Renegade flintlock

[bigted]

Bought a L&R flintlock replacement lock finally. Been messin with an old TC barrel that is ruined anyway. I cut the TC bolster off and drilled a hole just below the factory communication hole. Tapped the hole for the flash liner.

After carving out the stock for the deeper springs on the L&R lock, I took it and sprinkled some 3F in the pan and yanked the trigger and PUFF! she ignited. So seeing as the lock sparks very well, I stuffed 40 grains down the 50 cal barrel and ran a rag down on top of the powder I primed her up and closing the frizzen aimed her in a safe direction and yanked the trigger and WALLA ... bang she went. No hesitation at all.

Next I took a good TC percussion barrel I have had for awhile and cut the percussion lug off it and after filing everything and smoothing it all up, I tapped the factory hole to 8-32 threads and got a stainless 8-32 bolt and ran it in with red permanent thread locker followed by cutting it off and peening it solid. Located the flash hole and drilled into the factory breech hole. Tapping it to 5-16ths 28 threads I countersunk the hole for the liner and walla, got myself a snazzy flintlock Renegade 50. Next if this all works out and she shoots like a champ, My 54 barrel will get the same treatment.

No more dependence on caps! Guess I figured out the why first hand of not wantin one of those new fangled guns that need then lil nipple huggers. Not for this pilgrim, flint all the way. My TC Hawken percussion rifle wearing a Green Mt ball barrel will get the same treatment. Too tired of needing caps and being dependant on modern stuff like them lil cap thingys.

 

[Grimord]

Lets see some pictures of your modifications.

 

[bigted]

 

[bigted]

Thar she blows. Have not blued nor browned anything yet, wanna shoot it for awhile first to see if further mod's will be required.

 

[bigted]

 

[bigted]

A really nice length. Handy like this but ... a blanket gun is where this barrel is headed if she will not shoot as is.

This rifle is usually a 54 cal of "in the white" finish. A very handy gun for sure.

Now for the ruined 50 that began this experiment is destined for a 58 cal refresh if the 1 inch barrel will withstand it. Gonna go with Hoyt for the rebore and want a 65 or 70 inch ball twist. Have heard great things about him.

 

[ffg]

Please tell me more about Hoyt, have a 1" T/C Renegade flint .50 that I wish it was a .54 with a slow twist, does he do this?

 

[bigted]

Yes he has a very stable rep as THE rebore guy. Bobby Hoyt.

Someone will pop around with his number and address. Plus more info on what sounds like a superb BP gunsmith.

 

[ffg]

Can anyone verify Robert Hoyt's contact 717-642-6696 2379 Mt. Hope Rd. Fairfield PA. 17320 thanks

 

[R.J.Bruce]

Can anyone verify Robert Hoyt's contact 717-642-6696 2379 Mt. Hope Rd. Fairfield PA. 17320 thanks

That's his number, and address.

Call him early in the morning. His hearing is shot, and once the machines start, he can't hear the phone. Early means 6-7 A.M.

 

[Rawhide67]

It's funny, I asked a question about doing this exact thing a couple months ago and the members here almost unanimously advised against it. Make sure you post updates from the range to see if it consistently puts a ball down range.

 

[hanshi]

You did a great job on those rifles; no reason I can think of that they won't work just fine.

 

[bigted]

Thanks Hanshi. Means some to receive a compliment from ya.

I def will report my progress from the range. I have already found that good sparks depend on a few things but ... the flint stone is way best of a good quality. I like good ol English dark flints. I have what I consider a more pretty French flints but I find they do not spark as well for me.

 

[bigted]

Well had some trouble at the range today.

First couple shots were pretty quick but then the third flash in the pan. Flashed three times before I picked some powder in thru the flash hole and she popped off on the 4rth trigger pull.

Messin about I came upon an idea that has merit. Thinkin the flash hole liner is too long and interfering with the smallish patented breech. Basically I believe I drilled the hole too far back and in the photos above it shows maybe 1/8th to the rear. Height wise it is very close but think I missed the bottom of the factory patent breech hole.

So coming home and after cleaning it up, I filed my liner down from 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch. Measuring the flash hole threads in the breech I find that 1/4 inch is at the side of the patent breech hole where I drilled into the back of it ... so I filed the liner to the 1/4 inch in length.

Another thing I noticed is the pan had a small fence up against the barrel breech. I do not know if there is science that would be in play for the pan to need or desire a sloped fence against the barrel ... but all pans I have looked at were open rite up to the barrel breech full depth ... so ... taking my dremmel and a small stone, I went to work on the pan bottom where it meets the barrel and ground the fence out and made it the full depth rite up to the breech.

Once I get this 50 to shooting well and every time, I will do my Renegade 54 barrel. I have to say that the flint system is really a fiddler's action. Wanting to be more intimate with my rifles ... these flintlocks are the ticket. I like em a bunch. Shot my cap Hawken today and the lack of me needing to fiddle with it reminded me of shooting unmentionables. Not nearly the interaction with my gun that I seem to have developed a need for. The cap gun runs very good and very accurate but ... no fanfare nor pomp involved ... thereby not the satisfaction of a flinter.

More news later when I get opportunity to go try it again.

As for doing this or not ... if you are handy and fairly confident in your abilitys ... I say go for it.

 

[bigted]

This morning I removed the breech on the 50 and drilled it out from maybe 1/4inch to 5/16ths. Then countersunk the end of the plug so powder will not hang up on that factory plug end

 

[Rawhide67]

Well, now you're getting into the territory I was told I would be in. Many said just replace the percussion breach plug with a flint. My fondess for puttering kept me interested in doing it the way you are, but the donor barrel was owned by a friend so it didn't happen. Hopefully you will have all the bugs worked out and have the process streamlined.

Keep at it.

 

[bigted]

Man I stumbled on THE fix.

1st- hacksaw off the bolster as close to the barrel as I could.
2nd- file the bolster even with the barrel.
3rd- thread the current communication hole 8x32 and fill with a stainless bolt with red thread locker and peening for a solid fill.
4th- locate the flash hole and drill out for a 5x16 thread for the larger comunication inside cone.
5th- remove the breech plug and drill the patent breech out to 5x16 inch hole.
6th- polish the plug inside and chamfer all sharp blunt areas.
7th- smear copious amounts of NEVERSEISE on the threads of the plug and re-install it.
8th- counter sink the flash liner hole and chase the threads in the hole.
9th- shorten the liner so none of it will hang below the threaded hole into the new breech plug patent breech hole.
10- with a nice sharp flint ... shoot the snot outta it.

This has been a very fun project for me. She shoots EVERYTIME the pan flashes. At 35 yards and from a rest, she will put 5 in a inch center to center. This with a .490 ball, .015 patch lubed with my nasty spit and pushed with 60 grains of Old E 3F powder. Primed with the same powder. Fast ignition and reliable. I am a happy camper.

 

[Rawhide67]

That is good news. Now I have a project to add to the list. How easy was the breach plug to pull?

 

[bigted]

Not bad at all once I figured out how to hold the barrel good and tight and the same with the plug.

The barrel was held in an old action wrench that has a angle on one side that corresponds with one flat on the bottom and the two flats on each side of the top flat on the other side.

The plug is 1 inch so I had a six sided 1 inch deep socket that I tapped onto the breech plug that now is completely octagon matching the barrel. Do not ask or think about using a 12 sided socket or wrench nor ask me how I arrived at this small bit of wisdom.

Effort wise ... betcha the tightness was around 80 or 90 foot pounds of effort to remove. Not terrible.

Thing I ran into was figuring out the system to hold it firm and tight to apply the correct amount of pressure to remove the plug. Key again is holding everything so NO slippage takes place. One small movement in the holding devices equals a rounded flat. Ugly and a reminder for ever of the mistake.

The rest of the mod's went butter smooth. Just some thought as to procedure every once inna while. Go slow and think it out often. Great project!

 

[R.J.Bruce]

bigted,

Did you use a drill press to drill all of the holes in the breech plug? Did you use a grade 8 stainless steel bolt to plug the clean-out hole? Thanks.