removing a breach plug?

[soldierof4cheese]

I just bought a brand new barrel for my hawken carbine, since looking real close at the bore, i am not real happy, thats why i almost never buy used. I do most my own gun smithing but this is new to me. Any advice would be welcome..I want to use my original plug in the new barrel since its already set up to receive one.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

To give you any advise we would need to know the make of your old barrel and the make of your new barrel, "Hawken carbine" doesn't tell us enough.
I CAN tell you that many production barrels have breechplugs torqued in so tight as to be nearly impossible to remove without seriously damaging the external finish. The fact that your new barrel is tapped for a plug does not mean it is tapped to the same diameter and thread pitch nor that the threaded hole is the same depth as your old barrel and plug. In other words, there are just too many possibilities to say if it will work.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

I just bought a brand new barrel for my hawken carbine, since looking real close at the bore, i am not real happy, thats why i almost never buy used. I do most my own gun smithing but this is new to me. Any advice would be welcome..I want to use my original plug in the new barrel since its already set up to receive one.

I don't really understand what you are talking about so I will ask a few questions:

(1) Why are you "not real happy"?

(2) What is a "hawken carbine"? We are talking about a reproduction gun, correct? Who is the maker and what is wrong with the existing barrel in the gun?

(3) What size are the threads in the old barrel - do they match those in the new barrel? If the new breachplug tang is of a different size and/or shape, why not try to fit it to the stock rather than re-breaching the new barrel? Fitting the tang into the stock would certainly be easier and safer (?) than going to the trouble of refitting a used plug in a new barrel unless you are thoroughly familiar with the breaching process.

**Coyote Joe posted while I was typing and he made good points. If this is not within you gunsmithing skills, you best get an experienced person to watch over your shoulder.....

 

[soldierof4cheese]

its an investment arms hawken carbine .50 cal percussion. the bore is very pitted and worn, i didnt realize until a very good scrubbing.

 

[soldierof4cheese]

Or would just be easier installing a new breach and tang on the new barrel and not and try and reuse the old stuff..?

 

[ohio ramrod]

Before scraping the barrel see how it shoots! If it shreds the patches try lapping with a lead slug (p.m. me if you need instructions ). Then if it still needs replaced replace the barrel.I have salvaged many "ruined " barrels by lapping and sometimes just a through cleaning. :hmm: :hmm:

 

[necchi]

Investarms is Italian = metric
What NEW barrel do you have?
"I just bought a brand new barrel for my hawken carbine, since looking real close at the bore, i am not real happy,"

With octagon ML barrels the breech plug is fitted to 3 seprate surfaces. The threaded end of the barrel has a flat bottom where the bore and rifling begins, the plug needs to meet that surface. Then the end of the barrel where it meets the breech plug face. Then the flats of the breech plug and barrel need to line up.

 

[David W.]

Everything Necchi said + you need a special tool to remove it.

I never heard of a Hawkens carbine. Does it have an octagon barrel?

 

[Rogue River]

I had one, it looks like the cabela hawken except it has a short barrel, 23 inches if I remember right! Made by Investarm!

 

[soldierof4cheese]

Yeah its octagon.

 

[soldierof4cheese]

Its an exact barrel from the manufacture, investarm.

 

[soldierof4cheese]

Good info, thanks.. I havent shot it yet but will soon. I am very anal about rusting bores, more than likely it shoot just fine, just a hang up i have.

 

[soldierof4cheese]

Sorry for not being more clear from the get go, just getting over the flu and the brain is still a bit fuzzy. The new barrel i have is an exact replacement made by the manufacture, everything is drilled and ready to install my old sights, lower rib and ferrel, breach and plug. Just didnt know how hard doing the latter two would be, now i understand more of how the breach and plug work together, thats helps alot. Thanks and stay clear of the bug, its bad the first two days.