.54 cal Cva Hawkins drum question

[Fishdog64]

I recently purchased a Cva Hawkins for a good price at a pawn shop. The rifle was a kit that was half way complete and what was done was done poorly. I gave it some love and it turned out quite nice.
My only question is the drum: the Cva drum was not useable, I purchased a new one from Track of the Wolf. The Cva drum is the long one that goes into the breech plug. The new one is just normal length threads. Is this safe?

 

[necchi]

There's always arguments about this very issue. I've been messing around with these things for 30yrs and to date I have not seen or heard of a failure of one of the rpl drums.
If guy's mess with the breech plug then there's a problem,, but as long as it's just the drum,, again I haven't heard of a problem.
What happened to the factory drum?

 

[mooman76]

Properly installed, I don't see it being unsafe. May not be as reliable but only shooting will tell.

 

[Fishdog64]

Treads are stripped. I could possibly make one on a lathe but it would a time consuming task. It would be easier to find a used one on eBay.

 

[necchi]

It would be easier to find a used one on eBay.

Nope, that don't always work,, those things are installed then index drilled from the bore/muzzle end. If you try to use one from a different gun the nipple won't line up properly.
Be sure the threads in the barrel have proper integrity.
As long as you mention lathe, you might have to shave the new one from track a bit to get the nipple in the proper position.
Please read this article;

 

[Fishdog64]

Yes sir, that's exactly why I said "time consuming task". I'm Sure it could be done (that doesn't mean, should be done).
I guess my main consen are two things:
1) is it safe?
2) will a normal drum fire the rifle?

 

[Fishdog64]

I did shave the ne one from tow, it is lined up nicely.

 

[Zonie]

If the new drum has new, undamaged threads and the hole has undamaged threads in it, the new drum should be safe to shoot with.

That assumes the threads on the new drum were Metric and the same size as the existing threads in the barrel and breech plug.

About the only negative with using a drum with shorter threads is there will be a lot of fouling that can build up in the area and the only way of getting it out is with using the "breech in a bucket of water method" and pumping the water in and out of the barrel rapidly with a cleaning patch on a jag.
The nipple must be removed to do this correctly.

 

[Fishdog64]

Yes sir, the new drum is metric and threads are good. It is nice and tight as well.
That's the method I use to clean all my rifles. Seems to work well.