Part for T/C Hawken .45 cal

[janmad]

Hi
I'm in the need of some advice, I have a T/C Hawken precussion and noticed that the screw blocking the cleaning hole in the breach plug horisontal on the nipple cup into the barrel, see picture. is in bad shape paret of the screw is sheared off making it difficult to unscrew it, is there a replacement part or can any screw of same size and pitch be used or is it reccomemded to have a new thread cut for a hex key plug to replace the original screw. and does it have a propper name can't find it on the T/C Hawken drawings I have seen.
Cheers From Australia Jan

 

[Mad Professor]

Should be a common thread but I'm not sure of the pitch? Someone here will know.

 

[Walkingeagle]

There is actually no need to remove it. Some folks believe they must to get a proper cleaning done, others do not. The pumping of water through the barrel, once removed and placed in a bucket, flushes the area clean. TC did not recommend its removal or they would have said so in their manual.
Walk

 

[Dave Marsh]

I agree with Walk. I have never taken mine out as there is no need. Wouldn't worry about it.

 

[user 48679]

I've had a baker's dozen sidelocks over the past 45 years that had a screw there, and have never removed one.

 

[bubba.50]

It's either a 6x32 or 8x32 screw but, personally, I'd file it down to the contour of the bolster & touch it up with some cold blue. One of the worse things TC(and lots of other manufacturers) did was call that hole a 'clean-out' screw when it's really just a left-over from drilling the flash channel. That's why their later guns had the flash channel drilled from the back side & the screw ground off even with the breechplug.

 

[nit wit]

It's probably 8 or10-32. Leave it alone, it has no great benefit.
Nit Wit

 

[SmokepoleSam]

I just checked my clean out screw and it's 10/32. For what it's worth I take it out most times when I clean and if I dryball I find it easier to remove the screw than the nipple to put some powder in and shoot it out. It's up to you what to do but neither way is bad or wrong.

 

[renegadehunter]

As the others said, it is only there from the manufacturing process. I have a TC Renegade and it was stuck the day I got it. I have never tried to remove it and have no issues with ignition. I clean with the bucket of water method, placing the breach end of the barrel into a bucket of water with the nipple removed and pumping water through it by running a tight fitting patch up/down the bore.

With that being said, and as SmokepoleSam said above, it would be nice to be able to use it to put powder in if there is a fail-to-fire for some reason. If yours can still be removed, I personally would do so and replace it.
If you want it to remain being easy to remove after the repair, always remove it and clean the threads every cleaning session and treat it with anti-seize just like you do the nipple. If you're not concerned with keeping the screw looking "factory", I'd replace it with an Allen head screw.

 

[TDM]

Hmmm, I’m not even sure I ever paid much attention to that screw on my TC’s. Certainly never tried to take it out.

I had to go check. My Renegade, of course, has the screw. But my New Englander does not. And that is a small screw.

 

[Maven]

Several years ago on a woods walk, friend of mine lost that very part. No more shooting for him until we screwed a T/C cleaning jag into the hole: It was 8-32.

 

[SDSmlf]

Hi
I'm in the need of some advice, I have a T/C Hawken precussion and noticed that the screw blocking the cleaning hole in the breach plug horisontal on the nipple cup into the barrel, see picture. is in bad shape paret of the screw is sheared off making it difficult to unscrew it, is there a replacement part or can any screw of same size and pitch be used or is it reccomemded to have a new thread cut for a hex key plug to replace the original screw. and does it have a propper name can't find it on the T/C Hawken drawings I have seen.
Cheers From Australia JanView attachment 168112

TC started drilling the connecting hole from the nipple to the breech area in the bore from the side opposite the nipple after years of warranty claims with buggered up screws in the so called ‘clean out’ hole. If you stay at it, you can bugger up your set screw if you are really determined, but why? Leave it alone and enjoy shooting the gun.

 

[Rawhide67]

Leave it there for the first couple years of shooting/ cleaning. After that, it won't matter, cuz you won't be able get it out.

 

[janmad]

Thanks everyone for your help, this gun have been sitting for 30 years, been cleaned and looked after but not shot, I have only put a few shots through it, been sidetracked by a Tennessee Poor Boy flintlock I aquired at the same time, Just going over it a few days ago with the plan of shooting it, and saw that the screw was buggered, I'll leave it alone.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Good decision!
Walk

 

[2 shots]

cancel my popcorn order please

 

[tallPercshooter]

I always wondered why some TC rifles had a cleanout screw and others didn't. In my drum and nipple guns, I always remove the screw and clean the flash channel with a wet pipecleaner, then dry, then oil, grease screw threads and replace. Don't remove stainless nipple ever. Been doing it that way for 50 years.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Because that screw in the T/C snail and rhe CVA drum is a plug for drilling the flash channel fron the nipple seat to the powder chamber. Back in those glorious days when T/C honored their warranty, mant breeches were replaced because those soft "clean out" screws stripped out. the T/C design was changed to eliminate the plug in the snail. Far better to remove the nipple.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

NEVER remove that screw for any reason. Most often you won't be able to do so without buggering up either the screw slot or the threads. I once saw a CVA breech plug that had blown out the side and struck the shooter in the next firing position. No serious injuries and I am pretty sure it was a screw with the wrong threads... maybe even a wood screw. Gunsmith drilled and tapped it to a larger size, then put red Locktite on it. There was a note attached to the gun when it came back: "Do NOT take this screw out EVER." Good advice IMHO.