Should I be worried?

[Flinter987]

 

[Flinter987]

I've never seen the likes of this! It has me a bit worried, so I thought I'd ask you guys about it before I decide to fire my rifle again. I noticed this after I finished cleaning it the other day. I did have to dislodge my patched ramrod because it got stuck in the bottom of my barrel, I think from too much fouling. To do that I feed just a few grains of powder into the touchhole and lit it off. That didn't cause this - did it? What else could this be?
Thanks!
Fred

 

[BrownBear]

Hmmmmm. Green Mountain barrel? :hmm:

 

[Flinter987]

It's my traditions pennsylvania .50 cal, so I'm not sure who made the barrel.

 

[peter hawbaker]

Have you owned this rifle since new ? It looks like someone plugged a large hole, and then drilled and tapped the plug for the vent liner. If the barrel wall is thick enough to support the plug, you should not have a problem. Did the appearance of the plug suddenly change ? Or has it always looked that way ?

 

[paulvallandigham]

I have never seen a vent bushed before. It may be that the bushing, or the vent liner itself is extending into the bore, and is hooking your jag. The only way to know is to remove the liner, and put something in to measure the distance exactly from the outside of the barrel to the bore, and then measure the threaded portion of the liner. I would run the RR down with a jag on it, with the gun cleaned, and empty, to see if the jag hooks on the edge of that bushing, too, when the liner is out of the bushing.

You may have to remove that bushing, and reduce the length of it to keep it from hanging up, or hooking that jag. Otherwise, you simply will not be able to clean all the way to the bottom of the breech, and the gun will begin to fail to fire at some point, when the crud build up and blocks part or all of that TH.

 

[tnguy]

it looks like someone cut the drum off of a percussion barrel flush with the barrel and drilled and tapped it for a vent liner to convert it to flint.

 

[Flinter987]

Yes, I've owned it since new. The shop I got it from did do something to it to make it fire more consistantly, although I do not remember what they said they did. They did it to all new ones they sold. I don't remember if that mark has always been this way or not. I just noticed it the other day. My observation skills are severely lacking!

 

[Flinter987]

I'll have to try measuring the liner. I usually don't have a problem with it at all, so I'm thinking it was just fouling. Unfortunately, this gun comes with a ramrod that is about 6 inches too short,the whole thing will go into the barrel with it unloaded. Thanks Traditions! I see where your coming from though - that may make a problem for me in the future with ignition! I do use water to clean it - so that probably helps some.
The gun has been flint since new.
I guess my main concern is that my barrel is safe. I don't remember seeing this there before, but I'm not half as observant as I should be! I just wouldn't want that part of the barrel to come flying out next time I shoot! Maybe I should send pictures to the shop I bought it from and ask them as well. Thanks everyone for your replies thus far.
Flinter

 

[paulvallandigham]

I know that people living in foreign countries have lots of difficulties buying and getting guns they want. You almost have to settle for what the government allows to be imported. Most of these guns are made in Spain. My first rifle was a . 45 cal. rifle made in Spain. It was a piece of junk, except for the barrel. The grooves in the barrel looked more like scratches, but I found a tight ball/patch combination that would shoot RB accurately out to 50 yds.

I do not recommend this gun to anyone, because of all the problems that come with them. The people making them don't know anything about how a flintLOCK functions, and obviously don't care. I understand there is a language barrier, but if you are going to market a gun made famous in the USA, and other English speaking countries, you would think the maker would hire a translator who could study this site, and all the available guns and locks to learn how to properly build a flintlock. They save money on mass-production, not on design. They can design a lock correctly, and they can build a better gun for the same costs that they spend to make guns with all the problems these have. :hmm: :surrender: :hatsoff:

 

[rafterob]

It looks to be -like already suggested-that it was converted from percussion to flint, or the original touch hole configuration was bored out and replaced with a new liner. Either way, it was not done very well.It appears the remnant of the original fire channel that screws into the breech chamber is still there.I think that could be repaired properly. You may want to search this forum for threads on converting a CVA (or Traditions) from percussion to flint. The process has been described in detail. My concern is what looks like a crack in the second picture radiating down from the right side of the liner. It is not uncommon to get a dry patch stuck in the barrel. Make sure the first patch down a fouled barrel is always damp. Also pretty much all ramrods will drop down inside an empty barrel, sometimes flush with the barrel and sometimes an inch below. Typically you need an extended cleaning jag. A range rod is highly suggested for use other than shooting in the field.

 

[Flinter987]

Ok. Thanks for all the input guys! I really appreciate it. I'm going to try emailing the shop I got it from as well to see what they have to say. I see what you guys are saying about it looking like it was changed from per. to flint - but I bought it brand new in a store. Would traditions have changed some of these over at the factory????
Anyways I'll keep you guys posted. I thought at the very least next time I take it shooting I might start small and work my load up - watching that thing the whole time! Just to be safe!
Thanks again,
Flinter

 

[rafterob]

There is such a thing as "Reconditioned" Rifles returned to the manufacturer (or distributer) that are fixed and put back on the market.

 

[ssettle]

I bought a CVA Hawken kit back in the 80's that has a barrel touch hole like yours. I don't know if it was a converson barrel or not but I never had any trouble with it. Mine also is a patent breech, I don't know if your is. It looks like you have some very bad pitting or blow by going on it's hard to tell by your pics. I'd be alittle concerned.

 

[Zonie]

Ah-Ha!
You mentioned the magic word..."Traditions".

Looking at the attached photo of one of my drawings, look at the CVA method of breeching.

They have a seperate piece that is screwed thru the barrel wall and into the side of the breech plug threads. A small hole connects the vent liner with the powder chamber of the barrel.

Assuming the threads in the vent liner and the barrels side plug are good you should not have anything to worry about.

I guess my concern based on your photo at the top is there isn't very much depth to the hole for the vent liner and there doesn't seem to be any threads there. Must be an optical illusion.

 

[Flinter987]

Thanks for the pics Zonie - that makes a lot of sense! Yeah,I think it is the angle of the camera as I had no problem removing and reinstalling the liner and don't remember anything appearing out of order. I don't remember how long the liner was - but it seemed to have enough threads and all.
Thanks again!