby shop that sells R/C model airplanes. You must cut it with a grinding wheel, but it will not raise a burr on the end and tear a chip from your finished gun stock. It is allready hardened and tempered to spring temper. I have used it for the last 20 years, and have come to dislike nails and other stuff that shows up in my shop from other builders. Cut off finish nails are not consistant in diamater from batch to batch and mfg. to mfg.  If lost they are a pain to match up. Musick wire is held to tighter tolerences. Much nicer to work with in my little world... BJH

[Nate McKenzie]

#4 or #6 finishing nails. They're soft iron and have a little give. Trim to size.

[eseabee1]

so what I am getting here its basically up to the builder and what you feel works best .

[Don Getz]

Now, Now, BJ.......I've been using 6 penny finishing nails for years.   They mike about .070, easy to get, easy to cut off and round off.   The only thing I use piano wire for is to make 1/16" punches to punch out my "nail" pins.....Don

[Dphariss]

What do you all use for the pins the attach the barrel to the stock ?I have seen nails, steel rods,brass

Use piano wire.
Soft steel will work just fine unless you stick one for one reason or another an it won't move and the end you are punching on upsets a little.
If this happens you will understand why I use hard pins.

Dan

[Dennis Glazener]

Use piano wire.
Soft steel will work just fine unless you stick one for one reason or another an it won't move and the end you are punching on upsets a little.
If this happens you will understand why I use hard pins.

Dan

I agree and be sure to make the ends square then grind a little radius to keep them from chipping out wood when being driven out. Drive out with the same square end punch also with a little radius around the edges to prevent grabbing wood.
Dennis

[Pete Allan]

I do one more thing that no one has mentioned but maybe you all do.  I slot the under lug about .030" forward and rearward to allow for expanion of a hot barrel or damp wood. My pins have always come out easy no matter the conditions. I think it is worth the effort that only takes seconds with a small file.

[Swampwalker]

I use old bicyle spokes - very tough and rust resistant.

[brokenflint]

I use 1/16" x 12" stainless steel for pins, you can get these @ MSC in bulk.  I'll look up the number tomorrow when I get back home.  I think it was cut & straightened music wire stock, comes in a 100 piece pkg for under $20 IIRC.

Broke

[Roger Fisher]

Whatever I can find laying around in the bench mess!

Usually a finishing nail or busted drill bit (of which I have more than a few )

[Robert Wolfe]

I use the wire off pin flags used on construction sites, by surveyors and for marking undergound utilities. The wire is pretty stiff, the right diameter, and free.

[t.caster]

#6 finish nails, ends chamfered. Slotted underlugs for barrel expansion/contraction.

[Stophel]

Just nails.  All my pins are tapered, fitted to each hole, and go in and out one way only.

[B.Habermehl]

Well Don, you must have bought your nails fron a different hardware store and got a heck of a lot better quality than mine. Their #6 nails ran from .068 to .074 in the pound bag that I bought. It's all holding moulding up now.  Except for the assortment of sizes I keep in my oddball pin stock drawer to match up with the other stuff that might come across my bench. I'll still stick to music wire for any of my own work.

[northmn]

I like to use some dimensional wire like the welding rod that matches a standard bit, usually 1/16".  Saves time and hassle of fitting.  I have also had good luck with staples to give a slot like Pete A suggests.

DP

[Don Getz]

Brokenflint....you can tell I am in a wierd mood this morning.   When I saw your reply about using 1/6" pins by 12"long,
my first reaction was, gee, his guns must  look like a TV antenna.   I really know what you said, I'm just strange this morning, must get that second cup of joe............Don

[flehto]

Used to use finishing nails but found them too labor intensive. First had to sort them w/ a mike, then clip the head and point off, straighten because most were slightly bent and finally chuck them in a drill press to level the serrations. Music wire requires only the end chamfers. Chris...seeing you taper your pins, do you inform all subsequent owners of your guns  of the "one way" pins?....Fred

[Birddog6]

I use #3,4, & 6  finish nails. Have done so for years & with good results. In fact probably been using out of the same boxes for 6-7 years I would guess.  A pound of #3 finish nails is allot of nails & I am just about to the bottom of them.  Once in a while I pull out one that is messed up, but these are pretty consistent .062 and the #4 ones are .067, don't remember what the #6 ones are as don't use them often.  I actually like them the #6 best as they are easier to drill & etc., but I prefer the look of a smaller pin on most rifles.

[Acer Saccharum]

I use old bicyle spokes - very tough and rust resistant.

Hey! those are not PC! 

[Ken G]

I use finishing nails most of the time but have used other stuff.  I think my bench and Roger's must be organized the same. 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I used to have a horrible time with pins tearing wood and bending when I used soft metal. Now use hardened 1/16" music wire with the ends slightly rounded off....no problems!!