Converting a breech from percussion to flint

[rudyc]

Hello,

I have a set of percussion double barrels that I'd like to convert from percussion to flint.
Anyone have any ideas as to how to plug the nipple holes?? I'm thinking maybe an allen head bolt and then weld?

thanks,

rudyc

[camerl2009]

good luck getting any of these guys to respond about welding things  

if there the breech plugs im thinking about normal double percussion with the nipples on top its not really worth it to convert them to flint

id make new ones

as im lerning you be surpised what you can make with hand tools everything from simple parts to full on modern cartrigde guns

[Dave Faletti]

You might be able to tap all but the last couple of threads for the next larger diameter but same pitch.  Use threaded rod/allen head that size to get a seal sort of like on a  drum or vent liner.  I would try whatever you do on a piece of scrap steel first to see if it will work out well enough.  Are your barrels going to look like a flint style when done?  Might look a bit odd if they don't end up looking like they were meant to be flint.

[Captchee]

Rudy , as I stated  to you  when you PMed me
 The  nipple holes must be  filled . IMO its best to seat them to a face .
 Then you have to deal will the  area surrounding the nipples .
 The issue with welding is that you need to ensure that the heat of the welding doesn’t make the plug brittle . For many folks this is a concern and frankly  it should IMO be a caution to listen to and taken to hart  because you do have to know hoe to weld  the part safely
 With the Flint conversion I did  I welded the  breech  plugs after plugging them so as to fill up the  nipple  flats on the breech’s .
 But  the plugs I  had were not deeply  recessed  to the point many originals were .
  If you don’t feel comfortable with  that , then simply  take your plugs to a machine shop and have them mill you  new ones. Its not that big of a process on a horizontal and vertical mill .
OR just  make new ones yourself .
As I said  also in your PM . This is rather involved .  That doesn’t mean its hard . It is however time consuming . But so what , the whole build your looking at doing is involved . Your going to be making a complete new stock . So there should be an issue with  spending more time making new plugs

.  I would tell you the same thing I and many others have been trying to tell camerl2009
 For months . Buy Bill Brockway’s book  on recreating the SXS shotgun . In it he guides you through making your own plugs  with just files and a cut off wheel .
IT IS WORTH EVEY LAST PENNY .

[Rasch Chronicles]

I would tell you the same thing I and many others have been trying to tell camerl2009
 For months . Buy Bill Brockway’s book...

Better advise is seldom posted...

I bought it just for the information available in it. I haven't contemplated building a SXS but you never know...

Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
Wild Pigs: Not Tough Enough to Face Ol' King Coal
ΜOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!

[keweenaw]

Cody had a tutorial on making flint breech plugs on the old board.  I wouldn't even consider trying to convert a set of percussion plugs as it would be faster to make the new set and the converted ones wouldn't be right anyway.

Tom

[jim meili]

Rudy, another problem to possibly look forward to is the threads the old plug will have. When you take the percussion plugs out you may run into something like I did. The original threads were 51/64 x 17 and that's no where near a standard.
Then I guess it's cut the barrels off and re-thread them to something you can make a plug for or in my case I'm fitting the old plugs to new/used barrels in which case it's order a custom tap.
Jim

[keweenaw]

Jim.

Those are probably Belgian barrels so the thread would be 20 x 1.5 in millimeters if I did my conversions correctly.  That's a standard metric size - about  a $25.00 tap from Tool Savings in Chicago.

Tom

[jim meili]

Tom, that's what I thought too, though the barrels are not Belgium. They have English proofs all over them and were soft soldered, opposed to being brazed. Engraved on the rib, "I.Hollis & Sons London Laminated Steel". They were pitted with holes under the rib and thus I think that's what knocked the rib loose. The shotgun owner wants another set of barrels put on, which I am attemping to do.
You're calculations are dead on and that's what I came up with. In the place where I work English is a bad word and we do everything in metric. I made a short test barrel with metric threads and it was a no go. Started to screw in but then bound up and stopped. The senior machinist checked the threads under a scope and came up with the 51/64ths x 17 threads. The tap is available from Toolsavings too but has to be custom ground. You know I didn't think of it 'til now but I could anneal the plugs and run the metric die over those threads and form them the little bit it might take.
What do you think?
Jim


Sorry Rudy, didn't mean to hyjack your thread...

[rudyc]

Jim,

No problem, I'm interested in most all the info provided on this forum.

rudyc

[Dphariss]

Tom, that's what I thought too, though the barrels are not Belgium. They have English proofs all over them and were soft soldered, opposed to being brazed. Engraved on the rib, "I.Hollis & Sons London Laminated Steel". They were pitted with holes under the rib and thus I think that's what knocked the rib loose. The shotgun owner wants another set of barrels put on, which I am attemping to do.
You're calculations are dead on and that's what I came up with. In the place where I work English is a bad word and we do everything in metric. I made a short test barrel with metric threads and it was a no go. Started to screw in but then bound up and stopped. The senior machinist checked the threads under a scope and came up with the 51/64ths x 17 threads. The tap is available from Toolsavings too but has to be custom ground. You know I didn't think of it 'til now but I could anneal the plugs and run the metric die over those threads and form them the little bit it might take.
What do you think?
Jim


Sorry Rudy, didn't mean to hyjack your thread...

I would not reform the threads in this manner.

Dan

[jim meili]

Thanks Dan, your opinion is valued. If I may ask, where and when were you awarded your CIB?
Jim