[hotbarrel]

here are a few tips and tricks for rivets.
first one I do because I have a bunch of swell head rivets fron a group buy. What I do is to take a countersink and countersink all of the holes for the front trunion. this way I can use the swell heads in all the holes. do NOT countersink too deep look at the two rear ones and try to go to the same depth. I also clean up the factory countersinks when they are not even, just slightly put the bit to it . for clean up I can often even do it with a bit in my hand and no power tool. REMBER the countersink is small do not take out much material. after the holes are set in the trunion match up the reciever holes, some fileing may be needed. Now tap the swell head into the hope, this will drive the reciever to conform into the trunion and you will end up with the head of the rivet flush against the recievere.
I allways say this part and I guess I will say it again too. Start the crush, then remove the reciever and MAKE SHURE the rivet is in flush if not tap it in tight now. after it is fully crushed it will not go in, it will have to be redone to look proper. crush a little and check, crush a little and check, crush a little and check, it is worth the few extra moments
now for a tip on the full lenght rivets. I allways hammer by hand the full leinght rivets, and I love the ones from the group buy because they are a bit longer. hammer carefully and slowly LOOK CAREFULLY how the metal reacts to each hammer blow. sometimes I am hammering at 45 degrees. meaning the hammer is NOT falling streight down but comming down and over, to nock the rivet in the direction it needs to go. You can even use a punch against the side of the rivet to bend it back if it bends before it starts to crush. Anothe rgood thing is full leignth rivets can be driven out if need be. ware short ones against the barrel can not be removed that easy. the hammered head ends up round but not ball like, more like cylinderical. well here is the tip, I have a metal plate and I drilled a 1/8" hole in the corner then put in a countersink that has a large diameter about the same size as the o.d. of the rivet. now carefully press the hammered head into the countersink this will camfer over the edges and make it look much nicer.

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Where do you get the bit to countersink the trunnion holes? What size is it as well? I also have rivets from the group buy and they are the swell necks. If I countersunk the trunnion holes, how much nice would it make it look. Is it required or recommended?

 

[hotbarrel]

I used a standard countersink that I bought at industral hardware. As for size I think it is about 5/8" at its largest but all I use is the very tip.
Honestly I am not certain if the swell necks will fully set against the reciever or not without a littel countersink. maby someone else has tried and can tell you. If you look at your front trunion I think you will see two holes are aready countersunk, just duplicate that. All I idid was go in deep enough for the taper of the rivet to fit in, not a lot at all!!
If done properly you will never see the countersink because it is under the rivet head. I guess if you did not countersink and the head did not go flush that may not look good at all.
I believe originaly the trunion used two swell necks and four flush heads. Because two trunion holes are countersunk and four are flush. countersinking them all can not hurt anything as long as you do not go too deep. I think we need someone that has tried to use the swell necks in a flush hole and find out how it went for them.

 

[febisfebi]

hotbarrel, if you have extra swell neck rivets, I'd be delighted to either buy some off you, or send you a bunch of standard non swell neck rivets for trigger guards. really all I need is the front trunnion ones, so buying rivet sets $12+ shipping is not too exciting
Great tips on riveting also, I was wondering if crushing rivets from the bottom would properly seat them, and this is a great way to be sure!