JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
17
Reactions
33
I decided to use this old Roached out .50 Cal Renegade barrel for educational purposes, I thought of sending it to Hoyt for a Rebore, Maybe Relined? But decided against it, This Barrel actually shot well, But had to many things going against it, it was drilled and Tapped for See Through scope mounts, 3-4" of the Bore down at the Breech end was in HORRIBLE condition. I completely stripped the barrel of it's parts and used them on a REALLY nice old .54 Cal Renegade barrel i had tucked under the Bed, I didn't buy this Rifle for the barrel (I suspected it would be junk) i bought it for the Stock and accessories for a Brand New Green Mountain LRH Barrel in .54 Cal (Affectionately known as my "White Wale" Barrel) Which i now have fitted in this Stock and ready for a test Run :s0155:

The Reason this old .50 Cal barrel shot decent is the riflings were good from the Crown, down about 20" or so, In other words The bullet had a NASTY 3-4" To get through upon Take off, and then the Riflings were good to the Crown. Cleaning this thing would have continued to be a Nightmare, Just not worth the Hassle

Enough Explanations as to why i did this :)


Top view

DuEF3FZ.jpg


Flipped over

lfDJ2UV.jpg


Another view, This Particular Breech plug had the Clean out screw on the Side as you can see, and you can See through the nipple Hole here, The Fire Channel leads directly to, and under the Nipple

jqWvR9G.jpg


Now here is a View of my .50 Cal Cleaning Jag, as you can clearly see the Jag Stops on The Shoulders of the Breech plug, it can NOT get in the Patented breech just behind it.

UP5SCWI.jpg


TC makes a Fouling "Scraper" Tool, Here it is, as you can see it is Rounded and designed to fit in their U Shaped "Patented Breech"

Rqu1zjs.jpg


Here is the TC Tool inside the Patented Breech, again this is designed as a "Scraping" Tool, I rarely use mine, when you clean Properly it really isn't necessary, But DEFINITELY doesn't hurt to use it! After all TC designed it for their Rifles :s0155:

tk38n4t.jpg

By the pics above you can CLEARLY see what you are working with, It is ABSOLUTELY Vital that you Clean, and properly Care for this Critical Breech end! Here is where 99% of Hangfires occur in a TC Sidelock Muzzleloader! After i clean my Rifles, and oil them liberally, Oil gets in the Patented Breech and Fire Channel, All is Good, i want that oil in there when my Rifle is Sitting with a Folded Patch Between the Hammer and Nipple to Catch excess oil. When i get ready to Load a Rifle, i Pull the Nipple, Run a Few Dry patches down the Bore to Absorb Excess Oil, I then Point the Nozzle of my Air Compressor attachment Inside the Nipple hole with barrel pointed straight Down And i BLAST Compressed air through the Nipple Hole, As you can see by my photos above this Compressed Air is FORCING excess oil OUT of the Fire channel, I also Blow The nipple out really good as well. I then Run a Few more Dry patches, Then i Pop 1-2 Caps straight through with the Muzzle pointed down, i Run 1 more Dry Patch, And i am ready to Load my Rifle. Since i started the above method i have yet to have a Cold bore Hangfire, My rifles go off IMMEDIATELY :s0155:
 
Hopefully this helps folks That don't have a Clue what these things look like inside, The Ole Renegade Barrel Payed the Ultimate price for it :)

When you clean these Sidelock barrels, Use a bucket of Tap Water, Dunk the Breech end in the Bucket, When you push a Patched jag down the Bore to the Breech Plug Shoulder "Stop" and Draw it Back out slowly it pulls Water back up in the Bore, i pull back about 12" or so and then RAPIDLY push the Rod back in til it Stops on the Breech Plug Shoulder, this "Rushes" Water back through the Patented Breech and Fire Channel, Do this several times. You don't need any special tools to do the Job, just a proper Jag and Good fitting Patch. Some say A bore brush is not Necessary, But I personally like them, i use ONLY the good "Loop Through" Style brushes, Either Bronze, or Nylon. AVOID the press fitted brushes in a Sidelock, they are an accident waiting to happen, they can, and will Pull apart! It's a bad feeling when you have a Brush Bottomed out in your barrel and you pull your cleaning rod back out to find the Brush is no longer attached to your Cleaning Rod 😲 I had it happen 1 time, luckily i was able to get it without much problem. If this ever happens, use a Copper tube that just fits inside the Bore, push it down and "Over" The brush, it will come Back inside the Tube. Avoid this problem by using a Loop Through brush in the First place :s0155:

