How easy is it to switch a caplock T/C to Flint ?

[Spencer_Murphy]

A local gun and pawn shop got in a bunch of old T/C parts. Im good friends with the owner so he let me have the first gander before it put it on the floor for sale. There are two flintlock stocks one is a Hawken and one is a Renegade. He also has an additional flintlock by itself no stock. He has 5 flintlock breechplugs and about 8-12 tangs. For barrels he has a .32 cal rifled, .50 cal rifled, 54 rifled and a .56 smooth barrel. The .56 smooth perked my interest however it and all the other barrels are percussion. That being said how easy is it to convert ? Do I simply remove the percussion breechplug and install the flintlock breechplug and then drop the barrel into the stock ? Or is there more. I like the 56 smooth but I would rather a flintlock be on it than a caplock. Thanks to all who reply everything I see on the internet just contradicts itself.

 

[SmoothboreMurph]

A local gun and pawn shop got in a bunch of old T/C parts. Im good friends with the owner so he let me have the first gander before it put it on the floor for sale. There are two flintlock stocks one is a Hawken and one is a Renegade. He also has an additional flintlock by itself no stock. He has 5 flintlock breechplugs and about 8-12 tangs. For barrels he has a .32 cal rifled, .50 cal rifled, 54 rifled and a .56 smooth barrel. The .56 smooth perked my interest however it and all the other barrels are percussion. That being said how easy is it to convert ? Do I simply remove the percussion breechplug and install the flintlock breechplug and then drop the barrel into the stock ? Or is there more. I like the 56 smooth but I would rather a flintlock be on it than a caplock. Thanks to all who reply everything I see on the internet just contradicts itself.

To my knowledge you have to make sure the threads on your barrel match the breechplug. Then you need to see if the barrel fits your stock. The .56cal smoothbore barrel I believe needs to be placed in a 1" Stock most Hawken stocks are 15/16". Thompson Center are a good choice for rifle. However keep costs in mind. Some people are selling stocks for the price of a rifle. If the parts are reasonable go for it. If you can obtain a 1" stock for $300 and a barrel for $200 then you have obtained a .56 cal for what they typically retail for. Gunsmithing fee is probably gonna be $50-$150 so its cost effective at that range. I have been wanting to make a T/C .32 cal flinter for squirrel but havent got around to hunting for the parts lol. Change out the caplock plug for a flinter and then drop it into the stock. I believe I am correct in saying this if I am wrong I know I will be corrected by a more qualified person.

 

[necchi]

Interesting situation, that he has those odd parts available, I mean the individual breech plugs, tangs and random barrels.

Or is there more.

Of course there's more, but it's not impossible. Each breech plug T/C installed (flint or perc) was custom fit to the barrel it was mated too at the factory during production. There is no guarantee a previously fit plug will properly "fit" a different barrel. So there's that.
Then, an installed flint lock action, needs to contact the barrel face when it's installed in the gun. (issues with the lock in-letting).
10yrs ago, new rpl aftermarket T/C plugs where available, so changing out was as easy as milling/filing/fitting the new plug to a barrel and changing the ignition,, those parts have been unavailable for a few yrs now.
Others will share,
But IMHO, that 56 smoothy isn't "all that"

 

[Eric Krewson]

There was a guy who posted on swapping TC breech plugs a while back, he had done a bunch of them, I don't remember the percentage but it seemed like about 50% were a perfect fit on the swap and 50% had to be refitted to have the correct plug face contact.

 

[brushblind]

Buy the stocks if they're complete with the flint locks and wait for Track of The Wolf to get the flintlock barrels back in stock, they drop right in!

 

[waarp8nt]

I have converted two T/C caplock barrels to flintlock using Track of the Wolf breech plugs. Installed a new breech plug in an existing T/C caplock barrel (purchased online without a breech plug). Made one custom barrel with a T/C caplock breech plug. I have two more barrels waiting until I have time to convert from Caplock to Flintlock. In my experience no breech plug from one barrel to another is just going to fit or line up perfectly, no breech plug from any aftermarket company is going to fit without being fitted. Not being argumentative, just sharing my observations based on my experience.

Below is an example of of one that looks like it would fit. It's a .58 cal Green Mountain barrel T/C replacement barrel, being converted from caplock to flintlock. The illusion is it fits (blue arrow) and the flats line up (black arrow), however it is short of hitting the thread shoulder at the rifling (red arrow) leaving the barrel dangerously thin at a stress point in the barrel. Although, not cosmetically appealing, I do value my face and would never shoot a compromised barrel. To properly fit this breech plug about one thread will need to be removed from the barrel face, then some of the plug so it will line up the flats with the sights.

It doesn't break the bank to purchase the tools to fit a breech plug. A good vise, Rice Vise Jaws for an octagon barrel, T/C breech plug tool, a machinist square and a file. A lathe is nice, but not necessarily needed if you use enough elbow grease and the file. If you have any doubt, a good gunsmith is easily worth the price of a medical deductible and/or an E.R. visit.