Rice hooked breech and tang

[RAT]

Has anyone here used the English style breech and tang sold by Rice barrel co.? It doesn't appear on their website but Jason told me about it on the phone yesterday. They've been producing for a few months.

[Justin Urbantas]

Is it a flint breech?

[rick/pa]

I bought Rices 31" barrel that came with this breech plug and tang installed but pulled it and put on a hooked breech and plug from TOTW because I want to use keys and be correct for an English rifle.  It's not a bad looking plug and tang if you don't mind not having a hooked breech. My first thought was to cut off the plug part and use the tang to make a standing breech using the hooked plug from TOTW but in the end it was easier to just buy both parts and not worry about trying to fit the other two together. I even thought about buying a bolt from the hardware store and using it to make the hooked plug and eliminate trying to time the plug to the standing breech but gave up the idea. It wasn't that hard to time the bought plug to the standing breech anyway.

[smart dog]

Hi,
You mean Rice is making a fake hook and tang breech?  Why?  Why not just make a good hook and tang?

dave

[T*O*F]

I would bet a dollar to a donut that is Rod England's Alex Henry combo without the provision for the tang sight.  Jason makes Rod's barrels as well.  Rod hangs at his booth at Friendship.  Most guys, unlike Curtis, install their own tang sights and wanted a blank tang.  I used to cut the ears off and weld up the hole prior to this availability.  I bought one of them last year.  It's not a fake, but so closely fitted together that you have to hammer the parts apart to separate them and then do a little file work so they separate easily.

Of course, this is speculation based on clues.  Jason probably saw an opportunity since TOTW has cut back on their offerings.

[Bob Roller]

On a long range rifle,ANY wiggle at all will affect accuracy just like a sight adjustment.
I have what might be the last of the Don Brown hook breech plugs and there is no wiggle
or wobble and that is the way all hook breeches should be.I was thinking about making a few
4 screw Stanton style locks to match this particular breech but doubt if I will.The set triggers
keep me as busy as I want to be.Maybe someone with a CNC system can make a correct lock
for these English rifles.
Bob Roller

The Don Brown breech I have has the "ears" for a tang sight and Mike Neumann in South Africa
made sights for it and maybe still does.I  have made 2 or 3 of these since 1987 when Don Brown
became known in an article by John Bivins and published in the February Muzzle Blasts with a fine
color picture on the cover.I made one for my own rifle and 2 more for a man in Germany----maybe.

[rich pierce]

Pictures needed

[Curtis]

My guess is that TOF is onto something with his comments.  The tang and breech on mine were so tight I had to lock the breech in a padded vice and WAIL on it with a large, heavy non-marring mallet.    After several blows it finally moved a tiny bit, about a hair's width.  It is meant to be solid for the inletting process, then separate and file the hook for a tight but removable fit.


Curtis.

[Bob Roller]

My guess is that TOF is onto something with his comments.  The tang and breech on mine were so tight I had to lock the breech in a padded vice and WAIL on it with a large, heavy non-marring mallet.    After several blows it finally moved a tiny bit, about a hair's width.  It is meant to be solid for the inletting process, then separate and file the hook for a tight but removable fit.


Curtis.

This is better than some of these two piece breeches that fit like a broom handle in a trash can.
With the one Curtis just described a little careful work with a very fine cut file with square safe
edges will solve the overly tight problem if indeed it is a problem.
Bob Roller

[T*O*F]

My guess is that TOF is onto something with his comments.

If it's a flint breech, then everything I said is irrelevant.

[RAT]

It's a flint false patent breech and hooked tang. The tang is short... approx. 1 1/2" with no provision for sights.

[sdilts]

I was down at Jason's today and saw one of these breeches. It looks really good. It locks up tight but not so tight that you have to whack it with a hammer. He said the tang is made from 8620 steel so that it can be case hardened. 
For now he is only offering a flint version. Hopefully he'll offer a percussion later on.

[Daryl]

Do you know offhand what sizes are offered, or are they listed on the site - hm.
Just checked the site - not there.

[sdilts]

If I remember correctly he will offer 1", 1 1/8" and 1 1/4". He said he will be putting them on his site. For some reason I didn't ask the price.

[RAT]

The sizes are the same he told me on the phone.

$120.00 is what he quoted. About twice what cast plugs cost.

I suggested a version with a longer 3" tang with a squared off finial. That was we could cut and shape as needed (I need one that's 3"). He sent me a very short email stating... "not at this time". My guess is he's not interested.

For $120.00, I'm still on the fence.