More Misfire Issues - Investarms 54 Caliber

[Turtle2]

Great discussion guys and Thank You So Much!! I was unaware of the Ante Chamber in the bottom of these barrels and got a brush to get down in there.
Also…the cleaning screw topic…in 20 years of owning this gun, I’ve never taken it out or messed with it until now. I discovered that with it fully seated, it does protrude into the nipple threads and upon closer inspection is keeping the nipple from full seating (see picture).
I also plan to replace the nipple with one where the hole is centered and hopefully this takes care of all these misfires.
Thank You again fellas - I really appreciate all your help and input.

 

[Ed C.]

The "clean out" screw is an artifact left over from the manufacturing of the drum and some breech plugs from the drilling of flash channel from the nipple set to the powder chamber. The cheap solution is to install a threaded fastener as a plug. Now that the threaded fastener is ther and it has a slot the item needed a name and for lack of a better name it was called a "clean out" screw. Yes, it can be removed and is effective for cleaning out the barrel and breech or for adding powder to unload a dry ball. All too often the screw is soft and the slot gets deformed. T/C had to redesign their breech as their "clean out" screw slots got destroyed when removed to flush the barrel of the hooked breech rifles. (i destroyed the slot in my T/C Hawken by removing it as a clean out feature.) The last of the T/C breeches don't have a clean out screw and they drill the flash channel from the opposite side from the nipple seat and truly plug the drilled hole. Not all original breeches either the drum or the "patent" breech have a threaded screw that could be construed as a "clean out" feature. As Alex has observed, that screw can be installed in ways that can obstruct the installation of the nipple, sometimes blocking the flash hole or locking the nipple in the nipple seat.

Treat it as a "clean out" screw and be sure to always use a never seizing lubricant on the threads or you will have a plug. Take care to always use a screw driver that perfectly fits the slot or the slot will be destroyed and you will have a plug. Replace it with a very short hardened cap screw be sure to use never seizing lubricant on the threads.

Or, if it is not interfering with the nipple, leave it alone and never remove it. Effective cleaning can be done when the nipple is removed. Oh, and use never seizing lubricant on the threads of the nipple.

I'm in the never remove the "clean out" screw camp. Same advice for the touch hole liner for a flintlock.

The clean out screw or whatever we wish to call it should be seated tight. In most guns the nipple goes past the tapping in the drum. In order for the clean out screw to be properly tightened it needs to be no longer than it's tapped hole lest it is bumping into the nipple. In that case the clean out screw needs to be filed down. I've done as you suggested and replaced mine with a socket head cap screw properly trimmed. Personal choice as to what to do for cleaning.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Turtle2, do shorten that "clean out" screw a bit to clear the nipple seat. Reinstall it and forget about it. It's not really a clean out screw anyway. Its use was to plug the hole left when manufacturing the breech plug or drum.

 

[Okie Hog]

Recently a hog hunter brought me a nice TC .54 caliber TC Hawken that was misfiring.

i replaced the beat up nipple with a new TC nipple. Capped the new nipple and ran a rod with jag and patch into the bore. The cap popped but there was no burn mark on the patch. Removed the nipple and cleaned the flame channel using a bristled pipe cleaner. Re-installed the nipple.. Again i ran the rod with jag and patch into the bore. and popped another cap. This time there was a good burn mark on the patch.

Loaded the rifle with 100 grains of Shooters World BP substitute and a patched round ball and fired. Ball hit the three inch bullseye at 78 yards.

A previous poster mentioned something that will eliminate some misfires. Leaning the rifle lock side down and giving the stock a couple good slaps with the hand after loading the powder allows powder o enter he flame channel.

 

[Turtle2]

Where can a guy get nipples for these Investarms guns and is there a source here? I checked the vendors section but didn’t see anything or maybe I missed them? Thank you again everyone - I do appreciate all your help and input.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Turtle2, Track of the Wolf's online catalog has nipples with the proper threads for your InvestArms rifle. It never hurts to take a nipple to your local hardware store to match the threads to a thread gauge I'm guessing it will be 6mm x 1.00. Those nipples should be available at your local gun store (LGS).

 

[AlexB]

Where can a guy get nipples for these Investarms guns and is there a source here? I checked the vendors section but didn’t see anything or maybe I missed them? Thank you again everyone - I do appreciate all your help and input.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx?search=Investarms nipple

 

[flatcreek]

I removed my buggered up clean out screw in my TC Hawken and welded it shut. Have yet to have a problem with it.

 

[wganz]

Bias included from too many years as an RN in a hospital setting.
Personally, here is what I'd do. First off, clean it really well.
1. Then get a bore scope/endoscope that are now about $35 off of eBay. Yeah, its $35 for this one job but you have one for the next 20 years for anything else you need. They're great for looking under/behind/around/in things that my XXXL hand cannot get into. With that said, go down the bore to see the breech and inspect for any of the aforementioned problems. Now, just leave it in the bore for now for the next tests. (Nota bene: we're looking at this point instead of blindly changing parts.).
2. Next, I would remove the nipple and use one of the laser pointer kittie toys or a bright penlight as your Choice of Bright Light (CoBL) and stick on the hole to see how much light is coming through it now.
3. Then remove that clean out screw, (don't listen to the krying karens for if it was an issue then they wouldn't have put it there). Hold its head against the end of the drum to see how far it extends and whether it would obstruct the nipple.
4. With that done, I'd put a piece of tape over the nipple hole to shut off ambient light then put the CoBL there to see if you got light going down the drum.
5. Also, with the clean out screw being uninstalled, put the nipple back in and using the CoBL to see if the nipple isn't bottoming out in the flash hole in the drum.
6. Now fix any problems that your tests found.

Disadvantages to this methodology:
1. More expensive in that an endoscope is required.

Advantages to this methodology:
1. Endoscope will love you long time and can be used for years for other purposes in looking into or for thing.
2. Does not randomly change out parts which may lead you into chasing the problem where a new part would introduce new & similar problems causing additional confusion + frustration.

My 2¢,