doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stockmaking -- Holes for Breech and Grip Screws

In stockmaking for doubles, what is the best method for drilling the holes for the screws that go between the top tang and the trigger plate. I believe these would be the breech screw (the big important one under the top lever of top lever guns) and the grip or tang screw, correct me if I have the terminology wrong, I hope you have the picture. How does one go about making dead sure of alignment before drilling? I take it these holes must be a fairly tight fit on the shank of the screws (pins) too. How close a fit is good enough?

Thanks,
Tony

shootingsioux,
I bet some of the folks have better ways, but whenever I'm challenged by a "How do I do this delicate task?", I revert to handtools. The reciever has to be 100% inletted first.

I'd make all my marks on the stock for the hole's alignment (I like white pencils), check them twice, and then use an eggbeater hand drill. Go slow, keep the hole clear of cuttings and check your alignment often during the drilling.

I don't know how tight the holes should be, check the old stock if you can. Some parts are meant to bear recoil against the wood and some aren't.

Yeti
Thank you for that information. I am going to be restocking an English boxlock this summer and every bit of information is helpful. I was really wondering about the top lever and rear tang screws as they need to fit very close. Inletting completely makes logical since and I sometimes lacking in that area. I restocked a through bolt gun and that one was fairly simple compared to the next one I am going to try. I think I am going to have a utility stock blank rough shaped before I have the one that I really want to use. It will cost extra but mistakes are not do overs in most instances with stocks. Thank you again.

Gordon

The sure way to hit the right spot is to put a pointed rod in a 4 way drill press vise and the correct size drill in the chuck. Then center the pointed rod so the drill hits it exactly in the middle. Lock the vise in that spot and place the stock exit hole on the point and start to drill at the required spot on top of the action.
You can't miss! Hope I described it right because it makes it so simple and when you do it the logic makes you go wow, why didn't I think of it.

bill

I'm interested in some good answers as well--I botched these on the gun I just did, and ended up drilling them out and bedding them to get a good fit. No one will ever know but me, but it bugged me.
Some one here (Bill Schodlatz??) told me over the phone about a method they use that made sense but it was so fast I didn't catch much of it...but he just posted it so I'll shut up and listen

Bill, how do you hold the stock in this method? By hand?

Wow, why didn't I think of that. Real gunsmiths rock.

Over the years, I have learned that when at all possible, use machinery. It will save you many hours of frustration and anger, although it can cause you just as many if you fail to properly go about the job. I use a small knee type vertical mill with a special jig I made up to hold stocks. The drill bit is aligned with a another drill bit or pointed rod, then the stock is positioned so the correct angle is achieved, and it gets drilled. Its also nice to have a large assortment of drills because tang screws come in many different sizes. You dont want your tang screw hole to be much larger or the recoil can split the stock, you also dont want it extremely tight, as wood shrinks and swells, it could also split the stock and taking out the screw becomes a pain in a$$. For shorter holes, I often use a hand drill like Yeti describes. I think one of brownells gunsmith kinks books shows a picture of the drilling process. Its a safe and accurate way of doing it, but you have to make sure you set everything up right, otherwise you will end up with problems.

Mnay yaers ago when I made stocks, I used the same method as Mr. Bill S. However, it wasn't long before I used the same method in a lathe. Does the same thing but seemed visually easier lining up the points on their marks exactly where you wanted it. A small rat tail file or chain saw file might be helpful if you are off center a bit. FWIW, Ken

Great information! I have been making stocks since late 60s and drill the tang screws by hand. On the front screw hole under top lever that is the important one and holds the action tightly against head of stock. You have to have the stock pulled up tightly against wood before holes are marked to drill. There are different methoids to do this and Galazan has a fixture to do this or you can make your own. You want the hole to be slightly to rear and then you can use a chain saw file to carefully open up hole until you get screw to go home! If drilling by hand mark hole at top and i take a plug screw and screw in bottom hole in trigger plate and leave screw ever so slightly above the hole and smoke or use inletting compound on tip of screw. Put action back on wood and you will have bottom of stock marked where hole should be. Drill half the hole from top and half from bottom using a bit smaller than hole size you need. On the rear tang screw you can drill it center . Email me at gunscrew@ yahoo.com if you need any help. Bobby