hooked breech

[caliber45]

First: Dennis, thanks for checking on my sign-on situation. Works fine now. Only thing I did differently was reinput my password. Go figure . . .
Now, my question: Unable to find (other than English patent breech assemblies) hooked breech goodies for 13/16ths barrels, I've begun making my own using segments of old barrelswelded to a strip of steel strap from the hardware store for the "female" (tang) portion, and hardware store bolts for the "male" breechplug portion, milling out the bore of the female portion to rectangular/square and filing down the breech plug extension to fit it.  The question is: Is there any reason I can't leave the bore round in the female portion, and lathe down the rear of the breech plug to fit? The forend of the stock, the (?) tenon of the lockplate and the wedge key keep the barrel "squared away," so to speak (Arizona is kind to wood; not enough moisture to cause much (any?) warpage of wood . . .). so I see no reason why it wouldn't work. I've got one in the works. Thoughts before I proceed? Tks! - paulallen, tucson az

[Dave B]

I am not sure that will work with the hole and stud being left round. The barrel must lift out pivoting at the breach. With a round breach stud there will be no rocking motion because of the lack of parralell sides of the stud. I guess if the hole is shallow it may work. I know I have a Hopkins allen  rifle that has a allen  stud that engages the standing breach. but again this has a paralell side section. You have to pull th barrel more forward than up when removing it. as long as the tennons have cleared the fore stock you may be ok with  using the round stud.

[Longknife]

I have made hooked beeches useing angle iron as the tang. I cut a slot up from the bottom and  mate it to the squared, hooked breech plug (bolt) . I have left it this way, with the bottom open with no problems. If the hook becomes too loose it is real easy to "squeeze" it a little to tighten it up. You could also weld a piece across the bottom if you want too.....Ed

[Pete G.]

I think that the main reason for the hook is to keep the barrel locked in to the tang, which it would not do unless you build the plug extension in sort of a knob shape. Sounds like it might be a little more trouble than it is worth, but if we were looking for practicality we would just buys guns wouldn't we ?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

A hooked breech must hold the barrel down into the stock's barrel channel and prevent the barrel from bouncing forward on recoil.  Therefore, the hook is cut on an upward angle fitting tightly into it's standing breech tang.  The entire lug should be a close fit into the tang.  Any movement there will result in loss of accuracy, and greatly weakens the stock in its most vulnerable spot.