Hooked Breech Question

[porchdog48]

I have just restarted building muzzleloaders this year, and have only built 2 rifles in the past still making enough mistakes to qualify as new to the game. I am about to start a full stock Hawkins, and have assembled all the parts needed. My question is when I insert the breech plug into the tang I do not have 100% contact between the tang and breech plug more like 70% is this something I need to fix or is this normal. I am afraid if I do not have 100% contact on both the tang section to the stock and the breech section to the tang I could split the stock from recoil. Is my thinking correct? Is there any other things I should watch for using a hooked breech. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Dave

[Herb]

Is this a flint or caplock and what caliber is it?  And do you mean that the plug is not bottomed against the interior end of the barrel AND the tang is not fully contacting the recoil abutment wood behind the end of the barrel? 

[Swampwalker]

Dave, if I understand you correctly, the answer is you should have good contact between the breech (attached to the barrel) and the standing breech portion (the part attached to the stock).  You will have to use transfer media (smoke, sharpie, etc.) and a mallet, and tap and carefully remove metal to get a good fit.  I would aim for good, i.e., at least 95% contact.  You may have to upset the 'hook' portion of the breech a bit when you're done to make the thing lock up correctly.  Just take your time, and remove a little bit of metal at a time.  Good luck!

[Dphariss]

I have just restarted building muzzleloaders this year, and have only built 2 rifles in the past still making enough mistakes to qualify as new to the game. I am about to start a full stock Hawkins, and have assembled all the parts needed. My question is when I insert the breech plug into the tang I do not have 100% contact between the tang and breech plug more like 70% is this something I need to fix or is this normal. I am afraid if I do not have 100% contact on both the tang section to the stock and the breech section to the tang I could split the stock from recoil. Is my thinking correct? Is there any other things I should watch for using a hooked breech. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Dave

The breech has to fit properly or accuracy can suffer. So the fit should be tight in all respects. Once fully seated the tang should not move on the "hook". This often requires modification, peaning, filing and scraping. Use felt tip marker to show contact points. If the hook will enter the standing breech as cast its probably too loose.
Once fit the parts can be epoxied or soldered together for inletting.

Dan

[Herb]

I should have read your post more carefully.  You got good answers to your questions.  But I'd still like to know what set of parts you have and whether flint or cap and what caliber.  There can be issues with the powder chamber that can be corrected.  See my post in Tutorial board "Fitting a Hawken Breech Plug by Hand".  I've now built about ten Hawkens, two of them flint, and am in process of building three more.  Some on here have built many more.

[porchdog48]

 Herb,

   I have a hook breech purchased from Pecatonica River , the barrel is a GM .54 Cal and is a caplock rifle. I was not clear in my wording, the tang will be have full contact with the wood at the rear. From the answers I have read I need to make sure I have full contact between the breech and tang which I will take my time and fit. This is the first time I have used a pre inletted stock, and have to be careful to maintain the tang and barrel alignment so the pre inletted long tang lines up. I now wish I had used a stock blank. The hook enters the tang completely but does not have any play in it. or should it be a fit that needs a little help to fit up. Sorry for all the questions, but I am trying to limit my mistakes.

Dave

[whitebear]

Thanks for all your questions I am learning right along with you.  The question that you don't ask can cost you hundreds of dollars.

[Swampwalker]

Dave, you don't want to have any play in the fit.   You shoud have to press down on it to get it to seat all the way.  It can be a bit tricky, thus the use of transfer agent, and careful removal of metal.

[Herb]

Dave, you are far better off using an inletted stock to begin with.  The shape and lines are correct to begin with.  I am just finishing up a .54 Hawken from various parts I got in trade, and it is a lot of work to make everything fit to look like a Hawken.   I built a left handed Bridger style Hawken from a piece of hard West Virginia walnut, sawed it out by hand,  and there is a lot of work making all the parts fit correctly.

[porchdog48]

   Thanks everyone for the great advise you helped me eliminate a potential problem. This is a great site for all of us beginning builders, and the pictures of eveyone's work gives me inspiration to take my time and think how each step in building connects to the overall rifle. I attended the first 4 or 5 CLA shows and could not believe the rifles on display. At that time I just completed my first rifle, and was talking to one off the builders at the show that my rifle looked like a pipe on a 2X4 compared to what was on display. I will always remember him saying the difference between the builders there and my rifle is they have made all the mistakes, and that it just takes time and experience to eliminate  the mistakes and hide the mistakes you still make. So now I am on the learning (experience) curve. Thanks again on the help.

  Dave