Tang bolt problem

[tmdreb]

I just bought an old Jukar flintlock rifle, and found this when it arrived.

The tang bolt is "buggered", and apparently in the wrong place. It's shifted the barrel forward, and misaligned the touchhole.

How difficult is this to fix?

 

[galamb]

I would remove the lock, then the tang bolt, then the barrel and get a look at what is going on.

If the hole where the bolt is going through is worn/damaged resulting in an over-sized hole that would account for the barrel shifting forward (plus may be a couple other reasons in addition, but one thing at a time).

If the hole is worn "big" I would address that as follows. Get a hardwood dowel just a hair smaller than the hole, epoxy it up real well and tap it into the hole.

(remove the trigger/guard as necessary)

One cured the dowel can be trimmed flush, the hole can be re-drilled and the tang bolt replaced (if it's bent/deformed/stripped).

 

[necchi]

Well it's gonna take some understanding what's happened before can do the fix.

Someone before you thinks that it's a gun,, so all screws need to be tightened by a Gorilla!

That "bolt" goes through the stock and into the trigger plate,,
What's happened through the years of over tightening is the wood under the trigger plate has been crushed, the crushed wood happens in the front section of the inlet, this makes the shift trigger plate shift forward every time the bolt is tightened,,.

The "fix" is going to be re-bedding or building up the wood for the trigger again and getting it in the right position for the bolt to hold the barrel in the proper place.
Chances are pretty good that the wood in the entire breech/lock/trigger area is dry and compressed.
Not that it's un-fixable, it's just it's a combination of dry and compressed wood that may need some help in more than just one spot.

 

[tmdreb]

Thanks!

One of the first problems is that the slot is stripped, and I can't get the bolt out. Any recommendations?

 

[galamb]

Drill out the head and then remove the rest with it attached to the trigger.

If the tang bolt hole is already deformed you aren't going to hurt it much more...

 

[necchi]

Clamp the gun in a padded vise,, maybe you can get enough pressure on a screw driver to get it to turn.
and/or
Take the trigger guard off you should see the bottom of the bolt sticking out in front of the trigger(?) Maybe you can get it started by turning it from that end (?)

 

[ohio ramrod]

I would place the rifle in a padded vice and use a dremmel tool or a drill press to carefully cut away the head then drop the bolt out the bottom with the trigger plate. Then use vice grips to remove the bolt. (Yes there are times it is ok to use vice grips since the bolt will be thrown away and replace.) :idunno:

 

[frogwalking]

In additon to what has been said, the tang bolt typically is angled from the tang forward to the trigger plate. Overtightening this bolt puts a forward thrust on the barrel and can pull it forward over time. The barrel pins or wedges will try to resist this movement, so for the barrel to actually move forward, these will have to give, or the wood supporting them will have to fail. Plan on fixing these areas as well, perhaps with microbed or something similar.

 

[Eterry]

Tmdreb; having owned at least 5 jukars and seen many more you might be dealing with two separate issues.

1. Its apparent the tang screw was indeed buggered by a ham-handed kitchen table gunsmith, so that will need to be dealt with. I would cradle the gun upside down and get some penetrating oil on the threads of the tang, then roll it over and chucked up tight and use a screwdriver that fits (not your best set plz) and as you apply pressure tap the handle with an 8oz ball-peen and see if it moves.

2. I have seen a lot of jukars with inletting that looked like it was done by the Samsonite gorilla. I don't think the tang has slipped, I think the tang bolt hole was drilled too far forward. The barrel is pinned, (at least it should be....is it a Kentucky rifle?) and shouldn't have moved.
I think the best fix for this has already been brought up by Graham.
I enjoyed my jukar guns, (all percussion btw), and hope you having it making smoke soon.

my $.02

Eterry

 

[necchi]

The interesting thing about those Jukar "kentuckies" is the barrel is only pinned in the front section.
The tang bolt holds the barrel into the rear section and is the oly thing that holds the two sections together.
The two guide pins are just that guide pins, and don't have any "hold" power.
So the fit between the two sections is an issue also,,

 

[tmdreb]

Wow! Thanks to all who answered! I've got some things to try.

What I didn't take a photo of is the joint of the two piece stock. There's a gap the same size as the one at the breech.

I've read that these rifles have slack in the trigger. This one doesn't. My guess is that someone overtightened the tang bolt, which pulled the trigger up and moved the barrel forward.

At any rate, I'll take these suggestions to heart and get to work!

 

[Len Graves]

I have had some luck with using a square bottom graver or die sinkers chisel to cut a new slot in the head of the screw. Use some penetrating oil on the threads and the tapping on the head while cutting the slot helps the oil work in. Some times on those foreign guns the parts are case hardened so beware. Have patience .