Removing a TC breech plug

[satwel]

Has anyone had any luck unscrewing the breech plug on a Thompson Center flint Hawken? I've spoken with guys at shooting matches who say they have done it, but everything I read on the online forums says that the plugs are so tight, it's often impossible. If you've done it, can you please share some tips?
In a moment of absent mindedness, I grabbed a cleaning rod with a button jag to push a cleaning patch down the barrel and it got stuck in the mouth of the powder chamber.

 

[bang]

Need a big vice and wrench with cheater bar. They are very tight. Heat can help.
I've wrapped metal around the breech and used a large pipe wrench with a 3 ft cheater bar and propane torch.

 

[Scota@4570]

I have done it. You need a real barrel vice. Metal V-blocks for the barrel. V-blocks in a proper action wrench on the plug. Use powdered rosin. Anything less is likely to slip and ruin the barrel and plug. This is not a crescent wrench and bench vice job. And, you will need a big old cheater bar. On mine I put about 800 foot pounds on the plug and no joy. IT took 800 foot pounds and a strong wack with a large hammer. To re-install the plug I fitted it properly using a lathe. This is a job for a properly equipped and experienced gunsmith.

Shoot your jag out. Remove the liner, load with powder, fire, done. If the fails use a 1/4x28 zerk in the liner hole. Use the grease to push it out.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Just unscrew the cleaning rod and trickle powder in the touchhole. Shoot it out.
Walk

 

[deermanok]

About 5 grains of powder in the touch hole will shoot it out very nicely. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[deerstalkert]

nuff said

 

[satwel]

Thank you, everyone, for the replies. Much appreciated.

I think I'll unscrew the range rod and try shooting it out first. Failing that, I'll buy a 1/4 x 28 zerk fitting and try the grease method. I was looking at a grease gun the other day that claimed to develop 6,000 psi of pressure. That should be enough to overcome a cotton flannel patch.

 

[deerstalkert]

many have done it. just don't use the graphite laden grease! it be a horror to clean up

 

[Rifleman1776]

The early TC rifles, especially, the non-hawken-hawken had the breech plugs force fitted so the flats would line up. This caused many problems and possible safety issues. Even if you can do it, I don't recommend trying to pull a TC breech plug. Use other methods to clear, like your grease gun thing.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I suspect the heavily torqued plugs was a safety move, we all know people who can't leave well enough alone and think they have to disassemble everything to "clean" a gun properly. The so called "clean-out" plug in the hooked breech is a prime example.

 

[satwel]

Here's a quick update on my stuck cleaning jag. Based on two replies from Walkingeagle and deermanok, I decided to try and shoot the jag out of my TC flint Hawken. I unscrewed the range rod from the jag. Then I took the barrel out of the stock and lashed it to a 2 x 4 with a length of rope. The vent was aligned with the edge of the end of the 2 x 4. I unscrewed the vent liner and put about 7 or 8 grains of 3f in the powder chamber behind the stuck jag. I set up my 6' step ladder in the backyard and clamped the 2 x 4 to the back side of the ladder, pointing down, with the muzzle about 6 inches from the ground. I put a paper target beneath the muzzle so I could tell if the jag came out. I poured a small pile of blackpowder on the end of the 2 x 4 adjacent to the vent. I laid a sparkler across the pile of powder to act as a fuse. I lit the sparkler and walked about 30' away. The sparkler burned down to the pile of BP and set it off which in turn fired the charge in the barrel. Hardly any report. Sure enough, there was a .45 hole in the target. The jag was about an inch and half below the surface of the ground. The whole thing took 20 minutes to set up start to finish.

Thanks guys for your suggestions.

 

[satwel]

trying to delete a duplicate post

 

[2 shots]

was just going to order pop corn

 

[bronko220002]

T/C made a tool just for this purpose. I'd suggest once you get the tool you put some liquid wrench down the bore to try and get into the threads. It may help. But you're going to need a good vise that's fastened to a immovable table! And you and a buddy to try and loosen it or a long pry bar.

 

[SmokepoleSam]

I used a large pipe wrench and a 2-2 1/2" pipe over the handle with the T/C tool and had no problem. Don't forget to scribe a line on the bottom flat to put it back in the right spot. I also put antiseize on the threads before I put it back together. Good luck.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I grabbed a cleaning rod with a button jag to push a cleaning patch down the barrel and it got stuck in the mouth of the powder chamber.

Try making a home made patch puller from a brush:



Another solution.....try CO2: