Sidelock Patented Breech/Fire Channel

[Idaholewis]

Lock removal and Cleaning, Steam cleaner at the end

 

[Idaholewis]

Here is a video of what i do to My Sidelock Muzzleloaders to clean/dry Oil up inside my Bore, Patented Breech/Fire Channel before i load my Rifle for a Hunt. If you do this and you use Real Blackpowder your Rifle will go off IMMEDIATELY :yeah: As for Substitute powders I cannot say much about them as I have very little experience with the Subs, It is my understanding that you need the Flash Hole of your Nipple Opened up a Bit to get Reliable Ignition, How much? I don’t know? The Sub Powders require a Hotter Spark. Regardless of the Powder you use, this Video should give you what you need to Prepare your Rifle for Loading to GREATLY Reduce the Possibility of a Hangfire. The use, and understanding of needs of the Substitute powders Such as Pyrodex, And Triple 7 is up to you. I use Real Blackpowder

 

[SteveH]

Thanks for this thread. I don't own a sidelock but store one (TC Hawken) for a friend and have assumed responsibility for keeping it in good shape. I know for a fact he has had hangfires and does not have one of those breech scraping tools.

Anyone know where I can find a scraping tool? The few links online seem to be discontinued or sold out. Seems a no-brainer that you need one.

 

[muzzlestuffer]

Try e-bay

 

[Idaholewis]

Thanks for this thread. I don't own a sidelock but store one (TC Hawken) for a friend and have assumed responsibility for keeping it in good shape. I know for a fact he has had hangfires and does not have one of those breech scraping tools.

Anyone know where I can find a scraping tool? The few links online seem to be discontinued or sold out. Seems a no-brainer that you need one.

Log Cabin Shop has them, And so does October Country

https://logcabinshop.com/catalog.php?pa ... t_id=24820

 

[edmehlig]

I just purchased mine at Southeastern Outdoor Supplies. It cost $3.99 plus $6.00 for shipping. :cry: But at least I have it.

https://www.southeasternoutdoor.com/p-1 ... raper.aspx

 

[Idaholewis]

I just purchased mine at Southeastern Outdoor Supplies. It cost $3.99 plus $6.00 for shipping. :cry: But at least I have it.

https://www.southeasternoutdoor.com/p-1 ... raper.aspx

:yeah: Good tool to have, Especially on a “New to you” barrel, it allows to get in the Patented breech and Scrape it Clean. Once you get a Barrel good and Clean, and understand how to keep them that way, All that is needed from that point on is Good Ole Luke Warm Tap H20, and I personally like to use a little Dish soap, Traditional fellas will tell ya it’s not needed, Maybe so? But i will continue to use it, Along with a Good Loop Through Bore Brush designed for Muzzleloaders :yeah:

 

[WoodsGnome]

:yeah: Good tool to have, Especially on a “New to you” barrel, it allows to get in the Patented breech and Scrape it Clean. Once you get a Barrel good and Clean, and understand how to keep them that way, All that is needed from that point on is Good Ole Luke Warm Tap H20, and I personally like to use a little Dish soap, Traditional fellas will tell ya it’s not needed, Maybe so? But i will continue to use it, Along with a Good Loop Through Bore Brush designed for Muzzleloaders :yeah:

 

[WoodsGnome]

Howdy I.L.! Lots of oil, got that but, would you bee more specific as to what/which oil You prefer for "storage" as opposed to lube/ rust prevention please??? Regards, Old John

 

[Idaholewis]

I have a few pics to ad here i took recently, Showing the difference between 2 Breech Plugs, a Green mountain IBS (interchangeable Barrel System, AKA “Drop in Barrel”) And a Thompson Center Renegade/Hawken. Both are 1” Plugs

Green mountain IBS Plug on Right, TC on left. Both are 1” Plugs

Green Mountain IBS on Right, TC on Left. The Green Mountain IBS Plug will hold about 35 Grains of Powder. The Patented Breech/Powder Chambers are quite Different between the Two

A little better view of the Depth of The Green Mountain IBS Breech Plug Powder Chamber. If you look closely in this Pic in the far back Left side you will see the opening of the Fire Channel that runs straight across, and under the Nipple Hole.

And a closer look at the TC Breech Plug, Very Small U Shape Patented Breech/Powder Chamber, With a Much longer Fire Channel

 

[Harleysboss]

Did you find a breech plug for your rifle barrel build?

 

[Idaholewis]

I did!! I’m suppose to meet with the Barrel builder and get it Put it together, probably early next week, i should have it Home, all fitted up and ready for a Test Run!

 

[Confederate rifleman]

I use a bore brush, 30 caliber IIRC, with a patch on it to clean that recess. Gets it squeeky clean. I will occasionally put a bit of JB on it to bright it up a bit.

 

[WV Hunter]

Great info here Lewis, thanks!

