AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: porchdog48 on September 10, 2013, 03:37:43 PM
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This is my first hooked breech build, and I am not sure how to tell when tang and breech are properly fitted to each other. I am trying to get the two mating surfaces to have full contact using inletting black. Is this the proper method or am I doing some thing wrong. Should there be any play in the hook side ways or should it fit tight on all four sides? It is a
slanted breech. Sorry for the elementary questions, but this is new territory for me.
Dave
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A black or dark blue magic marker will work better than inletting black and also be less messy.
Ideally, the parts should fit together like a glove with no movement. Initially, the parts should be a tap fit together so you can inlet them as a pair, but they can also be soldered or epoxied when doing that operation.
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I agree with all of what TOF has said, and will reiterate. I use a scraper made from a file to dress the surfaces of the breech plug and tang, 'cause often they are a little sunken in places on the castings. There should be no movement side to side, back and forth, and the barrel should be level with the top of the tang. Today's Hawken breeches are much better than ones from years ago, as far as fit is concerned. A felt pen shows contact much better than inletting black during metal to metal fitting, but I use the Jarrow's black when inletting the unit into the wood. I inlet the barrel into the wood without the plug and tang first, then reassemble them and inlet the breech as a unit with the barrel. I solder the tang to the breech plug and then turn it upside down and sight along the barrel to ensure that the tang is in line with the bore. It often is not and must be bent straight. That makes a big difference to the wrist of the rifle when inletting and shaping.
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The hook has play left to right about an 1/16" so I guess I will have to tig the sides and refit the tang and hook. I figured I would need near 100% contact between breech and tang face or would risk splitting the stock. It has been 41 years since I built a muzzle loader needless to say large learning curve ahead. I like the marker idea it will save me from scrubbing the inletting black from my elbows down.
Thank you
Dave
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You could also carefully peen the standing breech on the backside to get a better fit.