Feinwerkbau 124 Sling Attachment -- Part 2

Picking up where I left off,  I still needed to make that shorter cocking lever rivet and lose those two aluminum washers. 

Pulled the action out of the stock and tapped out the cocking lever rivet.  As a reminder, the aluminum washers had been added to replace the space taken up by the original factory sling swivel.  At the time, those washers let me reuse the original rivet without any further modifications.

In the last post, I waffled around and settled on making a quick scope stop because I couldn't decide how to make the replacement rivet.  Sure, the rivet is a simple project--except I didn't want to pein or mushroom the ends of the new rivet.  Technically, I guess that means I'm actually going to make a pin.  Then, I couldn't decide whether to use a piece of 5mm drill rod and cut grooves for e-clips or turn down part of a larger diameter leaving a head on one side?  Too many options for a guy like me.  Actually none of this was really slowing down the project.  I simply didn't have a grooving tool thin enough for a small e-clip--and I had no experience cutting e-clip grooves.   I got stuck looking at groove specifications and wonder how I'd accurately measure the diameter in that thin slot?  Did I have any e-clips that are suitable?  Then I backed up and wondered if an e-clip was even the right solution for the project?  I did mention my catastrophizing in the last post.

Eventually, I did some research on machining e-clip grooves, figured out how they're supposed to be sized and toleranced, bought a bunch of e-clips, then procrastinated for another week until I could find time to go work in the basement.  About then remembered I still didn't have a grooving tool this small.  

Started anyway.  A piece of scrap 3/8" diameter O-1 tool steel went into the Taig lathe.  Flanged pin design wins.  The deciding factor?  This only requires me to cut one e-clip groove.

Body of the pin needs turned down to about 0.1965"--just barely under 5mm.

Now I needed a groove for this guy.  I believe this is a 4mm e-clip--4mm referring to the OD that it clips over.

I had to grind a tiny grooving tool--0.030" wide from high speed steel.    The width of the Feinwerkbau's base block was 0.590", added about 0.005" to that number, and plunge cut the groove 0 .595" -- 0.596"  from the inside face of the shoulder.

Measuring the diameter was giving me trouble.  Had a hard time getting a repeatable measurement with the caliper in that .030" slot width.   I finally gave up and just used the clip itself as the gage.  Tried to get it to snap into place.  No go.  Took a few more thousandths and tried again.  After a few test fits (and a few mangled clips)  the clip installed and wasn't distorted after removal.  Called that good.

I need to shorten the end a bit more.

Then flipped the pin around and thinned the 3/8" diameter  head down to 0.095" thick.

And there it is.    All this procrastination for this.   Well, this and that little scope stop.

If it was still 1991, Doc Beeman could've sold something like this in his catalog.  "Designed by my wife to upgrade your FWB124 to take modern slings.  Its exquisitely delightful. ".   That'd be the gist of it.  

Blued the ends that'll be visible.

Almost seated. A wood block smacked it home.

And the e-clip snapped right into place.

 Good clearance with the longer forearm of the stock.

I like that I can now use a "normal" 1.25" sling with standard hardware on my old rifle.  I'm also pleased that it doesn't look like I was involved in any Feinwerkbau gunsmithing shenanigans.  

And just for fun, here's the "delightful" scope stop again from the last blog post.

More soon.

 

Feinwerkbau 124 Sling Attachment and Scope Stop -- Part 1

This old Feinwerkbau 124 was my first air rifle purchase.  Think I was sixteen or seventeen at the time.  I'd been reading the Beeman catalogs and wanted something decent.  The R1 had come out recently and wasn't in this kid's budget, but the FWB 124D in the used gun rack certainly was.  Several decades of repairs/upkeep/changes and modifications led to its current set up.  Probably the most significant improvement was the hand made walnut stock from GunBroker.  The stock was made by Serban Ionescue.  It's a beautiful thing.  The lines are so graceful and unique.  

While shooting this the other day, I remembered I hadn't actually finished the replacement stock installation.  Sure, the rifle was shootable, but it wasn't "done".  At the time, I'd done a make-do arrangement with what used to be the built-in front sling loop and I neglected to install a rear sling stud.  I actually had a rifle with no way to attach a sling.  

And all I needed was a barrel band clamp and a screw stud?

Dug through the collection of pieces and parts, but didn't find that necessary screw stud.   A quick trip to the local "gunmart" was fruitless.  They have a Glock section, a Smith and Wesson M&P section, all the Magpul gagets and a bunch of employees who won't even pretend to help.  Was really a great experience.  Went home, ordered a ten pack off ebay and checked it off the list. 

A week later, I was awash in sling studs and trepidation.

Installing this little guy gave me great anxiety.  The stock was beautifully finished. Was I about to ruin it?   Would the stud be centered?  Will the walnut splinter, crack, and tear?  How many bad sling mounting jobs have I seen in the used gun racks at any given gun show?  

Eventually, I'd checked, double-checked, re-checked, then double-re-checked everything--especially the drill bit size.   And in a couple minutes, it was done and all my worry was for nothing.  No, that's not really true.  All my worry identified the potential problems I would run into during the installation and helped prevent them.  Catastrophizing is often my super power.

The front end of things was less of a challenge.  I found an Uncle Mike's barrel clamp for the front attachment point in a drawer--probably purchased and set aside years ago for this very project.

Just like that, the old girl was finally wearing a 1.25" Outdoor Connection Super Sling+.  While a leather sling might look more appropriate, its tough to beat the quick adjustability of the Super Sling. 

Now, here's the rest of my unfinished business. The original FWB front sling swivel had to be removed because its flared width wouldn't fit through the longer forend of the new stock.  I'd quickly installed a couple aluminum washers on either side of the rivet and said, "Good enough, I'll figure this out later". 

Here’s the removed FWB sling mount. 

The way it flares out at the bottom prevents it from fitting through the new stock’s extended forend.  The shorter factory stock doesn’t come far enough forward to be a problem. 

Of course, at the time, I was far more interested in getting the action into that gorgeous stock.  Besides, that original FWB mount was only sized for the old skinny 22mm (7/8") carry straps.

And then the plan came to a screeching halt and I opted to make a scope stop instead.  Yes, a scope stop.  Why?  No good reason, but follow the squirrely logic:  The gun shoots fine and now wears a real sling --so I can live with the aluminum washers for another day or two.  A quick and dirty scope stop sounded far more appealing.  My continued procrastination made sense at the time.   

Yep, a scope stop it is.

As the Feinwerkbau was wearing UTG dovetail mounts, I wanted the scope stop to look like it was made to match.  Found a UTG offset mount and cut off part of the clamp.

I like projects with the least amount of resistance.  (I later added another mounting hole to that sacrificial mount so it's still functional.)

Cleaned it up in the milling machine.

Just needs a second clamping screw.  I can't believe I've never made a scope stop before.  

Tapped M5 to match the other thread.

Not shown:  As conventional stop pins don't fit 124's,  I wasn't going to drill and tap for one, but the practicality of having it won out.  Now, it's compatible with most of my other rifles.

 

With no stop hole in the 124 tube, some friction paste will have to suffice.

Matched and replaced all the mounting hardware for continuity.  

A plug screw fills the hole.

Looks like a good match and I've successfully put off making a cocking lever rivet for another day!

More soon.