T/C Penn Hunter Carbine bore obstruction

[Leviticus_Maximus]

Hello All,
Yesterday I bought a flinter T/C Penn Hunter Carbine in mint condition. Even had the original price sticker on it! Got it home, and put the ram rod down the barrel to mark it, and it came down to the touch hole and stopped. I thought maybe there was a charge in it or a dry ball, but upon taking the touch hole liner out and shining a light all I could see was the bore. When I looked down the barrel I could see threads protruding into the bore. It appears to be the threaded barrel that the touch hole liner screws into. This cannot be normal. Options moving forward? Next step I will be contacting one of my local gunsmiths to see what they can do about it. The rifle will fire, but I cannot fully clean the bore. I couldn't really take a picture of the obstruction either. Thanks for any insights or advice or wisdom!

 

[Frosty861]

I'm not certain I understand, but this may help.

 

[BruceHH]

Your description is a little confusing. The breech plug threads into the barrel. There are basically two types of breech plugs. One is flat faced and the touch hole should be drilled right in front of it. The second is a chambered/patent breech that is like a cone with the mouth at the barrel end and it narrows towards the rear. The touch hole is drilled at or near the rear (bottom) of the cone. It will have a slight shelf at the front - which will stop your jag from going all the way to the bottom of the chamber.

Your PA Hunter should have the chambered plug. What you are probably seeing is the shelf at the mouth of the breech plug. Try this - run a flat faced patch jag (proper caliber) that you would normally use for a cleaning patch all the way down the bore and mark the rod where it stops. Next, run a small loop type jag down the barrel until it stops and mark the rod - it should go a little deeper. You might even be able to see the tip of that jag through the touch hole (with the liner out).

Based on your description - I don't think you have a problem.

 

[kyron4]

Think a picture would eliminate a lot of the confusion.

 

[BoomStick]

Sounds like you're describing a patent breech, which is common on most production guns. It works fine but just needs a slightly different cleaning process than a gun with a flat faced breech.
Use a smaller diameter bore brush (around 25 cal if I recall correctly) or find a scraper made for the patent breech.

 

[bubba.50]

I believe he means the touch-hole liner is protruding into the bore?

 

[2 shots]

if it is not the liner being too long then october country makes a t/c fowling scraper to clean the patent breech.

 

[Leviticus_Maximus]

You’ll have to forgive the fantastic artwork. So the touch hole liner is just fine it’s the threading that the touch hole liner goes into that is protruding into the bore thus not allowing my jag to bottom out. Great information I am receiving here. I’ve just never ever seen a muzzleloader with anything obstructing the bore. This one was new to me.

 

[Leviticus_Maximus]

if it is not the liner being too long then october country makes a t/c fowling scraper to clean the patent breech.

This is great I’ll look into this today. My other option was to contact a local gunsmith to get this fixed. It’s just bizarre to me. I’ve owned several different muzzleloaders and this is the first time I have ever seen this

 

[Eric Krewson]

TC breech, the picture is a little off center and makes the hole which is centered look off to one side.

I would unscrew the liner and grind off the end until it doesn't protrude into the breech, I have to do that on every white lightning liner I install.

 

[Leviticus_Maximus]

TC breech, the picture is a little off center and makes the hole which is centered look off to one side.

View attachment 164474

I would unscrew the liner and grind off the end until it doesn't protrude into the breech, I have to do that on every white lightning liner I install.

I’m trying to figure out how to take a decent picture of what I am seeing. Where your touch hole appears to be is just threads sticking out into the bore

 

[Leviticus_Maximus]

I need to specify that the threads I am seeing are on the outer diameter of the obstruction (lack of a better word here). This isn’t the liner as I can take that out and still see the threading inside the bore. Once I get home tonight I can take better pictures.

I’m trying to figure out how to take a decent picture of what I am seeing. Where your touch hole appears to be is just threads sticking out into the bore

 

[hanshi]

I agree with Eric. I routinely remove the liner and shorten it and while it's out I enlarge the cone. Of course I'm talking about only rifles with the problem you describe. In fact I only recall maybe two of my rifles that I had to do that to.

 

[TDM]

You’ll have to forgive the fantastic artwork. So the touch hole liner is just fine it’s the threading that the touch hole liner goes into that is protruding into the bore thus not allowing my jag to bottom out. Great information I am receiving here. I’ve just never ever seen a muzzleloader with anything obstructing the bore. This one was new to me. View attachment 164472

Are you saying that you see a protrusion into the bore with the touch hole liner removed??

 

[Leviticus_Maximus]

Are you saying that you see a protrusion into the bore with the touch hole liner removed??

Yes I can look down the bore and see threading protruding into the actual bore which is causing my ramrod to stop an inch shy of the patent breech/ bottom of barrel

 

[TDM]

Yes I can look down the bore and see threading protruding into the actual bore which is causing my ramrod to stop an inch shy of the patent breech/ bottom of barrel

Well, if your liner is removed and your seeing threads I would think that its a large burr on the breech side of the liner hole. You wouldn't be able to see the threads if it was an intact protrusion. If its a burr, you may be able to knock it off with a few good raps from a substitute, solid ram rod with a small hammer.

 

[Leviticus_Maximus]

Well, if your liner is removed and your seeing threads I would think that its a large burr on the breech side of the liner hole. You wouldn't be able to see the threads if it was an intact protrusion. If its a burr, you may be able to knock it off with a few good raps from a substitute, solid ram rod with a small hammer.

This is what I’ll try to do tonight. I thought maybe that ‘barrel’ was threaded on both sides and that’s how it was installed into the rifle

 

[bud in pa]

If I saw threads in the bore after the touch hole liner was removed I would tend to think that someone drilled the touch hole out and threaded a bolt into the hole, and then threaded the bolt for the touch hole liner. Original touch hole may have been drilled wrong.

 

[TDM]

This is what I’ll try to do tonight. I thought maybe that ‘barrel’ was threaded on both sides and that’s how it was installed into the rifle

What bud in pa says could be the case too. I would try to borrow or buy one of the inexpensive bore scopes with a camera. Harbor freight has them fairly cheap. Then you'd know for sure.

 

[Mike in FL]

I never heard of a protrusion with the liner out. Before trying to knock it loose, I'd find a way to make sure what it is. It sure does sound like an after market attempt at something.