breech plug question

[David Snellen]

Gentlemen,
I just sold some guns to get a gun. It's a Pedersoli Indian Trade musket. It is used but in good condition. When I shined my bore litght down the barrel, it looked like there was a hole in the plug. It has a vent liner and I can see the vent pick in there past this little ''cave".
Does this sound like a problem? Seems like it could be....certainly a cleanimg problem...
Any advise would be appreciated.
David

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Sounds like whoever installed the touch hole liner had to drill across the face of the breechplug and that may be what you are seeing - if that's the case it should be fine but don't try to remove the plug without removing the liner first.

 

[David Snellen]

Thanks. I noticed the 'cave' is perfectly oval-rectangular. I haven't seen it before, but it looks like it was meant to be that way....?
David

 

[rafterob]

Like the Traditions the vent liner and or bolster is tapped into the breech plug and the plug is bored into the firing chamber.

 

[David Snellen]

So it's perfectly safe, right?
David

 

[Grenadier1758]

You are seeing a version of the patent breech. This is a chamber that sort of makes a re-igniton chamber for the powder. The sub bore chamber is supposed to provide for a more consistent explosion of the main charge. Yes, it can be prone to cleaning problems. A tight patched cleaning swab will push fowling into the chamber and also block the touch hole for subsequent loadings. On some Pedersoli muskets set up this way, the powder chamber can be too small for good ignition. Get a small brush such as a 22 or 30 caliber to clean the chamber. You also want a loose cleaning jag so the cleaning patch slides over the fouling and then bunches up to pull the fouling out of the barrel.

You gun is safe. Knowing how you breech is set up will help you to do the right things to keep it reliable and shooting.

 

[David Snellen]

THANK YOU ALL!
David