.32 caliber inline

[pupsdad]

The breech plug came right out I cleaned the crap out of the thunderbolt it's in pieces right now. I payed a little more than I wanted but it has a scope I would use and it looked like it just needed some TLC. It has some pitting but I've seen worse shoot realy good. The action is nice cocks on bolt opening trigger is OK I've got a project gun to work on and if it don't shoot I buy a barrel and put the 32 together for the same money as the ridge runner would have cost but I've got a serviceable scope to use. The bases and rings are junk though.

 

[ShawnT]

The breech plug came right out I cleaned the crap out of the thunderbolt it's in pieces right now. I payed a little more than I wanted but it has a scope I would use and it looked like it just needed some TLC. It has some pitting but I've seen worse shoot ready good. The action is nice cocks on bolt opening trigger is OK I've got a project gun to work on and if it don't shoot I buy a barrel and put the 32 together for the same money as the ridge runner would have cost but I've got a serviceable scope to use. The bases and rings are junk though.

I was starting that way too but found my Marathon so sold the Thunderbolt 45 1 in 20 to another Member for his wife. It was like new so hated the idea of tearing it down myself. Worked out in the end. Now if I can just get time to finish the Marathon.

 

[pupsdad]

The 1-20 45 is rare and if the makers don't change the only option for them will be custom just like the inline 32.

 

[pupsdad]

https://www.armslist.com/posts/6500042/ ... awk--32cal

Found this tonight.

 

[ShawnT]

https://www.armslist.com/posts/6500042/ohio-muzzle-loaders-for-sale--thompson-center-firehawk--32cal

Found this tonight.

They pop up now and then but that is a First I have seen claims new in box. Highly doubt it has an "Oak" stock too but he probably just don't know. Probably worth that to the right person if he would ship for that. I gave $260 got my Marathon Kit. It is a listing from last October though. Did you try contacting him?

If I did not have the Marathon I would be interested in it. I have personally had no luck with Arms list though. I tried to contact a couple guys and never got a return email from anyone of them.

 

[pupsdad]

Yeah I don't have much luck with arms list either, but I have had contacted a few successfully. It seems to be mostly people looking for FTF deals.
I'm just getting the traditions back together to shoot kind of hoping it's a flop so I can get a barrel to make it my 32. I've been looking for a Knight 45 to be my new deer rifle. Now a week ago I would have been making offers on this 32 but right now my plate is full.

 

[toytruck]

FireHawks had a walnut stock, not oak, that I know of. I just bought a .45 GM barrel NIB for my Renegade 1:30 twist LRH, should be a good one!

 

[pupsdad]

Shot the thunderbolt today and I was right it shoots. Guess this one gets to stay a 45 for now. I also bought a 45 extreme so I'm sure I'll probably just shoot both until I save up enough to buy a 32 barrel for the thunderbolt. Make it my project for fall this year.

 

[pjsoden]

I owned one of the fire hawks years ago. They are great shooting guns. Put a lot of squirrels in the pot. I bought nib and paid around the same price. It was well worth it. It was any accurate little rifle.

 

[pupsdad]

I have the traditions all stripped down again I've decided to use the action. I'm deciding on do I heat it and press the barrel out or just cut it off and bore the remnants out. Need to decide on a breech plug any ideas on one that would work well for a 32? Anyone have an idea how they are assembled? I believe just cutting it out means less chance of damage to the action.

 

[ShawnT]

I know there is a set screw in the bottom of the action but never got around to trying to remove the one I had. Sold it instead.

Are you sure they are pressed in and not screwed in or slipped in and have some Loctite on it? Just curious since I did not try.

 

[pupsdad]

Yes I pulled the set screw and inspected the hole and everything I could and found no indication of it being threaded. This is one of the reasons I'm leaning towards cutting it and boring the last part out because I can do that without damaging any part of the action. I have bored old Mauser actions that had barrels rusted tight. I was looking the breech plug over I may make one I'd kind of like percussion cap ignition .

