drilling out & re-tap clean out

[logan]

Has anyone ever drilled out and re-tapped the threads for the clean out screw? My clean out screw keeps firing out of my rifle and I'm wanting to know if I'm getting into a problem area.

 

[nkbj]

Hey there Logan.
Is that a clean out screw like on a percussion drum? I just don't know where and what.

 

[MercerLake]

:v Any screw that "fires out of my rifle" is a problem, like SAFETY! Before retapping I'd go to the local hardware store and see if there is a screw that fits tightly, possibly someone has subsituted for a lost screw. Other wise select the next size larger an drill/tap so the new screw fits tight. :v

 

[Melton Kidd]

You don,t see many clean outs on a flint lock. I don,t think I have ever seen one. Regardless of what its on, if it comes out when you are shooting, it needs to be repaired. Whether or not you can drill and tap for a larger screw depends on the size of screw used. Tell us more about your situation.

 

[Birddog6]

I can't imagine that happening unless somebody put the wrong screw in the hole. Possibly a metric tapped hole & someone put a US threaded screw in it ?
But it is dang sure a hazard & needs immediate attention ! :surrender:

 

[logan]

Sorry, I thought I was on the percussion site. It is a percussion that I have and not a flintlock. It is the clean out screw. It blew out the orginianl screw and I ordered more from the manufacuturer and another blew out so I figured I would have to drill and tap for a new screw, but I didn't know if that would present some new problem that I'm not familiar with.

Logan

 

[kanati]

Yes, Drilling it out, could create a more severe problem. Larger diameter, more surface area, more force, higher speed, if the larger screw is not fitted properly either. If you're in question about properly sizing a screw for the hole, get some help with it. Even oversizing the tap minor diameter is dangerous. Get some help with it, swing by your local machine shop, they can measure the hole and even tell you the thread pitch. The can put a thread gage on the existing threads and determine the lead.

If it is a hawken type bolster breech plug, you'll need to fix it, if it is in a drum, just replace the drum, they are only a few dollars.

Depending on the exact circumstances, this could have lethal consequences.

-Ron

 

[R.M.]

Sounds to me that you have a metric/imperial mix-up. Possibly, somebody before you has re-tapped the hole and the replacements you've been putting in are of the wrong thread type. Check to see if the internal threads are stripped out.
Replacing a drum is a bit more work than it sounds like. You need to get it in the proper position for the nipple to line up with the hammer. Not a big deal for some, but a major undertaking for others.

 

[Birddog6]

Sorry, I thought I was on the percussion site. It is a percussion that I have and not a flintlock. It is the clean out screw. It blew out the orginianl screw and I ordered more from the manufacuturer and another blew out so I figured I would have to drill and tap for a new screw, but I didn't know if that would present some new problem that I'm not familiar with.

Logan

For that to happen it had to be obviously loose in the threads. No way a tight fitting screw with good threads on the screw & the hole will blow out. I have shot literally Hundreds of them myself & have seen thousands of them shot & not one time did I see a screw come out. And the only nipples I have seen blown out were from guys replacing them metric ones with standard threaded ones which leaves not enough thread engagement, or well used one with the nipple holes stripped out from years of nipple changing.. :shake:

But regardless of all of that, if you are shooting proper charges & proper powder & etc, and the screw is blowing out, you definitely have screw & thread size issue, or no threads in the hole, regardless of it coming from the factory or not. :nono: Just because a screw will go in & tighten up does not mean it is the correct screw for that hole.
:shake:

 

[ohio ramrod]

After over three thousand rounds I had the same problem on my target rifle. (A jerry Devanderval Breech plug). Since I realised I had not used the clean out screw for several years I solved the problem by sivler soldiering a brass screw into the hole. Now I don't have to worry about worn threads or weakening the breech going to a larger size.

 

[logan]

I'm pretty sure it is a drum type clean out. Kit is a CVA 50 cal. kit gun that I put together years ago. I probably put about 400 balls through it before the screw blew out. I then ordered several more screws for that model rifle and two more blew out after about two shots. Will the drum screw out and a new one screw in, I'm not familiar with how that is done.

 

[Zonie]

The CVA drum is not the normal type of drum with a short threaded section that screws into the barrel.

It's drum is quite long and engages the breech plug threads. It has a hole in it that aligns with the barrels bore when it is installed.

I'm assuming you don't have something to measure the size of the threads on your remaining clean out screws? If you do, please tell us what diameter it is. If you don't take your screw to a hardware store and have them tell you what the thread size is. Then let us know.

Once the size of the threads are known I can tell you what you will need to drill and thread your drum for a standard UNF thread. Then you can buy a short set screw and plug the hole properly.

 

[logan]

OK, that is what I'm going to do. I take the screw and the barrel only to the hardware store and see what's up on the measurements and get back with you. Thanks

Logan