 

[fourbore]

I have been lurking for a while. This excellent post was the one that got moving to register.
2nd thanks.

 

[Idaholewis]

I have been lurking for a while. This excellent post was the one that got moving to register.
2nd thanks.

You are Welcome! And WELCOME to the Forum There is a lot of good info here on Modern Muzzleloader

 

[Idaholewis]

Update: adding photos of how these TC Breech Plugs were made

I pulled the Old TC Renegade Breech plug back out again, and popped the Barrel piece off, This is to show up close Detail of how these things were Made. Some have these Visible “Clean Out“ Screws on the side, and Some Don’t (The ones that Don’t, Actually do ) The ones that Don’t have the Visible “Cleanout Screw” If you look closely on the Opposite side you will see a Flush Plug that is NON Removable. It is doing the EXACT same thing as the Visible “Clean out” Screw, it connects the Powder Chamber/Fire Channel Hole over to, and under the Nipple. But instead of using a Removable “Clean Out“ Screw on these ones, They used a Solid piece of Rod Stock Material to Permanently plug the Hole, they then cut it off Flush and Blue over it.

This TC Breech Plug has the Visible, Removable “Cleanout Screw” I Personally LEAVE THESE ALONE!, There is NO NEED to remove this Screw for Cleaning. It was put there because it HAD to be, due to the Way they were made, Obviously They HAD to Plug this Hole somehow. You will see Below

Again, If your Rifle does NOT have the Visible Cleanout Screw, Look CLOSELY on the Opposite Side and you will Spot it, Sometimes they Blend in pretty good, But you will See it Here is a TC Renegade WITHOUT The Visible “Clean Out“ Screw on the Side, as i Explained above, this one comes in from the Opposite Side, and is Cut off Flush, Then blued over. It is NOT uncommon to see a Small Gap around the edge of these Flush Cut plugs, like this.

Here you can see the Cut-Away Breech plug (Right) and the Barrel piece (Left) I simply popped them Apart for this Photo tutorial

Red Arrow Pointing at the Patented Breech/Powder Chamber

TC made a “Scraper Tool“ to fit perfectly inside their Patented Breeches to Scrape out any Crud that Might Build up here, But fact is, if you Clean properly, There will be NO CRUD Build up here, I rarely ever use my TC Patented Breech Scraper Tool, the Times i have, i have got NOTHING, Which means i am Properly Cleaning, Drying, Oiling, Protecting my Barrels

Now Here is how they made these things, They Drilled down through the Bottom of the Patented Breech/Powder Chamber at an Angle, But as you can see they were not able to Meet up under the Nipple, Pretty hard to Drill around a Corner So they went at this angle straight down to the Proper Depth to meet up with the Nipple, Then drilled across to meetup (See next Photo)

Now they had to Drill Across the Breech plug, Going under the Nipple, and over to Connect with the “Fire Channel“ Hole in the photo above

Now that they have the Holes Connected, This leaves a WIDE OPEN Hole in the Side of the Breech Plug, They had NO CHOICE But to Tap this Hole, and use a Plug to Fill it, This is where the Term “Cleanout Screw” Comes from, It is Put there because it HAD TO BE in order to Close off that Hole. Again, it is NOT NECESSARY To Remove this Screw for Cleaning, it is better left WELL ENOUGH ALONE

And another photo, this time with a Nipple in place

 

[Idaholewis]

When you hear me Say that the Green Mountain Breech Plugs are SUPERIOR in Design to the TC’s, This is what i mean. Green Mountain Breech Plugs have a Large Patented Breech/Powder Chamber That goes all the way down to the Nipple, Then simply Drilled Straight across, under The nipple to enter the Powder Chamber, and a “Cleanout screw” to Plug the Hole

 

[fourbore]

Nice post. I have never removed the clean out screw, but; seems like a happy accident of manufacturing to have that. And same goes for the Green Mountain. I think my cleaning has been adequate without removal. There maybe used guns out there with a good bore and plugged breech. Maybe? That screw strikes me as a better deal than a pressed in plug.

I have noticed that later style plug on the opposite side and wondered if that was a press fit or a screw. Either one could be finished flush. It could be a screw in plug?

 

[Matthew323]

Nice post. I have never removed the clean out screw, but; seems like a happy accident of manufacturing to have that. And same goes for the Green Mountain. I think my cleaning has been adequate without removal. There maybe used guns out there with a good bore and plugged breech. Maybe? That screw strikes me as a better deal than a pressed in plug.

I have noticed that later style plug on the opposite side and wondered if that was a press fit or a screw. Either one could be finished flush. It could be a screw in plug?

It is a screw in plug that has been ground flat. Too many people buggered up the threads like Lewis has said trying to remove them without gunsmithing screwdrivers, creating warranty issues.

T/C then transitioned to the breech plug w/o the visible screw. End of warranty issues.