Percussion Drum Problem

[Richard Kemp]

Here's a problem I hadn't seen before. I bought a used Dixie Tenn.Mt.Rifle that appeared to have a clean bore but was in need of some TLC. After scrubbing and flushing the bore I took it out for a range session. I had some misfires and delayed ignition. More scrubbing and flushing, new nipple and more cleaning of the drum. (It has a cleanout screw.) Improvement, but I seemed to get some unusual black crud out of the barrel after every cleaning session.Then one day I decided to remove the drum for a real scrubbing. It so happened that my cleaning rod was seated down the barrel at the time. I was surprised to find that with the rifle lying on my workbench I couldn't see the cleaning jag but could see the far side of the bore, and a lot of black crud. I soon found that the drum threads extended 3/16" into the bore. My cleaning jag was "bottoming out" on the end of the drum leaving the last half inch or so of the bore uncleaned. I suspect the previous owner had replaced the original drum with an after market one with a cleanout screw and the breech end of the bore never got cleaned again, causing ignition problems. (Might be why he put it up for sale.) Hope this helps someone else on the Forum.

 

[BrownBear]

I picked up a used gun that pretty well fits your description. Come to think of it, I picked it up in Washington, so perhaps there's a hammer-handed smith running around there.

Easy solution for me was to file the back of the drum so that it seated flush with the bore when installed. That, and getting the crud ring out. Never had a misfire (or cleaning) issue since.

 

[crockett]

There is an attachment I call a scraper- I don't know if that is the proper term. In any event it is a blade that you rotate against the face of the breech plug to scrape all that crud out of the barrel. There are a few guns (I think CVA) that have a coned face on the breech plug so the scraper for that barrel needs to be pointed and at the same angle as the cone in order to scrap off all the crud.
On the length of the drum's threads- wait for better minds than mine to respond but it would seem logical to reduce that by filing, etc until none of the threaded area extends into the bore.
Everytime you remove and put back in a threaded part- there is a little wear so do it right this time and then leave it be.

 

[Richard Kemp]

I did, in fact, file the drum a little at a time until it was flush with the bore. Smoothed the end up so it doesn't snag cleaning patches. I could see when I had the drum out that the face of the breech plug is flat. Got a scraper to match. We're back in business!

 

[Zonie]

Your going to find you misfire problems are gone.

On one of the rifles I built years ago I forgot to shorten the threads on a side drum. When I took it to the range to sight in I got a lot of misfires.

It wasn't until I got home and was cleaning it that I realized what the problem was. The threads were protruding at least 3/16" into the bore.

After shortening the threads and reinstalling the drum I took it back to the range and sure enough! 100 percent reliability! :grin:

 

[rustyh]

The drums that Dixie sold for the Tennesse Mountain were all threaded longer than was needed. I put my cleaning rod with jag down the barrel then thread the drum in counted the threads that were still exposed then cut the same number of threads off the end. File the cut end smooth and check it again you may need to file a little more off the threads to get the length to the correct depth.

 

[mooman76]

Good thing this came up. I converted a Dixie Mountain rifle in 32 from flint to percussion and didn't even think about how long the threads were. I didn't give me any problems but I should check it out.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I did, in fact, file the drum a little at a time until it was flush with the bore. Smoothed the end up so it doesn't snag cleaning patches. I could see when I had the drum out that the face of the breech plug is flat. Got a scraper to match. We're back in business!

:thumbsup: