Sharon barrel question

[bhuch5]

I just purchased an unfired Sharon rifle barrel in .54 cal still in the white. I need to remove the breech plug to install an H&A style UNDERHAMMER breech plug.My problem is the installed plug won't move...at all. Soaked in penetrating oil for 4 days, applied heat and ice,used a pipe wrench with four foot extension and it WON'T move.Shouldn't be rusted so I am thinking it must be soldered in place.(Ramrod pipes are all soldered on also). My question...did Sharon routinely solder plugs in or is this done later? Am going to try two propane torches to get more heat on site, or go purchase a MAPP torch to try. This is getting frustrating. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks for your help, Bruce H

 

[rich pierce]

No solder. So- on their trade rifle they used a patent breech so the last inch or so of the "barrel" is the breechplug. Does this barrel have the drum installed? If a Hawken barrel, same deal. The breechplug IS hard to remove. If one of their plain flint breeched barrels, everything should be standard.

 

[bhuch5]

It has a patent breech with the snail...no drum.
Bruce H

 

[jerrywh]

Heat red hot and let cool. try and heat just the barrel as much as possible.

 

[SR James]

I recently picked up a Sharon Hawken. I was able to remove the breech plug on it with no problems. Let some penetrating oil soak in overnight and used my usual big wrench on the plug. Broke free with about the usual effort.

 

[bhuch5]

SRJ-Wish mine was that easy...trade ya

 

[bhuch5]

I heated it on my propane stove to just glowing red. Put it in the vise and it popped right loose.Guess I wasn't getting it hot enough.
Thanks for all your help. Bruce H

 

[rich pierce]

You might have some scale in the powder chamber area from the heating (just normal). I'd run a scotchbrite pad down through there a couple dozen times.

 

[tecum-tha]

This is a great thread. Could someone post a picture of the inside of the breech plug and give dimension on the size of the undersize powder chamber? This always seem to be an area that collects crud/oil and makes the gun problematic to fire the first time. If I know the dimensions of the inside of the breech, I can build a little special cleaning tool for it to remove 100% of any gunk before loading. My gun is a 0.50 Hawken.
Thanks.

 

[rich pierce]

I think on the Sharon barrels the powder chamber part of the patent breech is only about 3/8" in diameter. If you centered a brass brush for a .38 pistol in a wooden disk just under bore diameter, that would be a good tool for the range rod.

 

[bhuch5]

Rich nailed it I think. My Sharon plug measures .335 inside diameter.This is a Hawken style snail type plug. Bruce H

 

[tecum-tha]

Thank you. Is the inside end of the powder chamber flat or rounded?

 

[bhuch5]

Appears to be slightly cupped with radiused corners on mine. Kind of shaped like a slightly worn pencil eraser.(?)Bruce H