What I do during "Lockdown".

The weather had turned and fly fishing proved to be fruitless, so I decided to replace a flash liner, something I’ve been putting off, but turkey season is closing in.
After acquiring the a White Lighting 5/16 flash liner, drill, tap, and counter sink recommended in the TOTF catalog, I finally built up the confidence to attack the job, and replace the original 1/4” flash liner in my 20ga Fowler. I anticipated this to be a relatively easy task for an amateur with limited tools ....wrong. The problem with the original liner was that the screw driver slot eventually broke through to the interior cone, enlarging the flash hole area. While the rifle continued to be functional, the safety aspect, as well as the inability to fully plug the flash hole(leaking) when cleaning called for a replacement. The defective screw slot in the liner proved to be ineffective for removal, so I reverted to drilling out the center and attempting removal with an extractor. The original liner was totally frozen and this also proved to be fruitless. I decided to just drill out the old liner in a couple of drill size steps to the 1/4” taking great care with my hand drill to stay perpendicular. I did read through several posts describing the proper procedure for installation...called for removal of the breach plug. Because access for my breach plug was not possible due to the permanently welded tang which inhibited this step, I “surgically” through the smaller 1/4” hole, used a small Dremel carbide cutter to remove a bit of the breach plug to allow free entry of the new flash liner tap. After drilling and tapping the new threads for the larger 5/16” liner, I measured the length of the liner, and trimmed it to be flush with the barrel interior. Once fitted, I then used the the Dremel with a small ball cutter, and polishing stone to carefully remove any burr on the interior of the barrel...without disrupting the new threads. Finally, I cleaned all the fillings out of the barrel, screwed in the White Lighting liner, cut the stud off, filed flush with the barrel, and drilled a 5/64” flash hole. The whole process took about 2 1/2 hours. The new liner works great! Ignition is instantaneous, and cleaning is a breeze. Shown: New liner

Nice work.

Jim Evans said:

The stock look real smooth to me, and I like the grain.
Also I like the file and chisel rack, can you post a photo of it?

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OK Jim, Here are a couple of pictures of the different tool racks. The ones next to the green vise are for the woodworking files and smaller ones for the scrapers and chisels. The other large rack is for the metalworking files next to the machine vise. The small rack is for the model working tools. The racks make it easy to move the tools around the shop for various needs.

LOL! The middle shot I thought you were grilling red snappers!
It's a Maine thing.

Barry Strickland said:

OK Jim, Here are a couple of pictures of the different tool racks. The ones next to the green vise are for the woodworking files and smaller ones for the scrapers and chisels. The other large rack is for the metalworking files next to the machine vise. The small rack is for the model working tools. The racks make it easy to move the tools around the shop for various needs.

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Thanks Barry, Nice set up, mine is just a small chisel rack and jeweler files, need one for the files.

That looks like a good set up Jim. Yes, the larger files are a problem to keep handy and not banging into each other, a rack helps. I have a shelf under the workbench shown similar to yours only about three inches in height, that is where most of the big stuff goes. It is amazing the number of files I have accumulated over the years. Quite a few of them are worn out and in the junk box. You have a nice rifle project going on there I see.

Building a .50 caliber Lyman Great Plains rifle. Built one twenty years ago … try to do better this time. Also cleaning, oiling, touching up dings on my twenty-four rifles and pistols. We do have time now … hey … stay home … stay safe. Shoot when you can safely do so. Polecat

Lots of great ideas on this forum! I started a build thread in the builders section on my ”new hobby”.

Made some Dutch oven bread..oh boy !!

I get my ride out of storage next weekend....plenty to do on it for the up coming cruise nights

Nessmuck56 said:

I get my ride out of storage next weekend....plenty to do on it for the up coming cruise nightsView attachment 28420

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Nice Goat. Got mine out last week and prepared it for the summer.

Cherrybow said:

Stocks and a few other parts came from mongrel on GB and some parts came from other auction sites. I have been watching and collecting parts for a couple months.

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Pardon my ignorance. What is "GB"?

