Howdy, Foax! Can anyone advise me on the procedure for removing a flintlock barrel whose ramrod thimbles appear pinned into the stock? Was the intent of pinning to prevent removal? Or are the pins simply designed to be drifted out with a small diameter punch? Any tips on removal?

Thanx 'n best regards,

Am confused...the thimbles are pinned along with the barrel or are the two sets of pins seperate?

HAve one older Flinter made from Dixie Gun Works parts...44" of bareel may be a bit extream. MAde in a Tennesee style, full length stock...so the only pins that get driven are the ones that hold the barrel to the stock (three in this case). In this case, wanted every thing to be as historically accurate as possible...so I din't use wedges or screws where ever I could get away with not. Thimbles are also pinned, but I've never had to remove them and the line of those pins is well below the barrel pins. Trigger unit is pinned...only screws are for the butt plate, lock, and tang (and Ithink I could have worked out a pin system for the butt plate too).

I really hate driving well fitted pins...doesn't take too many removals before they aren't so well fitted anymore. SO...I don't de-pin it and learn to clean it without barrel removal. Guess I get the barel out about ever other year, treat the bottom with marine spray/dry rust protector (it drys to a kind of thin coat) and treat the stock channel to a sealer. So far, after each dissassembly, hasn't been any rust.

Many thanx, Ribbonstone, for your prompt reply; I must apologize for not making better sense. What I have is a Dixie “Cub” rifle, and you’re exactly right — I too routinely clean my MLs with the barrel on, but it’s time to “waterproof” the barrel bottom and seal the stock, and as I’ve never done it before I’m uncertain of the best procedure to drive out the barrel pins. Pedersoli’s exploded firearms drawing of the Cub is insufficiently clear to me (in fact, but for your comment that the thimble pins were on line below the Cub’s (2) barrel pins, I might not have noticed). In any case, would you kindly tell me your recommended procedure for pin removal and replacement, for those years when I have to re-treat the stock’s barrel channel and the barrel bottom?
Best regards, SS

Well fitted punch. IF the ends of the pins are rounded, would be better to have a punch that is cupped, but with care can be flat. More common are pins finished along with the stock, so the pin head takes the contour of the stock...makes driving them a pain as there is no flat or rounded end. Punch needs to be just slightly smaller than pin diameter, longer than 1/2 the thickness of the stock, and straight. Usually put in right to left, so driven out left to right(same as sight vovetails)...but some have been installed the other way arround.

Hold the punch as perfectly in line with the pin as possible and solidly against the pin (so it won't shift). Sharp light "rap" usually starts them moving...use a light hammer or even a hard wood stick. Usually once driven about 1/2" out the other side, can be pulled out...they are usually slightly tapered.

Care in driving the pin back in...use the sub-diameter punch as a pin substitue to be sure the holes are lined up...and when you put that pin back in, be careful to not bend it. Will be soft steel and easy to bend or peen ut of shape...getting them back in is more about alingment than driving them like a nail.

Great job, Ribbonstone, that’s precisely the answer I was looking for! If I may trouble you with one more question, what do you use to seal your stock channel? Do you suppose it would be suitable for a wooden underbarrel ramrod, to keep the rod from absorbing moisture and swelling so tight in the stock pipe it cannot easily be removed?

Thanks again! Very much appreciate your assistance! SS

For the stock, tend to use water seal...same stuff they sell for decks. Could use lots of different things, from stock finish to marine grade varnish (after all, no one is going to see it). Once dry...and there is the advantage of spar varnish or weather seal, as it dries in a day...will give it a coat of Johnson's paste floor wax.

Ram rod best served with a long soak in either coal oil or linseed oil, neither of wish ever seem to really dry...which is kind of the point in keeping the rod limber. Unfortunally, takes a real soaking (use leght of PVC pipe) for at least a month...two would be better.

Some debate about the hidden part of the barrel...prefer not to use runny or greasy substances, prefer the spray preservatives that dry (not lubricants...these will dry to a kind of hard coat...sell them in auto supply, marine supply. IF nothing else, will give two three coatings of the same Johnson's paste wax.

If you are going out to hunt in the rain, there is an ugly solution. Same Johnson's paste wax...give the outside of the rifle a coat and work a bead of it between the wood and the barrel (and anywhere else there is a metal/wood joint). Can get it off easy enough and it does a decent job of keeping water out of the cracks.
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When sealing the stock, do a BETTER job than the factory...may find the area under the butt plate, the lock inletting, trigger guard, and the barrel tang inletting was left bare wood...seal it.

Thanks once more, Ribbonstone. As always, your guidance is thorough, sound, and clearly based on experience, saving me (and doubtless many others) from the error of my otherwise unsupervised ways. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Best regards, SS