Shop made Hawken breech plug and tang

[Curmudgeon]

The recent discussions regarding the lack of commercial Hawken parts, specifically breech plugs and tangs, has got me thinking about the possibility of making those parts in my shop.  The questions are this:  what sort of steel is suitable for both breech plug and tang.  I have a mill and lathe but no heat treat oven.  More importantly, what kind of safety concerns should I be aware of before attempting this.  I appreciate any discussion this post will generate for guidance.

Kevin

[David Rase]

I have been making my custom breech plugs and tangs out of 12L14.  I like it over 1018 as it machines much cleaner.  It engraves nice and takes color case hardening well.
Below are 2 photos of a recent hooked breech I made for a pistol.
David

[Bob Roller]

I think Don Brown had his cast from 8620.I have made a few of these from
8620 with lathe/mill and contoured with files and they turned out OK.
I think I still have one someplace that I made for a one inch barrel for myself.
8620 machines easier than 1018.I won't make them for sale because they are
labor intensive and I made some when I helped Bill Large.It was a learning
experience and I am glad to have found out I can do this.

Bob Roller

[Bob Roller]

I have been making my custom breech plugs and tangs out of 12L14.  I like it over 1018 as it machines much cleaner.  It engraves nice and takes color case hardening well.
Below are 2 photos of a recent hooked breech I made for a pistol.
David

David,
That looks like a fancy breech plug but not a hook type.Beautiful job to be
sure but it's not a hook breech.

Bob Roller

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Bob:  I'll bet the hook is on the end of the journal, slipping into a corresponding rectangular slot in the standing breech.  I have a 1 1/4" bar of unknown fibre from which I make my plugs.  Happy so far...

The plug pictured is a patent breech plug for a drum and nipple, not a Hawken plug.  But it shows what can be carved from a bar of steel.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Here is a left hand Ohio style breach plug made out of 1018 - all one piece.

[David Rase]

I have been making my custom breech plugs and tangs out of 12L14.  I like it over 1018 as it machines much cleaner.  It engraves nice and takes color case hardening well.
Below are 2 photos of a recent hooked breech I made for a pistol.
David

David,
That looks like a fancy breech plug but not a hook type.Beautiful job to be
sure but it's not a hook breech.

Bob Roller

Bob,
Here is a another view of the breech plug and tang.  Though not a snail it is hooked.

[Curmudgeon]

Good input.  I'll be ordering 12L14 today.  What kind of heat treating will this need, if any?  What sort of tools do you builders use to carve snails?  I seem to use files much of the time at work and this job looks like a place for files.  This thread is very interesting, thanks all.  I have several custom Hawken styles, two from Herb and one of them was a challenge getting the properly dimensioned breech plug which we compromised on for a lack of parts availability, and that fired my interest in building from stock.

Kevin

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Case hardening (pack hardening) is always a nice touch on a mild steel part.  Most of the work on a breech with a snail is hack-saw and file, in my shop at least.

[Bob Roller]

Bob:  I'll bet the hook is on the end of the journal, slipping into a corresponding rectangular slot in the standing breech.  I have a 1 1/4" bar of unknown fibre from which I make my plugs.  Happy so far...

The plug pictured is a patent breech plug for a drum and nipple, not a Hawken plug.  But it shows what can be carved from a bar of steel.

Taylor,
You're right.I had forgot about that kind of a breech system*.I have only made one and that was in
1958.I have an identical one to the one you show made for a drum but it has no drum and I hope
to make a half stock flintlock rifle with it.It's in the barrel,the barrel and tang are in the wood and
MAYBE I will get it done in 2019.

Bob Roller
*Forgetting jobs done only once long ago has become a common thing with me.