TC Hawken Damaged Screw?

[gvandersluis]

So I have heard, This is not the first time this subject has been raised. Some think it’s a clean out screw and others follow your view. Buggered if I know but now I leave it alone.

 

[beardedhorse]

Is there any information or schematics on the breeching system of TC percussion rifles, especially the White Mountain? I like understanding how my rifles are put together and is easy when you build your own but can be a mystery on factory rifles. Have seen some real doozies that I would not consider safe to shoot let alone market. Good idea to contact the maker before undertaking any repairs.

 

[lostsmenfive]

Any one know the length of the said clean out screw - lost mine cleaning, lol. Like to replace it.

Thanks

Jeff

 

[Kansas Jake]

Is there any information or schematics on the breeching system of TC percussion rifles, especially the White Mountain? I like understanding how my rifles are put together and is easy when you build your own but can be a mystery on factory rifles. Have seen some real doozies that I would not consider safe to shoot let alone market. Good idea to contact the maker before undertaking any repairs.
[/QUOTE]

I think deceased member, Zonie, poster some pictures of TC breech plugs cut in half to see the design. Someone here probably can provide the information if that is wrong. Do a check of Zonie’s posts.

 

[deerstalkert]

 

[morehops52]

My son and I bought this about a year ago. Had some fun learning about muzzleloading but haven't been able to go out much lately for a variety of reasons.

He's been working on it recently and noticed this. Some sort of screw (?) in the portion of the barrel where the nipple goes that looks like it's been buggered up somehow. Can anyone shed any light on what this may be?

Serial number is 17xxx if that helps.

View attachment 133337

My son and I bought this about a year ago. Had some fun learning about muzzleloading but haven't been able to go out much lately for a variety of reasons.

He's been working on it recently and noticed this. Some sort of screw (?) in the portion of the barrel where the nipple goes that looks like it's been buggered up somehow. Can anyone shed any light on what this may be?

Serial number is 17xxx if that helps.

View attachment 133337

I've owned several cap locks going back to the 70's. Never had a reason to take out that screw. I wouldn't do it.

 

[rusticbob]

When I went to work at T/C back in the 1980’s, they had already discontinued putting that clean out screw in the breach plug. Ken French told me they had so many repair requests because the screw they would not be put back in correctly,(dry threads), and would rust in place. Many people broke off the screw head trying to remove, and would return the barrel for repair. Ken said it was not needed, so the discontinued putting the screw hole in.
I have an old .54 Renegade with 4 digits that has it, and while I do always remove it for cleaning, it’s not necessary.

 

[Semper_Smokey]

Any one know the length of the said clean out screw - lost mine cleaning, lol. Like to replace it.

Thanks

Jeff

Others may know better, but one place I've found replacement parts for my TC Hawken is CFNP: T/C Thompson Center Hawken Muzzle Loading Rifle Parts

Just made my first order, so no idea quality or anything - will let you know if anything goes awry!

 

[flntlokr]

My son and I bought this about a year ago. Had some fun learning about muzzleloading but haven't been able to go out much lately for a variety of reasons.

He's been working on it recently and noticed this. Some sort of screw (?) in the portion of the barrel where the nipple goes that looks like it's been buggered up somehow. Can anyone shed any light on what this may be?

Serial number is 17xxx if that helps.

View attachment 133337

It's an older gun than any of mine, and none of the later ones I have seen have removable screws. If I look very carefully on both sides of the barrel(s) I can see the ends of screws/plugs that have been cut off and polished smooth to blend into the surface. They should not be necessary for cleaning. Best to just leave them alone.

 

[flntlokr]

Others may know better, but one place I've found replacement parts for my TC Hawken is CFNP: T/C Thompson Center Hawken Muzzle Loading Rifle Parts

Just made my first order, so no idea quality or anything - will let you know if anything goes awry!

remove the nipple and stick something shiny (the depth probe on a micrometer caliper?) into the 'cleaan-out' hole. Note how deep it goes until you can just see it in the bottom of the nipple hole; that will be how long a screw you need. I would use a set screw with an allen head (be sure to get the correct thread; as someone else posted, wrong metric threads will screw in a ways, but may not hold well enough.

 

[lostsmenfive]

Thanks guys - It's a 70's or early model.

 

[M. De Land]

My son and I bought this about a year ago. Had some fun learning about muzzleloading but haven't been able to go out much lately for a variety of reasons.

He's been working on it recently and noticed this. Some sort of screw (?) in the portion of the barrel where the nipple goes that looks like it's been buggered up somehow. Can anyone shed any light on what this may be?

Serial number is 17xxx if that helps.

View attachment 133337

I've had my TC Hawken for fifty years and it was originally .50 cal but I ringed the barrel hunting with a maxi ball that slid forward during a long day of carry (muzzle down) in wet weather. The maxi worked forward and when clearing at the end of the day on a spruce hens head it ringed the barrel.
I re-barreled to .54 with a Douglas barrel and have been happily shooting it since.
I usually removed the clean out screw to wipe dry and remove fouling with a pipe cleaner and then re-lube threads. The reason one should do this is fouling will over time fill up the screw threads and corrode which is why it did not want to come out and got buggered most likely.
Also the ignition can be improved by installing a longer clean out screw with a 45 degree taper on the end.
You will notice that the nipple is threaded into the snail and the flash has to make a 90 degree turn from the nipple orifice into the fire channel. A .45 degree angle put on the end of the clean out screw directs the flash more efficiently into the fire channel and also the taper makes the screw less likely to blow out. Any erroson from cap flash is on the screw end taper now instead of the bottom of the fire channel. These are easily made and replaced when needed.
The clean out screw is put there for a reason and should be used . I'd center punch the plug screw, drill , heat and remove with an easy-out. Check the threads and if still good replace with Allen screw or hardened scope screw with the 45 degree taper filed or ground on the end. It will need to be timed to turn up correctly radially level with the nipple bottom.
If the threads are corroded then drill out to major thread diameter and re-tap to next size machine screw.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Buggered up damaged screws are the bane of those who appreciate firearms as something other than a tool.

Right tool for the right job as we say.

If you find a replacement, you should be able to gently tap a correct size driver into the damaged slot and ease it out.

Put some CLP around it, wipe away the excess and let it work in. You should be able to ease it out.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Any one know the length of the said clean out screw - lost mine cleaning, lol. Like to replace it.

Thanks

Jeff

The most important thing is how the tip is made. Look at the picture of the breach plug. The threads go right to the nipple. Most set screws are tapered. That allows the screw to make contact with the nipple, at times.

 

[M. De Land]

View attachment 133553

Note the corrosion and or fowling in the threads of the clean out plug !

 

[Bad Karma]

The screws on the opposite side of the breech are for plugging a drilled hole from the manufacturing process and are not intended to be removed.

The screw on the snail side of the breech was put there for exactly the same reason. It’s an artifact of the manufacturing process. Can you clean the flash channel through that hole? Sure. Is it necessary? Nope. Not at all.

https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/sidelock-patented-breech-fire-channel.32477/