Tools needed: Wood Rasp, Small Triangle file, regular 8” Bastard file, sharp wood chisels, screwdrivers, sand paper, lipstick, level, drill or drill press, 1/16” pin punch, and if possible a Dremel Type tool.
1. Check breech plug length
Different barrel makers use different length plugs which effect lock placement. Take your ramrod and insert it in the barrel fully. Mark the end at the muzzle. Remove the ram rod and put this mark at the outside of the barrel muzzle to locate the depth of the breech plug. Mark a spot 1/8” forward of this mark as the center of your touch hole in the middle of the side flat. Now position your lock so that the top edge of the pan is centered on this mark and trace the lock outline. You may need to adjust the barrel breech inlet if your lock is already pre inlet. The vent is centered just above the top edge of pan in the sunrise position. If you are inletting the lock you may now carefully remove wood with small chisels and Dremel using lip stick imprints from the lock as your guide. The 1/16″ vent hole or drum and nipple will be installed last after everything is snug. cone the vent to half the wall thickness. Drill and tap ¼ x 28 for SS vent liner.
2. The rifle barrel needs the breech plug installed, sights dovetailed and barrel underlugs installed.
Bed the back of the barrel and tang so that you have a good proper seat. You will need to center punch the tang of the plug about 2/3 from the breech of the barrel and drill a 1/16 hole and counter sink so that one of the #8 wood screws can be installed for the tang screw. A #5 wood screw can also be used if you prefer. After this take a triangle file and grind one side flat so that it will not cut on the bottom when you install the front and rear sight. Use the 2 cutting edges of the file to open the dovetails up wide enough so that the sight can be installed. Use this same procedure to install the barrel tennons. If the tennons are too tall they will have to filed down so that they properly fit into the thickness of the web in the wood. Mark the bottoms of the tennons with lip stick so to mark the proper location in the barrel channel. This is were the Dremel comes in handy to rout out for the tennons. If you don’t have one you will need to make you a small chisel to cut out for the tennons. A flat concrete nail makes an excellent chisel. Once the barrel is properly seated into the stock mark the location on the stock were the 1/16 pin is suppose to go through. If you have a square, say you have a 7/8 barrel, pull it out to 7/8 and then 1/16 more, lay the square flat on the barrel flat and mark where you are suppose to drill with the 1/16 bit. This can be done on a drill press and even with a hand drill. If you have a drill press vise or a regular vise to hold the rifle in place, be sure and drill straight. Now you have installed the tang screws, sights and barrels in the stock you are ready to install the thimbles. Do the same with the fowler barrels but you will need to solder the front sight about 2” back and the 2 front tennons in place. Solder the front tennon 3 ½ to 4” from the muzzle and solder the middle tennon ½ way between the stake tennon and the front tennon. (approx. 8,22,38”) on a 42” barrel)
3. Thimbles
A portion of the lip on the thimbles will have to be hacksawed or ground off to be the same depth as the web between the barrel and rod. This will vary depending on the web thickness. This is where the Dremel comes in handy again to inlet for the lip on the thimble. You will need to leave an equal amount of distance between the entry thimble and middle thimble and the upper thimble. This is not always the same as barrel lengths vary. After inletting for the lip of each thimble, draw a line on the third thimble, but also inlet for the tang as you go.
4. Nose Cap
Next in the nose cap, if one comes with your kit. Measure the length of the nose cap so that 1/8 of the barrel will extend over the front of the nose cap. Draw a line around the stock, cut down with a hacksaw the depth required to install the nose cap. Remove the wood with a chisel and final file the wood so the cap is snug and secure. Some like to install the nose cap with a screw or as we do, using 5 minute epoxy to final fit the cap. This gives a good tight fit with out the gaps between the wood and nose cap. You need to rough up the inside of the cap some to insure the epoxy holds.
5. Lock and vent location
The lock may have been pre inletted and drilled and tapped for the side lock screw (8×32). There might be some small amount of fitting but not much. If your stock is not inlet for the lock you will need to carefully disassemble the lock for a pattern. Put the lock at half cock to remove the mainspring. A mainspring vise is very helpful so as not to stress the springs as they can break. Go slow. Release pressure by moving cock forward. Remove the sear spring, sear bridle, and be very careful not to lose the tiny little fly on the tumbler. Put all parts in a cup or magnetic tray. Remove the large cock screw and with a pin punch the same size as the tumbler mortise, suspend the lock and gently tap the tumbler free. Also remove any frizzen or pan bolster to make the lock plate as flat as possible. Take your ramrod and insert it in the barrel fully. Mark the end at the muzzle. Remove the ram rod and put this mark at the outside of the barrel muzzle to locate the depth of the breech plug. Mark a spot 1/8” forward of this mark as the center of your touch hole in the middle of the side flat. Now position your lock so that the top edge of the pan is centered in centered on this mark and trace the lock outline. Carefully remove wood with small chisels and Dremel using lip stick imprints from the lock as your guide. The vent or drum and nipple can now be installed. Drill and tap ¼ x28.
6. Side plate
The side plate will have to be inlet. On a Tennessee you have a side plate that takes one screw only. On most all of the other kits they will have the large side plate. Locate the side lock screw to where there is about a 1/32 of the side plate will show on the outside of the lock screw. Drill with a 3/16 bit. Do the same with the front screw which is a dummy screw. The reason for the fake front screw is that the forearm web is so thin that if you put a complete side lock screw in, it may interfere with the ramrod hole. that means the ram rod may not seat all of the way. It will be about 2 inches short. If you so desire you may want to install a full length side plate or install the dummy screw by drilling with 1/8” bit and letting the dummy screw tap its own threads in the wood. Do not tighten as you can strip this out.
7. Trigger
Next are your triggers which may have been pre inletted for you. The goal here is to position the intersection of the set blades at the sear bar. There will be minor fitting at the font of the triggers once this part has been cut so that the triggers will fit the bow of the trigger guard completely. Center punch the front and back of the triggers and drill with a 9/64 drill. Counter sink so that the head of 2 #5 wood screws will fit. These will hold the triggers in place.
8. Trigger guard
The trigger guard will now have to be fitted and inlet. All guards will have casting spurs on them. On the Tennessee all will have to be cut off unless you want to install with a 1/16pin. Drill in front of the bow and in the middle of the rear part of a Tenn. Trigger guard with a 9/64 bit, etc. will have to have all spurs cut off except for the one in front and back of the guard so that they may be drilled with a 1/16 bit, inlet and pinned in place.
9. Butt Plate
The butt plate may have been precut to your trigger pull and still require final fitting to the wood. You might want to do this first to help protect the toe of the wood. Drill the top part of the butt plate about 1/3 back from the front of the plate with a 3/16 bit, countersink for #8 wood screw. Do the same for the rear of the plate. If you have a toe plate inlet and install it now. Use 2 of the #3 wood screws to hold it in place. Once this is done finish shaping the butt to the butt plate and filing the toe plate to fit.
10. Finish
Now the rifle or fowler will have to be stripped of all parts for the final shaping of the forearm. After this the rifle is ready for final sanding of the wood, staining and the finish you desire to the wood. Please leave your butt plate, 3rd thimble, nose cap, side plate and toe plate on when final sanding. File and sand all metal parts to the desired finish you like so that they can be browned or polished. Wet and dry the wood between sanding to whisker the grain and detect imperfections. Use side light. Stain and finish.
GOOD LUCK! GOOD SHOOTIN!