breech plugs

[eph289]

I've been curious for a long time about the evolution of the breech plug and how it was fastened to the barrel.I Think it would be interesting to know how they made threads 250 years ago.

If anyone has any knowledge about it or knows of a book about it, I'd appreciate you letting me know too.

 

[J.D.]

I really don't know very much about the evolution of the breechplug, but I do know a little of how they were made in the 18th century.

The information I have suggests that plugs were forged to near final shape, probably using a pattern and swage block.

What was to become the threaded portion was filed, or milled to shape and size and forced into a series of "dies" on a screw plate to cut the threads.

The series of three or four dies began with a larger diameter threaded hole, progressing to smaller diameter holes of the same thread pitch, until the threads were cut full depth.

Some gunshops did have lathes, but I don't know if lathes had the ability to cut threads at that early date.
J.D.

 

[WRussell]

The very earliest powder burning weapons - cannons - sometimes had not only threaded breechplugs but interrupted thread breechplugs like some modern stuff.

One can make threads by hand fairly easily - file a male thread, harden it and use it for a tap to make a die, harden the die and away you go.

I have zippo first hand experience with the really early stuff, but I have never read of a muzzle loading hand firearm barrel that had a breechplug which was not threaded. Which means they were using them from pre-1500.

Were some matchlocks made with welded or pinned breechplugs? Dunno.