Here are of the holes completed.  Not perfect but but at least don't stand out anymore.
Full disclosure, if the light hits them just right you can see the repairs.  Hard to get 100% color match between the two steels.
Bob

Oh no not in the Rigby flat! Good looking repair. Like it never happened...



JMH

Exelent!!   Anyone would play hell finding those screw holes.
LD1

I assume you make your own plugs for holes Bob? And once installed and cut off you maybe peen them before draw filing? That's the method I use as making my own lets me leave the thread short so they don't bottom out, but instead stop when the threads end.
Really nice work, and great color match on the barrel!

marlinguy wrote on May 23^rd, 2025 at 10:21am:


Vall, Yes I do make my own plugs so they fit with little or no  looseness .  It sounds like you leave the old threads, I use to do the same but now remove them.  First, I measure and check to be sure the margin between the hole bottom and the bore is sufficient and no damage to the bore will take place.  Once I know that I’m good on the margin,  I remove the old threads and the hole bottom to clean steel.  This removes the contaminates that might cause problems latter.  I turn the plug to fit this new hole and put a very slight bevel on the top of the hole.  I have a dremel bit that I have modified (really nothing special) to “upset” the inside of the hole, both radially and longitudinally inside.  This helps lock the plug in permanently.  I make sure everything is oil free. Then it gets peened and locked into the hole.  I don’t always need to heat a barrel while blueing or browning but on this barrel I did.  This is the reason for the compete removal of the old threads to bare metal.  I don’t want anything bubbling up around the plug showing in the finish.  This can be nearly impossible to fix.  I never hit the plug hard when riveting.  Just lots of small taps, slowly working it down.  Finishing with a flat punch around the edges.  

Here’s a picture of one plug partially riveted and the other untouched.

The second picture shows them mashed out and I have started working the front one down with a file.
Bob

It run a tap in the holes to clean up threads, and I test fit screw plugs to see how they feel for fit. I do drill them out and tap them if the existing threads are sloppy, but have also just made plugs if the threads are OK. Guess always D&T them one size larger would ensure a better repair.

I use a similar method to plug extra dovetails too. I make my own fillers that fit very tight, and once driven in I use a hammer and dolly to peen each end before draw filing the last extra metal off. Once they're peened in a draw filed they disappear except as you mentioned at the right angle or light.

The color matching is easier with browned or rust blued parts, but hot bluing makes the fillers really stand out!