Hatfield rifle

[bluecarpenter]

I just recieved a hatfield rifle from track of the wolf. it is a used rifle. Very bright bore and overall very good conditon. Has the brown barrel. top of the barrel says hatfield and 45. has the full stock. double set triggers. Brass butt and trigger guard.
I've read that the hatfields have the pattened breach. What DOES that mean.

Got home after dark but I still loaded a couple rounds in it and fire them both off. It had instant ignition. I will have to wait till this weekend to fire at some targets to see how it does.

 

[Stumpkiller]

"Patent Breech". The powder chamber is slightly smaller than the bore and has a rounded bottom instead of a flat breech face.

It means you need a jag with a stepped tip or other solution (like a tow worm) or you won't get all the way down when cleaning. T/C Jags should work in the proper caliber.

 

[bluecarpenter]

ok i can see that as i took everything down to check things out. but why do some people not like it and tend to bad mouth it.

 

[redwing]

I have never owned one. The complaints seemed to come from the later rifles. The first rifles were made in Mo. Then as the company failed the quality fell off. I believe in the 3rd stage they were mostly off shore parts guns.
One of the other problems seems to be that the barrels are held on by screws from the bottom of the stock. Most Black Powder Shooter would prefer will fitted lugs and pins for accuracy.
I do recall shooting with a fellow in Colorado a few years ago who had one. He had problems getting it to fire. It turned out the lock needed a 7/8 flint rather big for a .36 Cal. rifle.
Like I said I have never owned one, so what I offer is only rumors. Good Luck. :thumbsup:

 

[bluecarpenter]

yea mine is held on by 2 screws. also mine is a caplock but I would consider changing it over to a flinter. the caplock is very fast igniting.

 

[tg]

Often some folks ckasim they are a PC gun of copied from an original this usually starts up the fire, they can be a good shooting gun if you find a good one but they are generic like the Haken by TC if that is an issue if not then it does noy matter.

 

[bluecarpenter]

Being PC don't mean a durn thang to me. I just like the full stock and wanted something a bit longer than the ones that I already have. I also wanted something in a 45 cal. Someday I hope to have a.32 cal in the fullstock and longer than the .32 traditions that I have.
I've got to wait till the weekend to take her out and see how she shoots. To me it is a very well balance gun. When I bring her up and site down the barrel the sites line up almost automaticly.

 

[mloader40]

Congratulations on your Hatfield Rifle. I have owned one in .36 & .50 caliber both were excellent shooters, better than than the marksman. If your Rifle has the smooth Plum Brown barrel and nice fit and finish it is a keeper. Keep the screws,at the rod thimbles tight and do not over tighten the tang screw and you will be amazed at how well it shoots.
Good Luck,
BPWRL

 

[bluecarpenter]

it is the plum brown finish and everything seems to be a very good fit and finish. the plum brown isn't real smooth but I plan on reduing it. it has been very well taken care of.

 

[torn moc]

Sweet guns in my Opinion....
your'e Lucky to have one!

 

[Zonie]

bluecarpenter:
The browned barrel isn't supposed to be real smooth.
Properly done, they look like a fine matte finish, not real rough but not polished either.

You asked about the patent breech.
First off, what everyone calls a patent breech isn't the true "Patent Breech" designed by Nock back in the late 1700s. It is somewhat different.
Anyway, the idea behind the Patent Breech was that a smaller "powder chamber" would create a high speed jet of flame that would speed up the ignition of the main powder charge.

The breech on your rifle has a smaller than bore diameter chamber to do the same thing and tests seem to show that the design is helpful in reducing bore fouling.

In my opinion, the problems some people have with their "patent breech" is usually due to oil collecting in the smaller chamber and contaminating the powder charge or, worse, causing the powder to stick together and not be blown back thru the flame channel that connects the breech with the nipple.
Either of these problems can be helped greatly by washing any accumulated oil out of the area with 90 percent alcohol and then allowing it to dry before loading the gun.
Storing the gun muzzle down can also reduce the tendency of oil to collect in the breech area of the barrel.

Now that you've shot it, it is highly recommend that you clean your gun.
Black powder fouling will draw moisture from the air and rust the rifles bore if it is not cleaned shortly after shooting it.

Have fun.

 

[bluecarpenter]

I cleaned it within 15 mins. of shooting it. it is a nice looking and fun shooting rifle. even if I have only shot it at night.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

I'd add another reason for complaints of unreliability in the current implementation of patent breeches. Powder can bridge at the step-down from the bore to the patent chamber. The smaller the chamber and the coarser the powder, the greater the possibility. With a percussion cap, a few grains down there might give almost-normal ignition, but a flinter is unlikely to fire if there is not sufficient powder in the chamber and the side passage to the touch hole. Further, I suspect the patent breeches of smaller dimensions also are more prone to the oil-contamination problem Zonie described.

My flintlock Pedersoli Kentucky .50 came with a patent chamber of ~.24" diameter and would frequently fail to fire, using 3Fg Goex, until I learned the trick of slapping/tapping the side before ramming the ball, to shake powder down into the patent breech. Drifting in a few grains of 3Fg or 4Fg would always fire a misfiring charge. After the chamber was enlarged to .30, it was much less of a problem, but still happened occasionally, so I still slap it when I load. My Pedersioli .32 Frontier flinter seems to have a chamber more like .20" and bridges very frequently with 3Fg if I don't slap it fairly vigorously.

By contrast, my 16ga double has Manton-style patent breeches of ~.35" and has never bridged with either 2Fg or CTG Goex, and I have never had to do more than dump the powder and ram the OP wad(s).

Regards,
Joel