As promised, here is my picture-heavy tutorial on how I route and drill the ramrod hole. There is also a brief note that pertains to the routing of the barrel channel, based on something I tried that worked out well.
First-off, one way or another we need to get the exterior portion of the ramrod channel cut in. I use a router bit that cuts a 3/8" half-round groove from the side of the stock, allowing me to go right up to the point the ramrod hole enters the forend. A straight roundnose bit will work, too, as will using a gouge to do it by hand. The roundnose bits are available in carbide at any good hardware store. The bit I use is only available (so far as I know) from Woodworker's Supply, and is somewhat over $40 the last time I checked. You need to cut a lot of ramrod channel to justify buying this one. A hardware-store roundnose will cut the same groove up to within about 4" of where the ramrod hole enters the wood, due to the base of the router being stopped at that point. Either finish the groove by hand or devise a jig to allow the bit to continue cutting clear to the stopping point shown in the picture.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/001_zpsf5d38976.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/001_zpsf5d38976.jpg.html)
In the following pictures, the long drill bit used is homemade. It's for 3/8" ramrod holes, but is actually a TN 25/64" bit welded to a 3/8" steel rod. This gives 1/64" of clearance to a true 3/8" rod, reducing the amount the rod needs to be worked down for a non-binding sliding fit. I use 10mm (.360") rods and am able to just smooth their surfaces to have them ready to use -- a huge savings in work time. At least one parts/tool supplier (but I don't recall which one) sells or used to sell 48" drill bits that were each 1/64" over nominal size, for the same reason I've just explained that I make my own.
Because I use the router bit I do, the end of the groove follows the radius of the bit and curves upward. I therefore drill in and down at a slight angle, only about 1/8" or so deep, to establish the start of the ramrod hole. If I don't, the ramrod drill bit will want to ride up the radius of the groove. This is an unnecessary step if you're using a straight bit or cutting the groove by hand.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/002_zpsfe70d30a.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/002_zpsfe70d30a.jpg.html)
I drill in approximately 2-3", no further. This starts the hole straight and doesn't allow the bit any chance to wander.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/003_zps7d6dfd88.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/003_zps7d6dfd88.jpg.html)
I flip the stock over and make two witness marks, one just overlapping the end of the hole started for the ramrod (the 2-3" one described above) and the other 4" back toward the breech.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/005_zpsf4f4ee50.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/005_zpsf4f4ee50.jpg.html)
I mentioned having experimented on my barrel channels. You will note that in the picture above, the barrel channel hasn't been cut -- only a long 5/16" wide groove, done with the straight bit shown in the photo below. I had been starting my barrel channels with the 45-degree bit and using the 5/16" straight bit last. I have found that starting with the straight bit allows me to be much more precise, much more quickly, about the depth of the barrel channel, so I'm routing with the straight bit first and then widening the channel with the 45-degree bit. Puts less stress on my 45-degree bits, reduces the chance of the bit grabbing and tearing or splitting wood, and is a more exact process in less time.
Anyway, I deepen the 5/16" groove between the witness marks, till the bottom of the groove is even with the bottom of the ramrod hole started with the drill. I deepen the groove in two passes, going about half-depth on the first and finishing with the second. Here is a shot of the router, set up with its stop (which runs along the side of the stock blank, as detailed in my post on routing barrel channels) and the bit at full depth for the final cut. I like to leave about 3/32"-1/8" of wood along the bottom of the stock, to prevent the ramrod hole running out the bottom as the wood is shaped and sanded.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/006_zps774eeac1.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/006_zps774eeac1.jpg.html)
Here is the 4" groove, routed full depth, ready for the final drilling. You can see the drill bit run forward the length of the groove. I start the drill bit with the stock right-side-up so I can can see that the bit is starting the last hole even with the bottom of the groove, and not trying to run out either up, down, or sideways. Once again I drill in only a short way, about an inch or so, just enough to establish that the bit is running in correctly.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/008_zpsd83cda65.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/008_zpsd83cda65.jpg.html)
I flip the stock back upside-down and lay the drill bit along the wood, with the tip at the point where I want the hole to stop, usually about 1/2" ahead of the breech of the barrel. On fullstock rifles there is usually either a pinned lug or a screw holding the forward portion of the guard into the stock, and if the ramrod hole goes too deep this lug or screw will break into the hole. Not only will this be a weak attachment point, especially with a screw, the screw or lug will block the ramrod hole -- so why bother drilling any deeper than where the screw or lug must be located?
