Slot Blank Won't go In

[ColColt]

I'm having a little problem getting a dovetail blank(3/8) installed on my 94 Winchester. It's a Lyman and there's a dot on the underneath side which I assume means that side is smaller so, I went from the right side(as looking from the back) to left but can only get it drove in a little over half way. It seems to refuse to go further. Any suggestions?

[Blaine]

Don't take metal off the weapon if you have to fit it....

[wm]

Try this.....set the slot blank in the freezer and set the gun barrel out in the sun. The barrel will heat up and expand and the blank will get super cool and shrink. I mean neither one is going to change a lot dimensionally but assuming they were close to fitting it might be just enough to get it done.

Worth a try and should cause any harm even if it doesn't work.

Wm

[Blaine]

Try this.....set the slot blank in the freezer and set the gun barrel out in the sun. The barrel will heat up and expand and the blank will get super cool and shrink. I mean neither one is going to change a lot dimensionally but assuming they were close to fitting it might be just enough to get it done.

Worth a try and should cause any harm even if it doesn't work.

Wm

What if he wants to take it out again? Place the blank on a flat stone, or diamond honer, and one stroke at a time make it fit.....If for some reason you take off too much, a tiny shim can be made out of an aluminum pop can.....

[Mescalero]

The co-efficent of expansion for modern alloyed steel is 13 millonths per inch of linear measurement
per degree of temperature departure from ambient.

[ColColt]

Am I right to assume it goes in as I mentioned?

[TedH]

Yes, should go in from right to left. Just get some 400 grit or so sandpaper and lay it on a flat surface. Take your filler and rub on the paper and just take a little material off the bottom. Check fit frequently....

[Dave]

Yes, should go in from right to left. Just get some 400 grit or so sandpaper and lay it on a flat surface. Take your filler and rub on the paper and just take a little material off the bottom. Check fit frequently....

I second this

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Try this.....set the slot blank in the freezer and set the gun barrel out in the sun. The barrel will heat up and expand and the blank will get super cool and shrink. I mean neither one is going to change a lot dimensionally but assuming they were close to fitting it might be just enough to get it done.

Worth a try and should cause any harm even if it doesn't work.

Wm

What if he wants to take it out again? Place the blank on a flat stone, or diamond honer, and one stroke at a time make it fit.....If for some reason you take off too much, a tiny shim can be made out of an aluminum pop can.....

Do the above. Or, if you have a bench type belt sander and asbestos fingers you can do it much faster.

The idea is as you remove metal the base narrows some.

[Pete44ru]

.

Or, if you've a triangular file, a few touches to the angled sides of the blank ought to reduce it enough to slide in grudgingly.
Just ensure there's a safe side of the file against the underside of the blank's top overlap.



.

[El Chivo]

I have one that won't stay in.

Wanna swap?

I'm totally serious. Maybe they will both be a perfect fit.

[Eye-Bite!]

The co-efficent of expansion for modern alloyed steel is 13 millonths per inch of linear measurement
per degree of temperature departure from ambient.

One more long-neck and I would have said the exact same thing.

[Sixgun]

I've often wondered why people have to think whether "this or that" will fit. Just take a dial micrometer and measure it. If it looks like the dial reads ".375" or a few thou. either way, its going to fit. So just line it up and tap it in, with the confidence that its going to go in.

The little "mark" is put on there by the manufacturer to expand that side by a couple of thou., so..............turn the blank so the wider part is the side your tapping on.

In handling and working on hundreds, if not well over a thou Winchesters, Marlins, whatever, I have never seen a barrel that had a barrel dovetail cut wrong by the factory. 3/8" is 3/8". Colt Lightning rifles have a thinner dovetail. Sometimes, the dovetail gets widened a bit over the years....that's why they make epoxy and.....................when its time to remove it.......well, ....that's why they make propane torches.------------Sixgun

[Mescalero]

? that is what it is.

[Pete44ru]

I have one that won't stay in

As an alternative to dimpling the floor of the dovetail slot with a centerpunch/hammer, just remove the filler blank, apply/hold a small BCS (beer can shim) on the bottom, and slide/tap both back into the slot - if any bit of the BCS shows, it's easily camo'd with a black Sharpie.



.

[ColColt]

The little "mark" is put on there by the manufacturer to expand that side by a couple of thou., so..............turn the blank so the wider part is the side your tapping on.

I've been told the opposite...that the dot side goes in first since it's the smaller dimension. It would help if you've never used one of these that the manufacturer would supply some sort of direction. At any rate, I have it in but it's not totally equal on both sides but is in as far as it'll go so; rather than risk a possible slip of the drift and scratch the barrel I'm leaving it as is.

[Steelbanger]

I always try both ends of the blank in the dovetail. The end that goes into the dovetail the farthest tells you that it is oriented correctly and you can tap the other end.

Or buy a few of the Williams blanks that fasten in the dovetail with a set screw. They always fit! One time I put one of those in and was surprised to see the caution on the packaging that this product was known to cause cancer in California. Good thing I live in PA, eh?

[Mescalero]

Yes, that is far enough away.

[Sixgun]

Yes, that is far enough away.

Yea Mes, but your much closer. Be careful, you might start seeing men walking down the street holding out their little pinky. ----6

[Mescalero]

Can I shoot it off?