Forging out breech plug tang

[Nordnecker]

I'd like to lengthen the tang on an already fitted breech plug. I only need to lengthen it about 1/2 an inch. It would sure be easy to do while it is screwed into the barrel. I'm worried about scaling of the threads or ruining the fit or worse. I suppose it would be better to quickly heat just the end of the tang with a torch rather than sticking the whole thing in the forge. I want the tang to step down Henry Spitzer style and I'm sure there's enough metal there to accomplish this.
Your thoughts?

[Mike Brooks]

I used to thread the plug into a nut when I used to do that sort of thing in a forge. Now I'd probably just use a torch and leave it in the barrel.

[Dennis Glazener]

Nordnecker,
Right or wrong I have heated/forged flared tangs to point with Mapp torches with no problem. I am sure you could heat/beat your tang quicker than I did and probably keep barrel cooler than mine.
Dennis

[Mark Elliott]

If you are heating with a torch,  I would do it with the breech plug/tang in the barrel.    I use a forge for this and I have two ways to hold the breech plug.   One is an old section of barrel.   The other is a short section of 1 1/4" round bar drilled and threaded for two size breech plugs.   I can hold the short section with a pair of tongs for round stock.

[BOB HILL]

If using the forge, the easiest way I've found is to weld a bolt of the appropriate thread to the end of a rod and screw the plug in. This eliminates having to hold with tongs and the bolt is protecting your treads. If you plan to do much of this, weld two different size nuts to a piece of 1/2 inch rod about two foot long and you'll be ready the next time. Holding the nut with tongs can be cumbersome if not use to using tongs......Bob

[Nordnecker]

OK. Thanks for the encouragement. My Oxygen tank is empty, AGAIN. So it might be a while before I try this.

[Nordnecker]

I switched out my tanks. I had a small swage with square shoulders set up in the treadle hammer. I clamped the torch in the vice so I wouldn't have to fiddle with it. I did a trial run with a piece of scrap and it worked perfectly. So with the tang screwed into the barrel, I heated the end of the tang bright orange, stuck it in the swage and tapped it lightly. It sure cooled off fast. I had to take about 3 heats to get it drawn out. Of course it didn't center itself on the real deal like it did on the scrap piece. I was able to pretty much correct this on the anvil. I let it cool in a bucket of ashes.
After cooling, I scribed a center line and filed the sides of the tang smooth and evened up the shoulders. I ended up gaining about 1/2 " even after filing the end square. I think it went pretty well. The heat colors never went past the lug on the tang. No apparent damage or scaling to the threads at all.