breech plug extension

[whitebear]

I have a 13/16 barrel that I am trying to use on my first percussion rifle.  The caliber is .45 so there is not a lot of metal for the drum to screw into.  This will be a hunting and target 1/2 stock so the fact of the drum blowing out concerns me.  I am considering taping the breech of the barrel deeper past the drum hole and screwing a piece of 5/8 X 18 bolt in tight and re drilling and threading the drum hole, making a tang to mount on the rear end of the bolt. Naturally I would have to drill into the face of the bolt to connect with the drum hole.

If anyone has a better idea let me know of if you see any flaws in this idea also let me know.

[smylee grouch]

Why not just install a patent breech in the first place?

[Clark Badgett]

Not knowing the thread pitch of your drum or the depth of your rifling I ran some rough numbers. If you use a drum with 24 TPI you would have just over 4 threads of engagement, while 16 TPI would give you just over 2. A drum has maybe 5-6 threads to start with in a 24 TPI.

[flinchrocket]

Try to find a hook breach for a flint and screw the drum into it where the touchhole would usually be.
Would also come in handy when it comes time to clean you rifle.

[Daryl]

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/666/1/PLUG-OH-13-5

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/666/1/PLUG-OH-13-9

or some such

These would be easily converted to being hooked breeches, if your rifle already has a hooked tang.  Just file the above breech to fit.

I put one of these on my wife's Seneca when I re-barreled it with a GM .45 barrel.
I also changed the lock and put in a Bedford County hammer shown beside the hammer than came with the L&R Hawken lock.(yeah- Hawken lock -imagine) almost fit perfectly.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/667/1/PLUG-TC-13-5




Daughter Carol shooting that rifle. Yeah - ugly white-birch rod then, with Oak under rib.

[whitebear]

Daryl,  That is exactly what I want.  I have had one on backorder with Track for over a year and they have been out of stock the entire time.  The odd thing to me is they've been out of stock and still the price has gone up by about $10.00, go figure.

[flinchrocket]

Put a WTB ad in the Items wanted section. Wouldn't surprise me if someone had one laying around
they would sell!

[Metalshaper]

White Bear,

Making a chambered breech plug like you mentioned in your original note is no big deal.
I've used the same sort of thing on a couple of my guns .. helps to set the lock ( in my case Mule ear and underhammer ) back a bit more towards the back of the barrel..

I set n witness the plug and then position the percussion cone ( or a bolster ) and drill a shallow pilot hole, just a bit into the plug .. Take the plug back out and drill the face of the plug to create the 'chamber' and stopping it to interesect with the other.. cone the face of the plug a bit and polish it all up..

Reinstall the plug to the witness mark.. finish drill and tap appropriately!! A chambered. Plug can and will jam a cleaning jag if you are ham fisted, when cleaning..  and some feel they are harder to get clean?? Which is why I said to polish it inside other than some extra steps,, no big deal??? 

Oh one caveat!!!! Make sure your chambered area holds less powder than your lowest charge you anticipate shooting!! Mine were made to hold about 25 ish grains.. that is in a couple of .45 Cal barrels one one .50 cal

Respect Always
Metalshaper\Jonathan

[Scota4570]

Track sells the Ohio rifle with a drum on  a 13/16" barrel. 
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/616/1/VINCENT-OHIO-PERC-PARTS-LIST

I also made my own version from scratch, same way.  It works fine.  I did support the drum with the plate.  I have fired mine hundreds of times without problems. 

I made a patent style hooked breech for a Seneca.  It was a lot of mill work and head scratching.  That would be another option.

A final way to go might be to use a mule ear lock.  The nipple screws into the side of the barrel, no drum.  I made one and found it to be very reliable and had super fast lock time.   

[Daryl]

I just found a TC Seneca breech in my $#@* bin. I assume I was going to use it, but did not - don't know why - it appears to have the 9/16" thread. Maybe the barrel was already threaded 5/8"-18?

Is the Seneca breech the one you want?

No tang, just the breech.

[Scota4570]

Yeah, the Seneca plug is an odd ball thread.

[Daryl]

Track lists both threads.  I remember now that the barrel I had for it, a 13/16" .45 GM, already had a 5/8x18 thread.

[whitebear]

Thanks everyone I have made contact with a person who has what I need.  Now if I can just talk the little lady out of some of her butter and egg money!