Percussion to Flint

[rancher]

I have a T/C Renegade percussion .50 caliber and would like to make it a flint. Could I get a new breech plug from Track of the Wolf and do it myself or would I need a new lock and barrel? Also would a .50 T/C Hawken flint barrel fit?

 

[necchi]

The Renegade has a 1" barrel so if you find a flint lock barrel it needs to be a 1" to fit proplerly, some have put the 15/16" in the 1" groove and made it work with cap locks but you need the 1" for the flint lock to snug up to the barrel.
Yes, you need a "Flint" lock.
The breech from Track (and others) is as cast and needs to be fitted to the breech face and the matching flats have fo be filed to size.

 

[Leatherbark]

Bolster type breechplug fitting can or cannot be complicated. Two different mating surfaces have to line up and mate with their counterparts at the same time and then also the octogon flats have to coincide with there counterparts on the barrel. So lets see what has to happen.

1. The end of the breech plug threads have to be tight against the end of the threads in the barrel at the shoulder where they end

2 At the same time the breechplug threads tighten up against what they are supposed to, the outside octogon shoulder has to mate up with the end of the barrel. Preferably tight enough to close up the gap to just a line.

Then after both of 1 and 2 happen the octogon flats on the breechplug and the barrel have to align. If this doesnt happen when 1 and 2 do then the flats would have to be matched up by filing or machining............

I believe you could do 1,2,and 3 with hand tools, but it would be tedious.

Bob

 

[BullRunBear]

My first ML rifle was a Traditions Shenandoah percussion, first year the company opened. I soon wanted to try a flintlock but couldn't afford a separate gun so I ordered the correct flinter barrel and lock from the company. They were a drop in fit and allowed me to switch between the two systems. They still do.

I assume the same could be done with the Renegade but it might be less expensive to look for a used Renegade flinter.

Jeff

 

[Tom Compton]

I don't recommend this! Someone on this board cut the bolster off a per-suction breech plug, drilled and tapped it for a touch hole liner and installed a flintlock.

I used an L&R REPL lock and the TOW breechplug. Don't know if they would remove/install breech plug if you sent your barrel to them or not. I bought the barrel I used from them and had the work done there. Call and see.

TC

 

[necchi]

Don't know if they would remove/install breech plug if you sent your barrel to them or not.

They will, For a fee + shipping; http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartList.aspx?catID=15&subID=86&styleID=306

I had them install the breech plug in my new GM .40 years back. They did the fitting and that's it, I still had to file 7 of the flats, they only did the bottom with a whittness mark.
They don't do any smithing work at the shop, they sub contract out to another. They ship the item to the smith, then he sends it back, then they send it to you.
A good local smith can do it too, but many are so un-familur with ML's they don't like doing breech work, That IS afterall the Pressure point on these things and a smith is subject to liability. :idunno:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

The breechplugs from Track of the Wolf are intended for "rebarreling" a T/C, not to replace the plug of a T/C barrel which has an odd-ball thread unique to T/C.
T/C does warranty repair work only, not custom gunsmithing which is what you need. They will sell you a new barrel (if they still have new Renegade barrels) but they will not convert your old barrel.
You could shop for a good used Renegade flint barrel or for a Green Mountain drop in barrel but by the time you pay for a new barrel and a new lock you will be out more than the going rate for a good used Renegade which go for $200-$300.

 

[Tom Compton]

In my case, I did not want a shallow grove 1/48 twist or a TC lock. So, yes, I did pay more than for a used TC but I got what I wanted.

Track or a sub contractor fitted the Track breechplug to a GM barrel. Service was great.

TC

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I've rebarreled several T/C flintlocks and I never used a T/C type breechplug at all. GM barrels have a plug thread of standard 5/8x18 or 3/4x16 and I just use a hardware store bolt. Turn it in tight then hacksaw and file the protruding portion of the bolt to form the hook to mate with the T/C tang, no messing with trying to get the flats aligned. Percussions are another matter. :haha:

 

[Hoser1268]

TC no longer has Renegade barrels. I talked with them the other day. The TC Hawkens lock will fit into the Renegade stock and TC will sell the lock. The problem is finding a barrel. I would love to convert my Renegade into a flintlock but It will probably be awhile before I find a barrel for it.

 

[peter hawbaker]

A couple other guys and myself here have converted TC percussions to flint by modifying the percussion breechplug. Have a look at this thread:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/243131/