Buggered screw purpose?

[Winterhawk]

I feel SLIGHTED! Where is the cleanout screw on my flintlock??? I demand a cleanout screw!

 

[Grenadier1758]

Well, @Winterhawk, you do have a "cleanout hole". Most of us call that hole the touch hole.

 

[OldNo7]

I thought the "cleanout hole" was at the front???

Old No7

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

**********

 

[Winterhawk]

Well, @Winterhawk, you do have a "cleanout hole". Most of us call that hole the touch hole.

But it doesn't have a SCREW! ( a screw in liner doesn't count.)
~Kees~

 

[ord sgt]

I have acquired a Thompson/Center Hawkens style muzzle loader recently and am posting a picture of its barrel. There is a screw that is all buggered up with a red arrow pointing to it. I would like to know its purpose. Does it hold something together or is it covering a clean out hole. It looks like someone attempted to remove it without much luck. I believe that it is rusted in place. I have soaked it for days now with liquid wrench but have had not much luck removing it. As you can see from the photo there is not much left of the original slot on the screw. I may have to take it to a gunsmith to remove it.
It is missing the ram rod. The length of the barrel is 29 inches not including the tang that holds the barrel in the stock. It is marked 50 Cal. Any one have an idea of the length and diameter of the ram rod that was original to this rifle?

Tell me that you checked the barrel and are 100% sure that the bore is completely empty. No powder/ball left in the breech? Push the ramrod down the barrel, then mark where the rod stops at the muzzle. Then lay the rod alongside the barrel and see where the bottom end of the rod lies. It should be close to the nipple.
Then run some cleaning patches through the barrel. Start with a new 1/4"x28 tpi nipple. Powder/patch/ball, cap and fire at a safe backstop.

 

[pjckm]

Tell me that you checked the barrel and are 100% sure that the bore is completely empty. No powder/ball left in the breech?

Yes I double checked everything you stated in your post. Am in the process of cleaning the barrel as best as I can before placing any thing down the barrel. Thanks for all the good advice.
By the way, what part of the socialist state of New Jersey are you from. Moved to Va from there close to 4 years ago from Mt. Holly.

 

[ETipp]

pjckm, Here’s your official answer per Thompson Center. I knew I was keeping this for some reason. Never knew it would be 40 years later.

Boot-em, bottom, bink.

 

[pjckm]

ETipp, Thanks for the pictures. Explains a lot. Would like to get a hold of that manual so I could scan it to my computer.

 

[Stevan]

Ya, I just removed "the screw". Neglected my BP for 40 years. After joining this sight I got it out and began clean up. Not too bad however couldn't blow down the barrel and out the nipple. Removed nipple and still no blow. Tried to remove "the screw" but it was frozen and then broke beond use. Ground it off, center punch it then drill it out. Re threaded to 10-32. Poured boiling soda water down it and washed out nearly a teaspoon worth of, , , stuff that shouldn't have been there. Ran more boiling water solution down, turned it bottom side up for 15, oiled the bore then ran dry clean cotton patch. Put a screw back in then the nipple. Oil outside and put the barrel up until tomorrow. Came on this sight to find out the purpose and name of "the screw" and where a person could get a new one in Allen head. K? Thanks

 

[hawkeye2]

A 10-32 Allen head screw, any hardware store. As far as you are concerned from here on the screw serves no purpose, ignore it. When the barrel was manufactured the screw was installed after the passage from the nipple to the bore was drilled.

 

[COTNTOP]

Now thanks to ETIPP a half century old puzzle has been solved. Revitalizing TC cleanout holes could be an up and coming venture.

 

[Felix the Cat]

A lot of English percussion locks had a platinum plug fitted below the nipple. The usual reason given was that they were designed to blow out if there was an overpressure.. some had a slot and others didn't..

I was never that convinced.. apart from anything else, why would you design a lock to fire a projectile out to the side...

My take is that it was primarily put in to make drilling the flame passage easier, which seems to be the prevailing view...