 

[ShawnT]

I was looking the breech plug over I may make one I'd kind of like percussion cap ignition.

I agree. Don't need a 29 in that action. I could use it in mine but the #11 works great so don't plan to ever use it. If you put a tapered barrel on it you may end up at a real nice weight with that action. Did you get the Lathe you were planning on? What I could do if I had a place for one.

 

[pupsdad]

Yes I got a 12x36 enco. Nice lathe for me I've cut a couple chambers, set a barrel back, crowns and simple stuff. I hope to get a 32 blank cut the taper , fit the breech plug and barrel. Then finish it and the get a new stock if it goes well or fill the barrel channel in the stock it came with. I'm spending money I don't have yet. So I stopped shooting it cause it shot pretty good pitted as it is. But it's a nightmare cleaning it in the condition it's in.might have funds for the barrel in a week I can have the action ready by then I hope.

 

[ShawnT]

Cool. Congrads on the lathe. I sure wish I had a place for one. One of these days. Once you get started post up a thread on the build. Sounds like good fun to me. :yeah:

 

[pupsdad]

I got the barrel off it is threaded. About the finest tenon thread I have seen I got photos and I'll start a build thread as soon as I have the barrel in hand.

 

[ShawnT]

I got the barrel off it is threaded. About the finest tenon thread I have seen I got photos and I'll start a build thread as soon as I have the barrel in hand.

Cool, that should make the build easier if you can replicate the threading. 8)

I was chatting via Pm with another guy about them. So I was just going by what he told me. He said it was threaded but could not get his off but I told him to stop and not mess his up as it was his hunting rifle. I myself just never tried. So that is good to know for future reference.

Was it just on tight or did it look like it had Loctite on it?

My Marathon action is sort of a smaller diameter, and I think shorter, version but the Trigger on that Traditions is adjustable where mine is not.

 

[pupsdad]

I cut the barrel off then centered the action in the lathe and bored the little bit of barrel until I saw the thread root then picked out the threads with a steel scribe. There was a lot of lock tite. I cut the shoulder in were the barrel will seat square, the barrel didn't seat good and there was a lot of dirt, fouling in that area. I'll probably square the face give it two places to seat. I need to I.D. the thread make a practice tenon and fit it before I start cutting the new barrel. I need to strip the nickel plate off and decide on how I'm bedding this back in that flimsy stock. I think this is going to make a nice 32. Hardest part for me now will be cutting metric threads for the tenon. The rest is stuff I do pretty well. I just don't cut threads often, I know how I just don't do it much.

 

[ShawnT]

I cut the barrel off then centered the action in the lathe and bored the little bit of barrel until I saw the thread root then picked out the threads with a steel scribe. There was a lot of lock tite. I cut the shoulder in were the barrel will seat square, the barrel didn't seat good and there was a lot of dirt, fouling in that area. I'll probably square the face give it two places to seat. I need to I.D. the thread make a practice tenon and fit it before I start cutting the new barrel. I need to strip the nickel plate off and decide on how I'm bedding this back in that flimsy stock. I think this is going to make a nice 32. Hardest part for me now will be cutting metric threads for the tenon. The rest is stuff I do pretty well. I just don't cut threads often, I know how I just don't do it much.

Good deal. Sounds like a good plan.

I have a Remington Model 7 that I removed the barrel on to build a custom model 7 in .250AI. I could not remove it by hand so stood the action up on its muzzle on my bench with the muzzle siting in a cup. Couple times a day I shot a bit of Kroil in there and let it soak. It got down into those Threads and melted that Loctite and it spun right off. I have a much older 700SA that this trick did not work on though, Probably have to have a Smith with a Lathe take it off like you did.

 

[Magnum]

Regarding the Loctite... I've had screws that wouldn't break free before because of it and I applied heat to the head of the screws with a large electric,copper tipped soldering iron and it softened the loctite to easily back out the screws.
Magnum