Chasing T/C Threads

I need to clean up the nipple threads in a T/C Hawken. What size tap and who sells one?
UPDATE I found a 1/4 28 bottom tap, one pass cleaned them up nicely.
Thanks
Nit Wit

It is 1/4-28 for the large rifles and 12-28 for the smaller rifles. Get a bottom tap. They are generally easy to find at even some hardware stores such as Ace.

Be careful not to get the tap cross-threaded.

BruceHH said:

It is 1/4-28 for the large rifles and 12-28 for the smaller rifles. Get a bottom tap. They are generally easy to find at even some hardware stores such as Ace.

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Ditto!

Just an fyi, you can grind the tip off a ‘regular’ tap to create a bottom tap.

How messed up are the threads? If they are in rough shape you may want to consider an oversized 1/4-28 tap to clean up things up. TOW sells the oversized taps, tap drill and the oversized nipples if you have to go down this path.

Thank you guys.
Nit Wit

Just get yourself a bottom tap in 1/4x28 Cheap off of amazon

https://smile.amazon.com/Drill-Amer...6&sprefix=1/4+x+28+bottom,aps,228&sr=8-1&th=1

If the threads are too bad to repair, you can drill and tap for an insert, to keep the original size threads.

jmull4609 said:

If the threads are too bad to repair, you can drill and tap for an insert, to keep the original size threads.

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What inserts have you used before?

jmull4609 said:

If the threads are too bad to repair, you can drill and tap for an insert, to keep the original size threads.

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Fastleo said:

What inserts have you used before?

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It would be interesting to hear about actual experience with inserts. I do recall the Helicoil debacle and recall with Green Mountain years ago.

If truly desperate, would consider cleaning up the hole and seeing what size nipple thread I could tap it to. An actual insert, can not imagine there is enough room, but will wait for @jmull4609 to educate us on what inserts work in a TC bolster before my final decision. I have been wrong plenty of times before, just ask the bride.

SDSmlf said:

It would be interesting to hear about actual experience with inserts. I do recall the Helicoil debacle and recall with Green Mountain years ago.

If truly desperate, would consider cleaning up the hole and seeing what size nipple thread I could tap it to. An actual insert, can not imagine there is enough room, but will wait for @jmull4609 to educate us on what inserts work in a TC bolster before my final decision. I have been wrong plenty of times before, just ask the bride.

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I personally like the looks of time serts the best, I have not used them before in a muzzleloader but have used them in chainsaw cylinders before with good success for spark plug threads.

Fastleo said:

I personally like the looks of time serts the best, I have not used them before in a muzzleloader but have used them in chainsaw cylinders before with good success for spark plug threads.

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I have used Helicoil inserts and they serve a purpose in some applications. Not so sure about muzzleloader nipple threads though. There was quite the recall when Green Mountain used them after a metric thread repair mess up. Were they safe? Maybe, maybe not.

... time, thin wall, EZ-lok...

jmull4609 said:

... time, thin wall, EZ-lok...

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Very familiar with the E-Z Lok inserts, have used them for various applications for years. Do you reduce the over all length before or after installation?

Before installation

SDSmlf said:

Very familiar with the E-Z Lok inserts, have used them for various applications for years. Do you reduce the over all length before or after installation?

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Before installing

Keenserts are another good choice. As long as it's a solid insert and not a "Coil" you should be fine.

SDSmlf said:

It would be interesting to hear about actual experience with inserts. I do recall the Helicoil debacle and recall with Green Mountain years ago.

If truly desperate, would consider cleaning up the hole and seeing what size nipple thread I could tap it to. An actual insert, can not imagine there is enough room, but will wait for @jmull4609 to educate us on what inserts work in a TC bolster before my final decision. I have been wrong plenty of times before, just ask the bride.

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Rule #1: "The Woman is ALWAYS right." When she is wrong, see rule #1.

For a 6mm or 1/4" my 1st choices would be 9/32"BSF( a bit rare these days) next CEI 9/32"x32tpi or Model engineers 9/32"x32tpi. If it'very bad Open hole to say 3/8" and turn an insert, threaded with the original thread. Sweat the out side of insert with silver solder ( S/S has a tensile strength in the order of 38/40 T/sq" and heat the plug to s/s melting point and put in the insert presuming you have already taken the plug out of the tube. Don't be heavy on the S/S or you may bog-up the lower threads in the insert. ( CEI is cycle engineering indusries. The same size as P/H cleaning brushes.Family been around small engineering a long time so lots of old standard thread tools about ). O.D.

Not advice but just what I would do. My first choice would be to look for a new breech. The second choice would be a Keen insert #KETH142800 Carbon Steel not Stainless. Carbon steel so when the breech chamber heats up the expansion/contraction rate is the same. The insert OD is 3/8"-16 TPI. A "Q" drill bit (0.332") is required for the 3/8 tap. The length is 3/8" so some grinding with a dremel is needed. When fitting the insert I would use Locktite 609 to lock it in place. After it sets grab the dremel and grind off the remaining 3/32" insert off the top and blend with the original surface. Coat with some cold bluing and shoot the gun 50 times and you'll never know it was done!

LOL......I think he just wants to chase and clean up his threads, not replace and overhaul his gun, folks.

Ask for the time, learn how to build a watch. Down the rabbit hole we go!