Gunbroker

Here is my "lockdown" project that I just completed. This one is promised to my grandson and the parts for the second Hawken will be here tomorrow. That should keep me home for another couple of months.

Nice! If I call you grandpa can I be next in line for one?

cannonball1 said:

Here is my "lockdown" project that I just completed. This one is promised to my grandson and the parts for the second Hawken will be here tomorrow. That should keep me home for another couple of months.

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Very nice.

As my luck would have it we found our dream home a month ago and just took possession. Its a magnificent Log Cabin overlooking a wide River and old port town. That said IT IS Possibly the worst time to buy and move ever. The former owners would NOT leave the property for us to inspect it alone due to virus fears. (they did follow us around closely - very uncomfortable) and objected/resisted our home inspectors. Had to make special appointments at both bank and title company just to get in. They even used gloves and disinfected our IDs before using them for Title! Traveling to and from was (and still is) scary. Fear that the police would pull us over for non essential travel gave us a taste of the Gestapo. Still does each trip. Last trip we saw less than 10 cars in a 100+ mile trip!! With most stores closed tough to get what we need. Fast food means 30 minute waits in drive thrus as well. We call it "life in times of Plague"

cannonball1 said:

Here is my "lockdown" project that I just completed. This one is promised to my grandson and the parts for the second Hawken will be here tomorrow. That should keep me home for another couple of months.

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Beautiful rifle! That’s a very blessed grandson.

Capnball said:

Wrong thread but I'll try and help. That tang screw should thread into the trigger group. If you can locate the bottom of the screw try a drop of two of PB penetrating oil and a tap or two with a punch
View attachment 27866
Then do what you can to fix the slot or cut s new one with a Dremel. That bolt is probably done already anyhow. Use a very tight fitting screw driver the full with of the screw head. Stabilize the gun in some kind of holding fixture (a vice lined with thick leather then try to turn the screw. Beyond that, drill the head of the screw out pull the tang out of the way and see if you can remove it from the stock through the bottom with the trigger assembly intact. Then you can vice up the trigger base plate and use some vice grips on the bolt. Hope this helps. Let me know what worked.
Neil

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Well, after much time and effort, I was successful in removing the tang screw and my barrel. I could not readily access the tip of the screw, as it is hidden under the trigger guard (and holds it in place in the front). Since the screw was too tight and flush to use the Dremel on (without cutting into the tang as well), I used a nail and a triangular file to try to cut a little more of a groove in the screw head. I eventually had to use my drill and a screw remover bit, trying very much not to chew the screw up too terribly or to slip off the screw head and make a huge scratch on my stock. Eventually, after removing the pins in the rest of the barrel, I was able to get the now loosened screw by the head, with pliers, and remove it. I filed the screw head more smooth, and then used a hacksaw to cut a little deeper channel for next time. After cleaning everything up, I put it back together and then made sure I could remove the screw again. I think I will be able to next I need to. Thank you all again for your excellent advice!

UndeadPoet

UndeadPoet said:

Well, after much time and effort, I was successful in removing the tang screw and my barrel. I could not readily access the tip of the screw, as it is hidden under the trigger guard (and holds it in place in the front). Since the screw was too tight and flush to use the Dremel on (without cutting into the tang as well), I used a nail and a triangular file to try to cut a little more of a groove in the screw head. I eventually had to use my drill and a screw remover bit, trying very much not to chew the screw up too terribly or to slip off the screw head and make a huge scratch on my stock. Eventually, after removing the pins in the rest of the barrel, I was able to get the now loosened screw by the head, with pliers, and remove it. I filed the screw head more smooth, and then used a hacksaw to cut a little deeper channel for next time. After cleaning everything up, I put it back together and then made sure I could remove the screw again. I think I will be able to next I need to. Thank you all again for your excellent advice!

UndeadPoet

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You spend half your life working on cars you're gonna run across some broken bolts. I have a couple "go-to" methods but just when you think you've seen it all you get a 150 yr old clean out screw in a bolster that gives you fits !