Late English Half Stock Breech

[Big Bubba]

Have most of my parts on order for the build and doing some preliminary layouts for the hooked breech. I was planning on using the R. E. Davis Late English/Ketland lock and the barrel will be 1.115" at the breech. I've got a hooked breech tang ( the face is 5/16" thick)  I was going to reshape to the English style and shape the breech plug that comes with the barrel to fit. The problem is if I put the vent hole liner in front of the breech plug, the lock bolster is not long enough to accept the lock bolt and clear the standing breech. I saw an older post where someone was trying to fix this after the fact. I have a drawing for the nock breeches that show the vent liner drilled right into the breech plug threads (which my plug has 1/2" deep threads. Is this something safe or feasible or do I need a different lock or look for a patent breech?

[Mike Brooks]

The style of breech you want is a chambered breech, not just a standard plug. You'll probably have to get somebody to machine and octagon section that screws into the breech of the barrel that you can chamber.

[smart dog]

Hi,
File a groove in the hook.  That was done all the time.



dave

[Big Bubba]

Hi,
File a groove in the hook.  That was done all the time.



dave

The piece in your picture, I guess is what Mike calls a chambered breech. I do not have that. What Have is just a hook on a standard plug.

[smart dog]

Hi Bubba,
It doesn't matter. Just file a groove in the hook.

dave

[Big Bubba]

Hi Bubba,
It doesn't matter. Just file a groove in the hook.

dave

Dave,

The clearance issue is with the female portion of the tang not just the hook. If I place the vent hole 5/8" from the back of the barrel, the backside of the female portion of the tang would be into where I can put the lock bolt. Can I file a groove in that for clearance also or do I need to thin that down. It is 5/16" thick, which looks like it may be thicker than the pictures of yours.

[smart dog]

Hi,
The standing breech does not need to be thick.  Here are some examples.  The first is one I made but the last photo shows two original English standing breehes and a modern commercial one on the right.  You can see how thin the originals were.

dave

[Big Bubba]

Thanks Dave. I going to thin the one I have down which should give me the clearance or try TRS for one already shaped.