Frontier rifle

[weldermic]

I know for a fact ... frontiers are gettin the breech-plugs opened up... polishing it would help alot...
Real important to get the breech clean.
Hunt Safe All

 

[davy]

What if you drilled out the powder chamber in the breechplug as far as you safely could and still get the plug in? And then polished the inside of it up real good. Do you think that would be feasable, and if so, would it help?

Reb that is exactly what I did with the help of John Hinnant (machinist and gunsmith) .. my Ped Frontier 45 cal Flinter breech powder chamber was about .22 or so in diameter, we opened it up to about .30 (a little less actually) and polished it and so far it is functioning much better than it was.

Davy

 

[Rebel]

Thanks for the input guys. Take care.

 

[jbrent]

Can you drill and polish the plug while it is in the barrel or must it be removed?
...........jbrent

 

[davy]

Can you drill and polish the plug while it is in the barrel or must it be removed?
...........jbrent

I cannot see where it would be feasible to do so .. you run the risk of deforming your rifling and worse! :cursing: Remove it to do it, to be safe!

Davy

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I agree that to open up the powder chamber would be helpfull but removing that breech plug is not easy. The one I removed was from a barrel to be discarded so I had no reservations about using heat and hammering on the flats all around the plug. I could not budge it before hammering the flats to expand the threaded area.
Personally, I think that is a relly stupid design, I don't know what they were thinking. A shorter, flat faced flint style plug would be just as strong and much easier to clean.
I also have a .45 flinter I have shot for many years with the unmodified plug and it has been a fast and reliable flinter and that was even before I learned to clean the powder chamber with a .22 bore brush.
With hot water cleaning and a seperate brushing of the chamber I don't see any need to modify the plug, stupid design though it may be. :v

 

[davy]

I agree that to open up the powder chamber would be helpfull but removing that breech plug is not easy. The one I removed was from a barrel to be discarded so I had no reservations about using heat and hammering on the flats all around the plug. I could not budge it before hammering the flats to expand the threaded area.
Personally, I think that is a relly stupid design, I don't know what they were thinking. A shorter, flat faced flint style plug would be just as strong and much easier to clean.
I also have a .45 flinter I have shot for many years with the unmodified plug and it has been a fast and reliable flinter and that was even before I learned to clean the powder chamber with a .22 bore brush.
With hot water cleaning and a seperate brushing of the chamber I don't see any need to modify the plug, stupid design though it may be. :v

Well I cannot say that you are wrong in what you say Coyote , but I am not sorry I opened mine up either, I feel it is more reliable that way! :grin:

Davy

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Davy, I agree, I've even modified the plug on the afore mentioned .45. I'm just saying it ain't an easy kitchen table modification and there are ways to get along with the factory set up. That .45 with unmodified plug once won a rendezvous shoot in a light misty rain when all the T/C cap guns were having misfires.
A lot depends on how you shoot and clean. I shoot almost exclusivly spit patch and don't swab between shots so I am not pushing a lot of wet gunk down into the uncleanable powder chamber. When I cleanup after shooting I pull the barrel and scrub it out in a bucket of hot soapy water so it is clean and dry for the next session. This is not a problen exclusive to the Frontier but is common to all paten breeches.

 

[davy]

Davy, I agree, I've even modified the plug on the afore mentioned .45. I'm just saying it ain't an easy kitchen table modification and there are ways to get along with the factory set up. That .45 with unmodified plug once won a rendezvous shoot in a light misty rain when all the T/C cap guns were having misfires.
A lot depends on how you shoot and clean. I shoot almost exclusivly spit patch and don't swab between shots so I am not pushing a lot of wet gunk down into the uncleanable powder chamber. When I cleanup after shooting I pull the barrel and scrub it out in a bucket of hot soapy water so it is clean and dry for the next session. This is not a problen exclusive to the Frontier but is common to all paten breeches.

Good points all! :hatsoff:

Davy

 

[Legionair]

Well, Thanks all. I appreciate the historical and mechanical information. Seems as though it is basically the same as any other mid price production model.

Again, thanks....

Legion