muzzle loader input

[garbear]

I asked dixie gun works and track of the wolf about replacing my drum on my traditions hawken style muzzle loader. I got this rifle from cabelas back in 1992. Track of the wolf told me pasted from my email from both places.

Track of the Wolf, Inc.
18308 Joplin Street North West
Elk River, MN 55330-1773
Phone: 763-633-2500
Fax: 763-633-2550
Website: www.trackofthewolf.com

NEVER remove the drum from a Spanish made rifle.

If it has the long thread, cross drilled at the center to admit powder, only the factory can replace it.

Instead, order our 1/4-28 nipple #RST-S and #TAP-1/4-28-P and bottom tap #TAP-1/4-28-B. This may enlarge the existing threads in the existing drum enough to allow correct use.

If not, enlarge the 1/4-28 threads by .005" in increments, until you have a perfect thread. Use our #ROS-05-S oversize nipple and #TOOL-TAP-05 oversize tap, and the larger sizes if needed (probably not needed).

Thanks,

David


Dixie gun works
The only one we would have is stock number NP0905 $6.25.
Thank you,
DGW



I had already removed the drum who is right. I have thought maybe shortening by 2 inches buy a new breech plug and install. My breech plug hooks into the tang. I would rather just order a new drum then re drill the nipple hole. Would it be safe to remove my breech plug cut the barrel rethread for breech plug then drill and thread for the drum? This is now a project I'll have to relocate the barrel pin to match up to the stock if I shorten the barrel. I'll post some pics of what it looks like right now.


Thanks garbear
Pic below


http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/grizzlybeargar/muzzleloaderhelp002.jpg

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
I have removed three drums from my CVA barrels. Other than being rather hard to remove ,it went good. Put them back in too. I don't know why you want to remove the breech plug and shorten the barrel. You will likely have a devil of a time in removing the plug. They are in really tight and usually rusted too. I did manage to get one out and destroyed it in doing so. It has a metric thread .
If you must shorten the barrel at the rear,you would be far ahead to cut the breach end off. You could then buy a new plug from several scources. You would have to file the hook to fit . Even doing that would be far ahead workwise than in trying to remove and then refit the orginal plug.
n.h.schmidt

[n.h.schmidt]

I went back and reread what you were saying. Buying the DGW replacement drum would save you a ton of work.Deer Creek may have them too. Is your barrel in otherwise good condition?
n.h.schmidt

[garbear]

Yes the barrel if fine. The barrel has some pitting but most of the rust is gone from brothers shooting and not cleaning. She has been shooting great since I cleaned up. I spent weeks to get her to where she is now.

I shot her last week and had a nipple come out. decided to replace the drum with a new one. I had removed the drum then emailed the above companies to find the correct drum. There are not bulges cracks or anything like that. The load that casued my nipple to come out had been shot before. The load was 68 grains (measured in brass powder measure) T7 FFF, 370 grain maxi ball from lyman mold pure lead, and a musket cap. I normally shot 2 loads in her. rb, maxi ball.
I think I'll get a new drum then drill and tap for the nipple. Stay with a #11 nipple. since i see no advantage over musket caps.

[gnoahhh]

I could be wrong, but that sounds like a pretty stiff load. Makes me wonder if that wasn't the main reason the nipple blew off in the first place. I fire charges of 70gr. black powder, but with a round ball that weighs about 1/2 of that slug. Correct me if I'm wrong fellas.

[northmn]

I saw a blown nipple at a match one time the guy was shooting a 54 with 150 grains of GOEX 3f. When you use slugs you should use 2f. Actually when I hear about nipple erosion in slug guns I always wonder if 2f may not be getting pretty hot as a lot of oldtimers used 1f behind slugs. Get your new drum if you can and then consider a lighter load.

DP

[garbear]

thanks i'll stick with lite loads after i get get her fixed.

[Maven]

garbear, +1 on the lighter loads. Also, I just went to Dixie Gun Works' website and searched for "nipple & drum." They offer many different ones with different threads. Take a look at this:

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/advanced_search_result.php?osCsid=4dae37561765cf45 84396dea8b7c1c51&keywords=nipple+%26+drum&x=5&y=9

[garbear]

This is the one the salew rep said would work for my rifle. I am not sure how to index it so it lines up with the hammer

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=5800&osCsid=fc001818f088e2eb0d4c48afe52f33d4


garbear

[KCSO]

Track is right IF the drum is the one that screws through the breech plug, usually you can tell because they have NO flats for a wrench. I have replaced a number of them but I made tooling to re drill the powder hole. I screw in a new made drum and then drill and tap for a nipple and THEN drill the powder channel in the barrel with a piloted LONG drill. This is just how the factory does it. I don't much care for the Track method as you end up with two sets of threads holding the drum in, but it can be done that way and seems to work. Just remember that you now have threads in the breech to collect fouling and retain moisture.

[garbear]

No flats on the drum. more to think about before I make my final choice. Maybe I should just scrap the barrel and order a new barrel from green mountain barrels. I could order 2 barrels one in a 50 and one in a 32 then just swap barrel when I want too. I look at this as an oppertunity to learn so keep up with the suggestions
Garbear.

[stubshaft]

How badly were the threads in the drum screwed up? Couldn't you just retap for a larger thread and install a different nipple.

[garbear]

They don't look very good. I have already removed the drum and it isn't in the best shape after removing.

[gnoahhh]

I really like the idea of buying a replacement Green Mountain barrel. No worries about less-than-perfect threads plus probably a more accurate barrel to boot. Then, a good quality lock. Then, a new stock. You'll have the gun that Traditions should have built in the first place! Just kidding! ( I would go with the Green Mountain barrel though!)

[DIRT Farmer]

I have had the best luck lining every thing up by using a drum not drilled for the nipple. After the drum is installed. mark the drum for the nipple and drill and tap it. The last one I installed started as a good grade bolt, worked down, anf threaded. this left the bolt head to tighten it then the flash hole was drilled and threaded, the nipple located drilled and tapped.