Converting T/C Hawkin .50 Cal Percussion Barrel to Flint

[JIM1911]

Hello Again everyone,
:yakyak: WARNING This is part two of my conversion to flint with my T/C Percussion Hawkin. First part was about Knock the cheap lock I bought . First off I traded
a buddy of mine out of a like new complete T/C .50 percussion barrel befor I started this undertaking. Back in 79 when purchase my Hawkins I purchased a T/C breach plug remover tool . Back then I did need it once after I loaded a patched ball into an empty barrel :cursing: but could not get plug out with the tool too tight I guess! Got som FFF in nipple hole and got I out that way .
Well 27 years later I decided to replace my breach plug with a flint type. Found one at Track of the Wolf. Well as you can imagine that breach plug was not wanting to come out 27 years later either :hmm: .
I just figured I would pass on what I went thru to get it out incase one of you might has the same problem oneday.
I work in a Auto repair shop so I have access alot of equiptment to do such things. First I wraped the barrel just behind the rear sight with brass sheeting about 10"X 10" to protect barrel from the vise gaws . I clamped it in the vise as hard as I could tighten it with my hands and my 240lbs of wieght! I installed the remover with a leather wrap on inside to protect the breach plug (I had hopped to save it). I pu a large Pipe wrench (about 2' long) on tool and tried to unscrew . All that happened was the barrel started to turn in vise :cursing: Not a good sign. I tryed to tighten the vise again (This is what I call a big vise 10 inch wide jaws)to no avail ,still turned.

That was it for that lunch hour. I soaked the barrel over night with JB-80 . Next day I placed the wraped barrel between two 1" thick steel plates in our 10 Ton press . I put enough pressure so it would not turn much ,not like vise buy still turned! Still no luck. Next got out the torches and heated the breach plug till red and quenched in water. Tried again won't budge. Now by this time this was getting old! More soaking over night.
Next day clamped in vise again and took the cut off wheel and cut off nipple casting and made into a hex . I hammered a 15/16 six point impact socket on and took a 1/2 inch air impact gun (This has got to do the trick right! ) To my dismay the barrel tried to turn in vise and the socket rounded the breach plug right off. :cursing: Im getting a little ****** about now to say the least! Is going to come out ,Its got to! I got out the cut off wheel again and cut the breach plug 1/16" from the barrel very carfully . I tried a small easy out in the touch
hole . Not going to move still. Torches again ,heated up the plug to orange hot . Tried Easy-Out again. No good! :cursing: Ok now I decide to Drill ouy the center. Ha Ha . Iguess I hardened the plug with the torches. Not one drill bit in out shop would scratch it. Just as I was doing this our Snap-On tool man walked in the door. Great ill get a new bit from him. He sold me his best bit on the truck (He said better than kobolt / Spelling?!) I did not even scratch it!!!!! Well I went over my lunch hour that day!!

More soaking in JB-80 overnight (Can you tell I like JB-80 :rotf: ) Next morning I had a brain storm. My Dremel has some small stone attachments I never use! I clamped barrel in my small vise and sarted grinding (I cut thrue the hardning :applause: ) Tryed my new super bit and it went thru I now have a 3/8 hole in the breach plug!! I can see true my barrel. Late for work but a happy guy :grin:

Another lunch hour , Clamped in vise. Took torches and now I have a 3/8 hole i got the torch tip inside Plug heated it completly orange hot then took JB-80 and sprayed the manure out of it wile hot ,inside and out.Took out of vise ,still hot (Talk about a smoke pole) and hot JB-80 really smells bad ,My coworkers were not pleased! I sat it breach down In a cup of ,What else JB-80.
Let it sit for a few min. then put back in the vise . Easy out again and with a little effort :grin: it came loose and unscewed. I am still waiting as of this time for my new Flint breach plug ,should be in monday. I hope I havent bored you good folks to death.
But this goes to show that we can do anything we decide to do as long as you stay with it and never give up!

 

[John Taylor]

I have never heard of someone having that much trouble with a breach plug. I use a set of "V" blocks to hold octagon barrels, you get 4 flats insted of 2. The barrel and "V" blocks go in a special built press with a 20 ton jack ( a 5 ton will do the job ). A vice has to much give. The heat is usually applied to the barrel near the breach to expand it. Should never need to get it red or orenge. JB 80 is good stuff.

 

[AgesofDays]

not to moc you but you probably could have bought a barrel cheaper than that drill bit cost snap on is from my opinion expensive.....but when you get it in your head your gonna do something you normally do or die tring.....good story though thanks for sharing it made me laugh......

 

[JIM1911]

John,
Thanks for the info , I was sure I could of done somethings better and I hope your input might help someone else to have a better go of it than I.
Jim

 

[JIM1911]

I havent enen ask how much yet, Just put on my account I dont think it will be cheap.
at the time it seemed to be the thing to do!

Jim

 

[John Taylor]

Jim, I forgot to mention that I have an almost new condition T/C flinter barrel with breach plug that is collecting dust on the shelf. It has been fired mayby 20 times.

 

[JIM1911]

Hey John,

:grin: How much do want for that dust collector :hmm: I have had the idea about putting together a clone to mine later on for my son. He is really getting into Muzzle loading also.
Jim

 

[gmww]

You might want to PM John about that. :thumbsup:

 

Jim1911 - I have this project on my list, but you have been there, so---Question?--- After you cut off the snail (nipple casting) and hexed the plug, could you have tapped the flash hole for a liner and been done? -- OR- was the hole in the barrel too big or off center or ????????? Thanks for any info. - Bill in Oregon :hmm:

 

[juano2001]

Yes the snail ground off, I was thinking of trying this as well, anyone know?

