How closely should the stud fit the barrel?
Can the straight hole stud be fitted to a tapered barrel without the use of expensive machines or tools? If so, how? Thank you for your help.

It should fit so close that when you slip it on by hand with a slight twisting motion, you will need a wood block to tap it back off.

The way I fit them is to wrap a piece of wet/dry sandpaper around the barrel down the taper from the final location, to where the loop will barely slip over the papered area. Turn it by hand on the paper, and move the paper as needed to expose fresh grit. Takes 15 minlutes or so to get it tapered to a perfect fit.

I drill a small hole in the back of the swivel stud at about a 45 degree angle, towards the center of the loop. I tap it for a small hex head set screw, say a 4x40. Put the loop on the barrel to the right location, and use a marker or pencel or transfer punch to mark the barrel through the tapped hole. At the same time, use a marker to make an index line and alignment witness mark where the loop needs to be installed to, for consistency when you assemble it. Drill a tiny depression in the barrel for the set screw to seat into on the marked spot. Then, put a generous coat of locktite on the barrel in the loop location, slip the loop into place, make sure it aligns with your index marks, and install the set screw. Use solvent to remove the excess locktite outside of the loop, and you're done. The locktite keeps water from getting under the loop and rusting the barrel and loop. Friction and the set screw are adequate to keep it on.

dave

Thank you, gentlemen. How elegant simple solutions are.
Cheers
dave

You will typically not notice the taper of the barrel in the 3/4" or so that the barrel band occupies on the barrel. I like to polish the inside of the band, taper both edges of the band's profile (it should look like a wedding ring on the barrel) and knock the corners off of the machined swivel area.

Next I polish the area on the barrel where the band will ride. no more than 150 or 200 grit, you want some roughage for the solder to grip (same grit for the inside of the band, forgot to mention).

The easiest way to solder is to "tin" the band. It's really easy. Flux the inside of the band (there are special "tinning" fluxes out there, but you won't need them if you are careful). Apply heat from an acetylene torch (a map gas plumber's torch from home depot works fine) and keep touching the solder to the inside of the ring until it begins to flow. Take the heat away and use your flux brush or a bit of 000 steel wool to make the hot solder flow all around the inside of the band while it is in a liquid form. Let it cool.

On the barrel set up a witness mark ahead of time to clock the stud correctly at 6:00. Flux the barrel where the band will ride and slide the band into place. Give it a love tap or two with a soft block of wood (2x4 pine) until it is nice and snug. Pick your poison, soapstone, pencil graphite and cold bluing all work well for keeping the solder contained where you want it. Clean all excess flux off with a clean, dry rag and liberally apply _______. (My fav is Birchwood Casey cold blue, coat the barrel a few inches past the band either direction right up to and over the band. Whatever solder runs out will not stick well to the cold blue and will polish right off).

Apply heat to the band and the immediate area of the barrel around it. Once the solder flows (500 degrees or so) take the heat away and don't be tempted to wipe. Let it cool, dress with a fine needle file and polish away.

That's the old school way, been done 150 years or so like that. The solder should fill any gap that the taper may show, just spend a little time in the fitting stage with a small half round file or peening hammer if you feel the gap will be more than a few hundredths.

Mr. Wiebe describes the best and proper way to fit a barrel band. Select a band which stops about 1 1/2 inches above where it is to end up and peen to fit. Regards, Bill.

I put them in the lathe and turn the inside taper; then solder them on. This is faster than peening. I like them to fit snugly but they don't have to if you solder. I have used the set screws on them too, after fitting snugly.

I find one close to the correct size and then bore it out and turn a flat on the barrel to match with about a .002" clearance and then solder it on.