I use a Sharpee marker to make a witness mark on the drill bit, indicating how far into the wood it will go. It will be noted that there are actually a couple of inked marks on this drill bit. I make absolutely sure I'm watching the correct one as I drill in.
Turning the stock over, upside-down, is a good idea because, this way, the bit can be withdrawn every 1/2" to 1", and chips and dust from the drilling will fall out the groove cut with the router. Otherwise, the bit would have to be withdrawn its full length after every small bit of progress, because if the chips and dust have nowhere to escape to (even if they're just sitting atop the bit in the routed groove, with the stock right-side-up) the bit will start to bind in the wood, the deeper you drill. I've had bits overheat to the point of warping. I've had the welded-on bits snap off from the steel rod. I've had the entire forends of two different stocks literally explode from the internal pressure of trying to drill too deeply without clearing the flutes of the bit. There are many terrible things that can happen if one gets in a hurry anywhere in this process.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/010_zpsb5155c4b.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/010_zpsb5155c4b.jpg.html)
When the witness mark on the drill bit just begins to vanish into the wood of the rear portion of the forend, you're done. Use a ramrod to check the depth of the hole, just to be sure, but if all is well you are done drilling.
I will always drill a small (5/64" or 3/32") hole through the web of wood between the bottom of the barrel channel and the ramrod hole, near the breech end of the barrel channel. Take care to only drill through the web of wood, and don't let the bit contact the bottom of the ramrod hole. I then insert the shank of the next-smaller drill bit into the hole and touch the bottom of the ramrod hole with it, and use my thumbnail to indicate even with the top of the forend. Keeping my thumbnail in place on the bit, I remove it and lay it on the side of the blank, and can verify exactly how much wood is left along the bottom of the stock. This is extremely useful to know before removing any wood in the process of shaping and sanding.
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/011_zps6ec19a3b.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/011_zps6ec19a3b.jpg.html)
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/012_zps1d6f58e4.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/012_zps1d6f58e4.jpg.html)
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/mongrel1776/Number%20two/013_zpsc3670d42.jpg) (http://s263.photobucket.com/user/mongrel1776/media/Number%20two/013_zpsc3670d42.jpg.html)
I'm beginning to think that building a new firearm from scratch is not an afternoon project... bunkr
Just beginning to get that idea, eh? ROFL
You definitely have to start right after breakfast!
As always Mike is a man of his word! Great tout there. thmbsup Have to go over it a few more times to get fully digested! I've used routers a lot in my time, although not on gun stocks. noway You seem to have a good method of keeping that router where you want it to be, VERY important that!!!, unless you're trying to make kindlin'. (susp) Every one should remember that a router don't know the difference between maple and flesh.(susp) Things happen very quickly with them little Tazzmainin devils :mini-devil-28492:.Thanks for taking the valuable time to put this together for all of us. Hope you are enjoying your new F R E E D O M ! flwa flwa
Sweed
Actually once you do get it digested (or if you were at my booth in Friendship when I happened to be demonstrating these techniques), it's way faster to do than it is to explain or to read. Very simple, once the process is understood. It's getting to the understanding that takes the time.
Great post and this kinda info is what I've been lookin for ....I'm in the process of taking a 2 piece Traditions Kentucky rifle and makin a 1 piece stock for it....I love routers
thmbsup Glad ya found the info ya need there Dennis. Hope to see some pics soon.
Yes sir....tried to put one on yesterday.....guess I need to read the page directions LOL
Got the pic posting thing figured out, this is the block I started with