 

[JIM1911]

Hey there Bill,

I had hoped I could cut snail off to a hex as I did and drill and tap for a liner but found that the hole went into the barrel in the center of were the vertical flat meets the one above it and goes forward at about a 45 Deg angle about 1/2" to the center of the barrel ,about a 1/8" inch dia. hole. Even if I drilled it out to a 1/2" and made a plug ,it would be a long way to the main powder charge.Also how safe would it be? :hmm:
Hope this helps ,I recieved my new breach plug in today and wrong size :cursing: I will post more about that later tonight. Have a good evening ,Jim from Florida

 

[JIM1911]

Hello Folks,
My saga continues. I recieved my breech plug in yesterday and It fell into my threaded end of my barrel. :cursing: I ordered it by the listing off of the Track of the Wolf Inc, website.Before I had it out of the barrel. :redface: I did remeasure my thread on my breach and oops it is 11/16 x 20 thread not 5/8-18 thread as listed . :grin: I sent an Email and later called them. Here is the cut and paste of there response . I hope its Ok to do that here ?

( Dear Sir , Sadly, we did not know your intent, before you started your project. We see this error often.
Thompson Center protect themselves from liability problems, by not
reselling their breech plugs as a loose part.
They intentionally use a special 11/16-20 thread pitch (larger than
5/8-18), which precludes using an after-market plug in their barrel. This
discourages after-market tinkering with T/C brand barrels and plugs.

We sell our aftermarket plugs, for those making new barrels using the
Green Mountain or other brand of barrel with standard 5/8-18 threads.

The least costly method may be to obtain a T/C flint lock, and a GMT drop
in flint barrel assembly. )

But after getting that response I went back online to there website and found T/C Breech plug for Flint fo (1") Octagon barrel with 11/16-20 thread to fit T/C barrel. I called and talked to a man there and he said that 11/16-20 it the standard T/C thread. I believe that now ,but if any one orders one of these be careful not to order the one I did , he said that is for the GMT barrels. They do not have a flint one for the 15/16" Barrel only the 1". I returned the wrong one and reordered the one for the 1" barrel. Its going to be alot of work getting it down to 15/16". The one that came in for the 15/16" Measured .984 " even that was alot larger than my 15/16 Barrel. Just .016 " shy of 1 " . So I would guess the 1 " will be well over 1" also. well I guess I will find out in another week to 10 days when the new one arives.

I don't always have such bad luck with my projects.
Hey but you know I guess I'm just paying my dues to belong the the Flinters Faternity. When I get done with this (reworking my lock and moding my barrel) I will have a good understanding of the how and why it works. And boy it will feel great the first time I get a shot off without a hitch. :grin: Thanks to all the input from all you Master Flinters who so openly give your knowledge to us newbies. :bow: Thanks you for your support. Jim ,From Florida

 

[JIM1911]

Hello, Barrel update,

Recieved my breach plug yeasterday and it was the correct thread I have the fit down to one flat away ,going to take to work on put final torgue on it. It has a threaded touch hole and a threaded hole on the top. Hole on top must be for sight ? It 1" so I have to file down to 15/16.
After all I have hade to do I'm one happy guy! :grin:

 

[John Taylor]

A milling machine would save you a bunch of time and sore muscals.

 

[AgesofDays]

ok let me understand this bear with me ????you got a new barrel in 1 in but your stock is 15/16ths so your gonna file the barrel down to 15/16 th to fit the stock is that what your saying????? no no you HAD a barrel already and you just changed it from cap to normal but the barrel is still to big for the stock and so your gonna file it down to 15/16ths ,YOU have got the bug bad ,determined minds will prevail good luck my friend

 

[JIM1911]

Hello John,
That's for sure but don't have one of those ,so its old school for me. I have two and a half flats done so far. Only took 45 Min. per flat :haha: Only five and a half left! I have three more nights till Saturdays shoot. I think I can get it done boy then .

Thanks for the tip , Jim

 

[JIM1911]

Hello , I had a 15/16 Percussion barrel and stock that Im installing a one inch Flint breach plug in. Nobody I can find makes a 15/16 Flint breach plug in T.C. 11/16 thread .I am just filing breach plug.

Jim

 

[JIM1911]

Its together and works :winking:

I have all the 1" flats on breach plug down to 15/16" . I installed it in the stock and test fired with flash powder only. Ye Ha :haha: :grin: Its still in the white ,taking to Range in AM. I attached some pictures if they work :hmm:

Thanks for your support everyone :bow: Jim1911

 

[JIM1911]

Went to Range today and shot my conversion. Man what a blast. No delay ,Klick-Faboom !! :grin:
I did about 8 hots . 3 of them no spark . Had to nap flint after every 2 shots. I think I need a better quality flint and a larger size. I had alot of fun. Had alot of onlookers that had not seen a Flintlock shot in person. :thumbsup: I enjoyed showing them how things worked and why they did not on some shots :grin: . I am happy to join the Flint shooter club.I mould my own balls ,cut my own patches,put my gun together (Modified in my case). I want to learn to nap my own flints next. I love the hands on and control I have with each shot! Its what I make of it. It does not come out of a box. What a cool hobby
Thanks again for everyone input on my project. JIM1911

 

[54JNoll]

Congrats on the conversion. Looks and sounds like it came out very well.