Douglas 45 Re-Breech?

[Rifleratt]

To all,

I hope all is well. I found, what I think, is a diamond in the gravely. My family went to an antique shop in Ohio and stumbled upon someones's unfinished project. It's a curly maple stock with worm holes and a barrel zip tied to it. The pictures show the breech end and I'm not sure what to do. Clean and chase the threads as best possible or cut 2" off and have it rebreeched. Just as an added, I would inquire with log cabin shop if they would rebreech it. It's never been breeched I don't believe as it doesn't have a drum nor touch hole.

I would appreciate any thoughts you guys could offer. Also, the rust is just surface and comes off with steel wool and elbow grease

Thanks.

 

[bang]

No pictures

 

[Rifleratt]

Pictures should be attached now

 

[Trot]

What does the bore look like?

 

[Rifleratt]

I havent put my bore scope in it yet, but when I hold it up to the light, it appears shiny and smooth. I don't see rough spots in the rifling.

 

[poker]

Take a brass brush and light oil to those threads. Clean it up then see what you have

 

[deerstalkert]

I am a world class 'make do" kinda guy and have breached some skeetchy threads, but i think i would have it rebreeched.
but i concur with poker. clean it up and see what you really have.

 

[bubba.50]

Doesn't look all that bad but, to my untrained eye it sure does look off-centered.

 

[EC121]

Doesn't look all that bad but, to my untrained eye it sure does look off-centered.

Normal for a Douglas. Douglas barrels were made from octagonal cold-rolled stock. There was always some runout when they drilled the hole. The better centered ones were called XX grade. The runout goes to the top or bottom, and the elevation can then be fixed by the sights.

 

[bubba.50]

Normal for a Douglas. Douglas barrels were made from octagonal cold-rolled stock. There was always some runout when they drilled the hole. The better centered ones were called XX grade. The runout goes to the top or bottom, and the elevation can then be fixed by the sights.

Yeah, I know about the Douglas bores being off-center. I'm talking about the threaded part.

 

[oldwood]

If the rate of twist is 1 turn in 48" , it is probably a Golden Age Douglas barrel. If it's anything other than a 1 turn in 48 inches ,it is probably a G.R.Douglas barrel. Both were good barrels , back in the day , and they also exhibit bore run out at the breech. Centering the breech plug was standard procedure to make a perfect plug fit at the breech. As far as worm holes ,don't use wood putty to fill them , epoxie with brown dye sands off flush , w/o any dips in the fishers visible during final finishing. Using brown die , blends the epoxied holes , to match the final wood finish. The epoxie is cheap dollar store epoxie , but the dye comes from Brownells gunsmith supply online catalog. I don't mind fixing worm holes , as many originals had holes when the rifles were made. Also , they are nice folks at Log Cabin M/L shop. They will be glad to help. ......oldwood

 

[Rifleratt]

This afternoon I was able to get a tap and chase the threads. I've got them cleaned up well enough to thread the tap in by hand. They don't look bad except those 2 starter threads looking corroded. I'm going to get the bore camera in there next just to make sure it all looks good inside

 

[nhmoose]

Yeah, I know about the Douglas bores being off-center. I'm talking about the threaded part.

Plugs are put on center of the bore not the exterior.

 

[Rifleratt]

Update pictures. These are borescope pics. The corrosion that is seen is approximately 1 inch in length but only maybe not even 1/8" in width. If my logic is solid, if I clean this corrosion out best I can and even ospho it, this is where the powder column would be anyway.

 

[bubba.50]

Plugs are put on center of the bore not the exterior.

That's exactly what I'm saying. Look at the first & third picture. the ledge at the bottom of the threaded part looks 3 times as wide on the right side of the hole as on the left.

 

[nhmoose]

NORMAL on Douglas barrels, common fix is put that edge down in the stock. I think they also gave up making them years ago because the steel they used was not good.

GM uses an actual barrel steel and after boring and rifling They make it octagon on the bores center that way all sides are the same.

 

[2 shots]

i would cut it back and refit a new plug or have it done. well worth the cost just too be safe.. i use track of the wolf to do my plug fitting.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

NORMAL on Douglas barrels, common fix is put that edge down in the stock. I think they also gave up making them years ago because the steel they used was not good.

GM uses an actual barrel steel and after boring and rifling They make it octagon on the bores center that way all sides are the same.

When Douglas quit making muzzle loading barrels had nothing to do with the steel used. An idiot sued them and won a big award when he used smokeless powder in one of their barrels and blew it up sustaining some severe injuries.