Identifying muzzle loader breach types

[Audie1966]

I have several Front Stuffers and have put my Bore Scope down each when I clean them. I am trying to determine exactly what type of breach each Manufacturer uses as each brand looks different. I want to run a "Scraper" down in to clean the breach but do not want to damage the internals. My Thompson Centres have a peculiar design. Patent or standard? What types are these? Thompson Centre. Investarms (Lyman). Traditions.

 

[Bearkiller]

Your T/C and most imported guns have a Patent Breech. Similar to the CVA breech shown below. I've seen people make curved scrapers for these but don't recall the dimensions. You really can't hurt the breech with a brass scraper.

 

[Buckskinquin]

Here are 3 different breeches, a Hatfield (patent breech), a Green Mountain 40 cal ( notice cone shape), smooth bore with an English breech. I use brass brushes of different sizes to clean them. I’m not sure why breech scrapers were designed as they are, because having viewed breech design with a bore scope, they aren’t effective to clean the area in its entirety. There seems to be a breakdown between design for combustion and ease of cleaning. Without a doubt, the patent breech is the worst to clean.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The standard breech scrapers are designed for the traditional breeches and are not so useful for the various chambered or patent breeches. The use of a subcaliber brush is best for the chambered breeches. The chambered breeches are designed for ease of manufacturing a breeched rifle barrel.

Let's take a look at @Flint62Smoothie's post on chambered breeches.

In this post here, discussing Patent Breeches, the late (and sorely missed ...) Zonie opined this posit:

"The chambered breech is easy to make which explains why almost all of the Italian made muzzleloading rifles on the market use it."

Link = https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/pedersoli-patent-breech-design.131405/#post-1826522
View attachment 133936

Henry Nock was granted a patent in April, 1757, for his clever "false breech", which improved ignition and increased velocity in flint guns. Similar to a modern Diesel "pre-ignition chamber", later percussion breeches were modeled after his design.

View attachment 133937

As we can see, the Nock's Patent breech is far more complex than the usual Italian chambered breech.

Thanks to @Dude, we have this picture of the Thompson Center breech plug.

And you can see the complication of getting from the snail to the powder chamber that is different from most chambered breeches. The T/C breech falls into the chambered breech/patent breech description.

 

[vince-m]

Anyone know where I can buy a Thompson breach scraper ?

 

[Grenadier1758]

@vince-m, have you tried RMC-OXYoke?

https://rmcoxyoke.com/product/fouling-scraper/

 

[chorizo]

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/endoscope-pics-of-different-breeches.155219/

 

[chorizo]

T/C Breech 54 cal


CVA Breech 54 cal NOTE THEY ARE NOT THE SAME despite previous advice



Traditions 50 cal

 

[vince-m]

Thanks guys

 

[chorizo]

@Audie1966

This is what I use to clean the CVA and the Traditions

https://www.deercreekproducts.net/store/p1075/Breech_Brush_-_A414.html