T/C Hawken gets a new Barrel

[Hylander]

Received my new GM barrel
50 Cal., 32", 1:66 twist
Fit was not quite perfect, had to do a little tweaking, but now it fits great.
Also down in the breech area there looked like a rust ring and crud.
However once I got a small cleaning jag and patch in there, it turned out to be what looks like polishing rouge, no doubt left from lapping I would guess, cleaned right out.
Had a thick coat of protective oil or grease inside and out.
Bore is beautiful, finish beautiful. The ramrod could use another coat of stain, very light.
Hopefully I will get to shoot it tomorrow.
If she shoots good I will be selling my factory barrel, or getting it bored out to .54

 

[SDSmlf]

GM barrels I have are all great shooters. The only issue I have had with new barrels GM are the sharp edges of the rifling at the muzzle tending to tear patches. You won’t know until you shoot, but easy to correct if a problem.

 

[Historian]

Are they making these custom? Are they drop in replacements is basically what I am asking?

 

[Hylander]

Are they making these custom? Are they drop in replacements is basically what I am asking?

Yes, these are made just for TOW at 1:66 twist.
They are a drop in replacement.

 

[Carbon 6]

It's it's so pretty and new looking, I can't stop staring at it..

 

[Hoser1268]

I'm waiting for the flintlock barrel to come back. They are sold out right now at TOW.

 

[Hylander]

Well, it turns out I need a replacement barrel.
There is a Pin hole in breach plug opposite the nipple

 

[fourbore]

If the pin hole goes all way, seems like an easy fix. Drill, tap and plug. You plan a rebore, that would be a very little added effort.

 

[Muddly]

That's not a pinhole! That's a threaded plug they put it after drilling the flame channel in the bolster. TC factory plugs, later ones, have the same thing. It will be under the stock line so won't be seen.
Seriously, do not mess with that.

 

[Zonie]

I totally agree.
DO NOT MESS WITH THAT PLUG.

When TC decided to do away with the "clean out plug" next to the nipple they needed a way to drill the flame channel to connect the nipple with the breech of the bore. They chose to drill the hole from the side directly opposite the lock side of the barrel. After they drilled the hole, they installed that plug to close off the hole left by the drill.

 

[SDSmlf]

100% with Muddly and Zonie on this. Leave it alone. When you look at the ‘new’ TC barrels (and current GM) you will sometimes see the remnants of the screwdriver slot or threads on the screw they used to plug the hole. Story I heard was TC moved the screw to the far side of the breech plug because of so many people making warranty claims of the ‘clean out screw’ getting stuck and damaged.

Here is a photo of one where you can clearly see what is left the screwdriver slot after grinding the screw/plug flush with the barrel at the factory. Leave it alone.

 

[Grenadier1758]

If you put the breech in a bucket of water with the nipple plugged, can you see air bubbles on the first pass with a damp patch? Or with the barrel half filled with water can you push water out that "hole".

Of course, I have a touch hole at the breech for my flintlock. Some of the English makers made a relief hole to provide a better path for the flame from the cap to get from the nipple to the powder charge.

This is an artifact from the filing down of the plug and a tiny bit of the top thread was filed off leaving what appears to be a hole.

In all likelihood, you don't have a problem, you have a feature.

 

[Zonie]

As a side note to the plug in question, plugs like this have shown up on original flintlocks.

The flintlock shooters know that most of the vent liners that are installed in their guns usually have a hollowed out internal feature that creates a pocket where the vent hole is. This pocket reduces the distance from the outside flat to the fresh powder load and improves the ignition reliability and speed. Some of the original flintlock rifles even without a vent liner also had a similar hollowed out area in their barrels.

To form this feature, some gun makers drilled a hole opposite the vent hole and used this hole to provide access to the area where the vent intersects the bore. That way, they could drill "almost" all the way thru the side of the barrel that had the vent hole to reduce the length of it. They plugged this access hole with a screwed in plug just like the one in the pictures above.

 

[Hylander]

Yes, that is a plug after drilling the flame channel.
And yes that tiny spot is a hole that leaks gas, it left a burn and crud on my stock.
Not messing with it.
Sending it back to TOW for a replacement

 

[longcruise]

Yes, that is a plug after drilling the flame channel.
And yes that tiny spot is a hole that leaks gas, it left a burn and crud on my stock.
Not messing with it.
Sending it back to TOW for a replacement

The simple and common sense solution. When you bought the barrel you surely did not hope for a defect to correct yourself.

 

[Hylander]

My replacement barrel should be here Sunday
Sure hope the bore is as nice as the one I sent back.

 

[longcruise]

GM barrels are very consistent. Should be a nice barrel.

 

[Hylander]

Well, I took my new GM barrel to the range today.
Shot great, first 50yd group was 1"
However I got another barrel with a pin hole on the breech plug.
Called TOW and they are going to replace it again.

 

[Prairieofthedog]

Well, I took my new GM barrel to the range today.
Shot great, first 50yd group was 1"
However I got another barrel with a pin hole on the breech plug.
Called TOW and they are going to replace it again.

Sounds like they are very consistent with having pinholes!What a pain to deal with it once,but twice what a joke.

 

[longcruise]

Did you check the serial numbers. Might be the same barrel!