Best way to mount a forearm stud on a rifle barrel?

[richhodg66]

So I have an unfinished project rifle I got from my Dad who bought it decades ago and never got around to. It is a Stevens 44 1/2 someone mounted a bull target barrel on, should be a nice shooter, needs a forearm and I have a nice one which matches the Fajen stock on the rifle and is wide and flat for shooting off bags.

I know some of these are designed to go ito a dove tail cut in the barrel and there is certainly enough meat on this barrel to cut a dove tail in, but I don't really have that capability. Is there some type that the average guy could solder or epoxy on a barrel where it needed to be?

I might just take it to a smith and have the dove tail cut and be done with it, just looking at options, possibly ones I could do myself.

[pietro]

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I've sucessfully cut barrel dovetails by hand several times.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...etails-by-KSCO

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[Chad5005]

ive soldered nut inserts to the barrel,so i could use bolts,screws or threaded knobs,to hold forearms on

[richhodg66]

ive soldered nut inserts to the barrel,so i could use bolts,screws or threaded knobs,to hold forearms on

Can you describe how you did it? What kind of solder? The thread on cutting dovetails was fascinating, but I don't trust myself to do it right.

[Petrol & Powder]

The advantage of a mechanical connection (like a dove tail) is you don't need to heat the barrel to make the attachment.

With solder, more surface area would be better in terms of strength.

If you don't mind it being visible, A barrel band that goes around the barrel (like a barrel mounted sling swivel) would provide a lot of strength.

[Chad5005]

Can you describe how you did it? What kind of solder? The thread on cutting dovetails was fascinating, but I don't trust myself to do it right.

use 355 silver solder (silvaloy),i filed a very small flat spot on barrel cleaned well and fluxed,laid out a small flat of solder on the barrel and balled up a very small piece to put in bottom of nut insert,clamp and soldered.the flat spot doesn't have to be much.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Simple dovetail filing jig available from Dixie Gun Works, Track of the Wolfe.Level and clamp on barrel, file to outline. It is standard 3/8 dovetail. Jig is harder than files so you file to edge of jigA high quality silver solder with CAREFULLY fit contact surfaces can work, but the dovetail jig is better.

[country gent]

I have see studs attached in several ways all worked and were doable by hand with minimal tools.

1) dovetais. Not hard to do and is a nice clean look when fore end is off. Nice thing here is since your probably going to make the studs also the dovetails can be cut in the barrel. and the studs fitted in. Nice thing here is a little lateral give if holes arnt perfect. Dovetails can be measured over small pins in the vees.

2) nuts soldered on to barrel. Here nuts are soldered in place quick and easy, requires a counter bore in forend for the nut. Not as clean a look, but the only time it shows is when the fore end is off. A nicer looking way is turn the studs with a thin head to match barrel and solder these on.

3) make a rail from 14" wide x 3/16 thick steel flat stock drill and counter bore 4 848 holes in it and the screw holes for the foreend. this is then held on the barrel with 4 screws. again a nice clean look when done. Is solid. No heat on barrel. It can be glued in place and used for the drill guide to transfer holes. A channel needs to be cut in the fore end also. Not a lot of hand work either

4) depending on barrels wall thickness I have also seen the fore end screws drilled and tapped into the barrel itself. Not as much thread to hold and critical on screw lengths.

5) another way would be a combination on studs made with a short thread screwed into barrel and then soldered.

[wwmartin]

I cut a dovetail and use a hanger from steveearlproducts.com. Trebone has the the same part. It needs a mill preferably for installation.
I have several rifles that are drilled and tapped directly into the barrel (think Ballard). That would be the simplest way.
Bill

[country gent]

I like the dovetailed in studs.

Pick up a cheap dowel or board to match the flats on your octagon barrel. With your hack saw and files lay out a dovetail and cut some for practice, youll be surprised how fast you get it down

Tools you will want for this.
small adjustable square to lay out
scribe to make clean crisp lines
hack saw or better a jewelers saw. I usually use 32 tpi blades
Jewelers files with a safe edge or you can stone a safe edge on them
Consumables
layout dye or markers makes lines show up good cold blue works well here also
chalk, simple chalk board chalk to fill files to help keep them from lading and pinning.

Ink the area for the dovetail. top and both sides. Lay out small pint large point and depth you dont really need the angled sides they are a given. ypu do need inside outside and depth
With the saw carefully cut the inside groove along the line just shy if depth, reason for both sides layout here. make small cut to remove the center materials with the saw its mch faster than filing. You now have the dovetail roughed in
With the 3 cornered jewelers file chalk the side you will be cutting with and the safe edge down file in the first angled side to the rough saw cut groove then repat for other side.
Use safe edge against 1 st angled side and file bottom to depth to just past center of groove repeat on front angled side.Last blend angle to bottom.
Now fit studs into dovetails. this can be a light sliding fit as they are captive in the fore end.

Practice doing this on wood or scrap metal. files cut in one direction dont drag on back stroke, chalking a file makes a cleaner finish and keeps it from loading up and pinning, Jewelers files are fine clean often a tooth brush works well here as does dragging a wood pop cycle stick over it along the teeth. This later removes pinning and stubborn build ups well.

After cutting a few practice dovetails in scrap you will be surprised how easy it is and how fast youve gotten LOL

[22cf45]

Stevens 44 1/2 forend screws directly into a drilled and taped hole in the barrel. Simple.
Phil

[curdog007]

I have fitted many swivel eyes to barrels by dovetailing and soft soldering. If the joint is closely fitted, there's an almost indetectable joint after refinishing. File the base down to the barrel surface, and you're just left with the eye. Very strong, and being able to see the joint if you look for it lets you know it's not a half assed job. It's the way the good English gun makers did it.
The dovetail base needs to only be a snug slide fit, the solder does the rest.

[richhodg66]

Stevens 44 1/2 forend screws directly into a drilled and taped hole in the barrel. Simple.
Phil

You must have missed my original post, rifle was rebarreled at some point with a very heavy bull barrel in (oddly enough) .30-30. Dad was a serious collector of 44 1/2s, probably had the best collection in existence at one point, but all of them went down the road as he got old, I got this one and another one with issues. I think this one will be a fun cast bullet rifle when I get it up and running.

[22cf45]

No, I didn't miss it. I was just suggesting that is would be simplier to go with the original design. To me, drilling and tapping would be easier than cutting a dovetail. I think Stevens used 2 screws on barrels longer than 26" and one on the shorter ones.

30-30 will be a fun caliber with plain base cast bullets, will probably shoot very well. I don't suppose the barrel maker's name is stamped on it anywhere?
Phil

[richhodg66]

No, I didn't miss it. I was just suggesting that is would be simplier to go with the original design. To me, drilling and tapping would be easier than cutting a dovetail. I think Stevens used 2 screws on barrels longer than 26" and one on the shorter ones.

30-30 will be a fun caliber with plain base cast bullets, will probably shoot very well. I don't suppose the barrel maker's name is stamped on it anywhere?
Phil

Haven't been able to find one. Dad bought it at a gun show in Colubus, Ohio in the late 60s when we lived there for a little while. I remembered it sitting around my whole childhood while he never got to it, he didn't even know what caliber it was, he wanted to rebarrel it with a half octagon barrel in something. When I got it from him, I kinda figured it was in some obscure target cartridge and did a cerrosafe casting and was rather pleasantly surpised to find out it's a .30-30. I have shot it a few times to make sure it works, and it does, but has a weak extractor, gotta address that too.