Need advice, did a mistake machining the Le Paige pistol breeches.

[Rolf]

When drilling out the channel through the powder chamber to  the snail, I forgot to countersink and cone the hole for the bolt head before taping the threads. I did mange to cone the hole, so the shoulder of the bolt seals the hole tight. But, when I tried to counter sink the hole using a endmill ,I made a mess of it.  It is not round and there is an ugly gap around the bolt head.  


To fix this, I'm thinking of filing off the bolt head above the shoulder and welding shut the rest of the hole. Is the a viable option, or does the bolt have to be removable? Please answer ASAP. I only have access to a welding help until Wednesday.

Best regards
Rolf

[oldiemkr]

If you know what kind of metal the plug is made from a weld may be possible. Its probably not impossible to weld but it appears like it may be cast.

Could you drill it out and make {or have it made} a custom larger headed screw and then peen it to fit the c'sink ?

[The other DWS]

I'm assuming the threads are tight and the gap is at the surface.   If so and if the insert/line is still standing above the flat of the barrel; could the liner be peened out to fill the gap.  Of course if its cosmetic rather than structural,you could just even the gap out, tap in some gold or platinum wire and call it "art"

[Rolf]

The breech is cast in EN3b which according to what I can find on the internet a
 "EN3b Bright mild steel is now a general purpose steel that is suitable for welding, can be case-hardened and is good for general machining".
http://www.metals4u.co.uk/EN3B-Bright-Mild-Steel.asp

Welding should not be a problem. The question is, does the plug need to be removeable, if so why?  If a removable plug has no practical value, I'd like to weld it shut. That way there will be not visible gaps and the seal complet.

Best regards
Rolf

[Bob Roller]

I have seen X ray pictures of breech plugs from high quality English long range rifles that were obviously drilled from the left to the right all the way across and then theaded and a plug installed,dresssed of,polished and engraved and it took X ray to find it. On the bolster side,the threads were plugged with a similar screw and then a platinum plug installed over it. This gave rise to the idea of platinum "blow out"plugs which they were not,The platinum or sometimes silver was only ornamental.
The pictures I saw belonged to the late Don Brown who marketed Alex Henry replicas and components to make them and the breech plugs were from some original 1860's vintage rifles that he owned. This was in Canada in 1987 at an International match.
If the material in that pistol plug is weldable,do it,file it,polish it and then go to the next step on this project. I have never heard of anyone trying to remove this type of plug and most current owners of these guns don't even know it exists.I started in muzzle loading in 1951 and first knew of it in 1987 when Don showed us the X rays.

Bob Roller

[Rolf]

Thanks for the answers. I'll try welding the plug tomorro.

Best regards
Rolf