Breech plug tang

[BillF/TRF]

I was cleaning my York county flintlock rifle today and accidently dropped the barrel with the stock attached only at the breech plug tang. The barrel lifted away from the stock and bent the breech plug tang where it is attached by a screw to the stock.  I removed the screw and separated the barrel from the stock but now have a tang that is bent up at the screw hole position.  What is the safest method to bend the tang back to original position?  Thanks, Bill

[rich pierce]

I’ve seen many old barrels where the tang broke right there. If you have 1/8” at each side of the countersink you might get away with a cold bend. I hold the end of the tang in a vise with the barrel pointed skyward. Then move the muzzle till it bends some. Check, replace in the vise with maybe more clamped in. Rinse and repeat.

If there’s not much metal beside the countersink, heat to orange and lay it on an anvil bottom flat facing up. Tappety tap.

[BillF/TRF]

Thanks Rich!  I decided to heat the tang with MAP Gas and do the tappety tap.  It worked!  Now after it cools I'll take a file to it and make it look like new!

[JasonR]

Glad to hear that worked and that damage was not worse.