Thimbles under T/C Hawken barrel

[pjckm]

I have a rail under my T/C 50 cal Hawken that has 2 brass thimbles attached for the ramrod. Are these thimbles removable? I would like to re-blue the barrel eventually with the brass removed.

 

[oldwood]

Should be removable. Mine has a hole in the bottom of each thimble. In the hole is a machine screw into the bottom of the barrel.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Yes, take out the screws.

 

[blackeagle]

What they said, oh and the rib is removable also.

 

[deerstalkert]

don't lose those screws. they are escape artists and difficult to replace.

 

[TechMoron]

They use just about the smallest wrench in a set of Allen wrenches & sometimes feel like yer gonna wring it off before they decide to turn loose.

 

[Beaverman2]

don't lose those screws. they are escape artists and difficult to replace.

Get a harbor freight magnetized ash tray looking bowl, worth every penny to avoid the archeological dig in your shop looking for those dam tiny screws! an old speaker magnet works too!

 

[deerstalkert]

Get a harbor freight magnetized ash tray looking bowl, worth every penny to avoid the archeological dig in your shop looking for those dam tiny screws! an old speaker magnet works too!

i have 3 of them. filled with broken springs, and iron filings from draw filing! also have a couple cow magnets strategically placed about. they look like hedge hogs with iron filings.
did I ever tell you guy's I am a slob? need to dedicate a week to cleaning and putting stuff away.

 

[Beaverman2]

i have 3 of them. filled with broken springs, and iron filings from draw filing! also have a couple cow magnets strategically placed about. they look like hedge hogs with iron filings.
did I ever tell you guy's I am a slob? need to dedicate a week to cleaning and putting stuff away.

If you do that... you'll never find anything!

 

[SDSmlf]

I have a rail under my T/C 50 cal Hawken that has 2 brass thimbles attached for the ramrod. Are these thimbles removable? I would like to re-blue the barrel eventually with the brass removed.

As others have said, removable with access through thimble. Sometimes the screws will be Allen head, other times slotted. Suggest you don’t attempt removing the screws until actually necessary for what you are doing. I have experienced screws with improper tempering and their heads shattered when attempting to remove them. I have experienced this with TC thimble screws, rib screws and locks screws. Just a word of caution.

 

[TechMoron]

As others have said, removable with access through thimble. Sometimes the screws will be Allen head, other times slotted. Suggest you don’t attempt removing the screws until actually necessary for what you are doing. I have experienced screws with improper tempering and their heads shattered when attempting to remove them. I have experienced this with TC thimble screws, rib screws and locks screws. Just a word of caution.

Yep. As much as I love my TC's they sure picked some odd things to cheap out on. Screws that are either too soft or too brittle and the overuse of hot melt glue instead of having a little tighter tolerances when fitting parts to the stock are probably my two biggest pet peeves with them.

 

[Tenring]

And why they use the Smallest Allen head size I mean it’s almost a wire size Allen wrench. Amazing what these manufacturers do. P..S You may want to spray or drip them with a little break free first and let them sit for a little before trying to crack them loose.

 

[Mogadishu Meanderer]

And why they use the Smallest Allen head size I mean it’s almost a wire size Allen wrench. Amazing what these manufacturers do. P..S You may want to spray or drip them with a little break free first and let them sit for a little before trying to crack them loose.

Yes, what Tenring said, and a bit of well placed heat from a torch before you drop the Kroil helps too!

 

[pjckm]

O.K. Thanks for all the great advice and suggestions. Here is what I found out... a fat headed slotted screw holding the rail to the barrel at the muzzle, 2 mm allen screws holding the thimbles to the rail, and a conical head screw holding the rail to the barrel at the breech end. Thankfully none of these screws were overly tight. I got them all to move without breaking any.