I recently found a pretty good deal on an unfinished muzzloader at a flea market. Its an Ohio style (Vincent type) in 40 caliber. The lady I bought it from said that it came from an estate sale from a deceased fellow that never finished it. It has really nice inlay work done but came without a drum but did have a breechplug and drum hole tapped in the Douglas brand .40 caliber barrel..........The problem is that a 5/8ths inch breechplug was used and the threads are too deep for the plug. They had the drum hole drilled into this thin area in front of breechplug with a breechplug filed at an angle for the drum to fit.
I do not like the breechplug not bottoming out in its threads. They drilled and tapped too deep. This arragement looks weak because the drum is tapped into whatever is left of the barrel wall after it was drilled and tapped for the 5/8ths inch breechplug. What I want to do is to use a new breechplug and cut off the original barrel in front of the drum hole and start over. Should the drum fit in front of the breechplug with its threads tapped directly into the main part of the barrel wall? If so I will need to inlet the barrel slightly to the rear for the drum to clear the breechplug face and relocated the underlug staples
Or would it be a safer set up to drill a communication hole into the breechplug and after seating the breechplug drill and tap the drum direclty through the barrel and breechplug mating up with the communication hole? Has anyone ever done this except for CVA LOL..................Any input would be welcomed and appreciated Bob
I do not like the breechplug not bottoming out in its threads. They drilled and tapped too deep. This arragement looks weak because the drum is tapped into whatever is left of the barrel wall after it was drilled and tapped for the 5/8ths inch breechplug. What I want to do is to use a new breechplug and cut off the original barrel in front of the drum hole and start over. Should the drum fit in front of the breechplug with its threads tapped directly into the main part of the barrel wall? If so I will need to inlet the barrel slightly to the rear for the drum to clear the breechplug face and relocated the underlug staples
Or would it be a safer set up to drill a communication hole into the breechplug and after seating the breechplug drill and tap the drum direclty through the barrel and breechplug mating up with the communication hole? Has anyone ever done this except for CVA LOL..................Any input would be welcomed and appreciated Bob
