Pulling A Drum

[50cal.cliff]

OK here is the pictures I was refering too. I made a wrench for pulling a drum without damage. After I damaged mine!
You can click on any of the thumbnails and they will open to a larger view!


On one side is a wrench that will just fit over the end of a CVA drum on the other side is a tube that will fit over the drum and it has a SS cap bolt that will thread down into the hole for the nipple! I don't have a picture of the other side anymore but, I still have the wrench.

This was how originally replaced the drum with the copper washer under the CVA drum that came already tapped!

Once fitted and screwed in it barely showed.

But like I said eventually it failed. The gases cut away the copper washer allowing for the drum to rotate.
Here is a couple of shots of the Traditions drum and breech plug.




I don't have pics of the the second CVA drum the one that was not drilled for a nipple as I am also in the process of restocking the gun. When it is completed then I take pics of the entire process.

In short I don't recommend taking a drum out of a Traditions unless absolutely necessary. In my case as hard as it was to drive out that ball. I seriously doubt any thing short of that would have moved it after I ripped the heart out of the ball with a ball puller. I had already tried every fix that had been recommended before taking that course of action Anyway that is my O2 on the subject!

 

[carl lafong]

Hi carl lafong here, I have a Traditions Kentucky with the brass hearts and stars...Perc. I tried turning out the screw in the drum...
well, it broke 1/2 of the screw head off,..... then a pair of channel locks and the drum didn't turn , it sheared off with a white piece still in the 1/4" hole Can I replace the percussion. lock with a flintlock , and shoot with the 1/4" hole , and where would I get the right flint lock to fit the Traditions Kentucky.......

 

[Trot]

Hi carl lafong here, I have a Traditions Kentucky with the brass hearts and stars...Perc. I tried turning out the screw in the drum...
well, it broke 1/2 of the screw head off,..... then a pair of channel locks and the drum didn't turn , it sheared off with a white piece still in the 1/4" hole Can I replace the percussion. lock with a flintlock , and shoot with the 1/4" hole , and where would I get the right flint lock to fit the Traditions Kentucky.......

No, definitely not. The hole is much too large and you would get a tremendous blast back out the hole. There may not even be enough pressure to push the ball out the barrel.

 

[mooman76]

Drill out the remainder of the drum and tap for a insert.

 

[carl lafong]

just got off the phone with a fellow at Traditions...... serial # 278712 is an older model and maybe the flintlock itself might be,... no longer available.....I thank

Trot and Moonman76 for their wisdom......... I'll follow up with Traditions for the touch hole liner thanks again.....carl lafong

 

[mooman76]

Try Deercreek. They sell CVA parts. I replaced mine years back in a rifle. It was CVA but the traditions back then was same part made by the same people in Spain.

 

[carl lafong]

Always nice to have a plan B thanks Moonman76....... I'll check them out........... C.L.

 

[dashriprock]

I did and striped the threads in the plug. Now it's at Robert Hoyt's getting fixed. If you don't know what your doing,don't!

 

[Tasbay]

Probably of no help at all but you could sell off the traditions and replace it with a Pedersoli Traditional Hawken. The locks Flint and percussion along with the Drum and hole liner just swap over. About a 5 min switch.

 

[Zonie]

.50cal.cliff:

Depending on how the drum screw threads broke off, the barrel could be turned into a flintlock.
If the drum threads are flush with the barrel flat or stick out a bit from it, it could be filed flat to match the barrel flat. Now, a threaded vent liner would be needed. Drill out the existing hole in what's left of the drum with the right size tap drill for the threads on the vent liner and then use a tap to thread the mouth of the hole.
A original CVA flintlock would then need to be found or, buy one of the replacement flint locks from L & R lock company.
After fitting the lock to the existing mortise you will be in business.

The question that needs to be answered is, is doing this worth the money? The L&R lock and the vent liner will cost over $150.

 

[Frontier's]

Easy out. Before removing any drum, its wise to soak the breech end in pb blaster penetrating oil for 2 weeks. Once that time comes, drain the oil and heat the barrel and drum thread area. Let it cool down, soak in pb blaster for a few hours, drain it, heat it up and then using channel locks with a thin piece if leather wrapped around the drum, set it tight and unscrew the drum.

 

[Tinhorn]

When I breeched my .56 Leman copy barrel, I followed the fine CVA illustration to make a hook breech out of a 5/8" NF grade 8 bolt. 3/8" ball mill made the fire cone breech, 3/32" drill for the flash hole. #10-24 stainless cleanout screw. Just a basic, no-frills drum tapped and screwed into the breech plug, just like the picture. And this thing lights 90-100g of 2f and a .562rb w/pillowtick patch like shooting a 30-30 Marlin! Really fast lock time, fastest of any of my BP rifles. Tinhorn

 

[Rawhide67]

8 year old post revived.
A friend got the drum and breach plug out of a cva bobcat for me. He said with "gentle heat and care." The purpose was to allow him to smooth bore the ratty 50 cal cva bobcat barrel. He had never bored something that length before. I bought an expanding reamer that maxed at about 56 cal. He managed to do it, but the barrel work-hardened as he went along. The barrel came out 56ish with heavy scoring obvious from end to end. Next step was a honing tool which I worked at numerous times using valve grinding compound. It's an ugly bore but shoots surprising well. And..... the breach plug / drum are removable for cleaning. Long story short, it can be done, and he did it without damaging the drum or plug. I would probably be prepared to replace the drum and plug if doing it myself, cuz it wouldn't necessarily end well for me.

I did manage to get another cva bobcat drum out, by filing flats near the end with the clean out screw, heating with a propane torch and using a box end wrench.

 

[mooman76]

I just bought a 50 cal CVA Hawken barrel from someone on another board. I got it cheap. He neglected to tell me he removed the drum and hooked breech. He also said it had minor surface rust on the outside of the barrel. That was true but the bluing is almost completely gone but the bore is bright and shiny like he stated. I'm not mad about it because it was going to be a project rifle anyway, in fact I'm kinda tickled to see the plug and drum removed. He knew what he was doing because the plug and drum are in perfect shape without a mark on them.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

If this was an original it must have been a flint-lock and is worth restoring.If it's repro find the nearest Dumpster after a hack saw job !! Will try to send piccies of some Put backs. OLD DOG

 

[carl lafong]

I pulled the drum, on a traditions Kentucky and it snapped off flush with the flat of the barrel. as I was trying to unscrew the drum... just ordered parts to convert Percussion to flint.
TOTW along with several other places, sell the L&R replacement flint lock for your percussion lock 4 3/8" X 7/8" lock plate, on the Traditions Pennsylvania or Kentucky black powder rifle
I'll try an easy out on what's left in the hole..... also on order 5/16 x24 tap and drill for a touch hole liner....... carl lafong