Here is what i use, "Loop Through" and i use both the Bronze and Nylon, Notice how the Wire loops through the Ferrel end, These will NOT pull apart :s0155:

4dodvnM.jpg


This is a Press fitted brush, AVOID these in a Sidelock Muzzleloader! They are an accident waiting to Happen
2gYgLZm.jpg




I shoot a TON, Therefore i go through LOTS of Patches, You can go to a Thrift store and get a Lifetime supply of Old Cotton T Shirts and cut them up in to Patches the Size/Sizes you need. I use a Piece of Plexi Glass and a Fabric cutter i got from Walmart that works like a Dream, i can cut up a BUNCH of Good patches in no time!
 
Here is my cleaning video. My cleaning Rod is a Stiff 3/8" Treso Fiberglass Ramrod (Slick coated) i got mine at Buffalo Arms, they come in 8-32 Thread, and 10-32, All of my Muzzleloader stuff is 10-32, These Rods are REALLY long and designed to be cut down to a length of your Choice, My longest barrels are 32" i cut my Rod to 36-37" So i have extra "Handle" room to get ahold of good. I also have a Solid Brass Range/Cleaning Rod i had made by October Country, It is a really nice Rod, but i don't use it that much due to it being extremely heavy, I use it more as a Range Rod for loading tight fitting Conicals. I highly advise the Use of a Longer Designated Range/Cleaning Rod for Cleaning rifles. Some folks use the Ramrods that came with their Rifles, I don't like this for cleaning or Range use due to their Short length (For Hunting they work Great) they don't leave you enough to hold on to when seated against the Breech Plug, makes for an Easy way to get your RamRod Stuck in your rifle when using a Tight fitting Patched Jag. I also use Treso Jags for each Caliber, they are Solid Brass but have Steel thread inserts and they won't break, Solid brass Jags with Brass threads can Break off in your barrel


Here is the Copper Chore Boy i spoke of in my Cleaning Video above, Make DARN sure it is the Pure Copper stuff! Chore Boy brand makes a few different types, Stainless being 1 of them. You want the Pure Copper Chore Boy :s0155: When Wrapped Around an Old Bore brush this Stuff REALLY gets with Cleaning a NASTY bore! From Leading, to a Neglected Rusty Bore. A properly maintained Muzzleloader does not need this, This is Geared toward a Leaded, Rusty Bore. Of course this is NOT gonna remove/fix Pitting, But it will sure get with Surface Rust, and any possible Leading. To Date i have NOT had ANY issues with Leading in any of my Muzzleloaders Shooting Grease Groove bullets, Good lube, and an 1/8" Wool felt OP Wad and you are Good :s0155:

Y7KoUwl.jpg


Here is an Old Bore brush i have wrapped in Copper Chore boy, Cut it with Scissors, pull it apart, Whatever it takes to Get pieces of it that you Can tightly Wrap Around the Old Bore Brush, Make DARN sure to use a GOOD LOOP THROUGH Bore brush as i have pictured above, Those press fitted types should be outlawed, They are JUNK for Sidelock Muzzleloaders

SQEjswY.jpg
 
Lock removal and Cleaning, Steam cleaner at the end


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 :s0155: 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
 
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

luwZir7.jpg


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

j8dv3v2.jpg


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 to the Nipple Hole.

3p9hEPi.jpg


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

0i96R4g.jpg
 
Last Edited:
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
26yibNU.jpg



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.


X9Qb5He.jpg



Here you can see the Cut-Away Breech plug (Right) and the Barrel piece (Left) I simply popped them Apart for this Photo tutorial :s0155:


uc6OeHl.jpg



Red Arrow Pointing at the Patented Breech/Powder Chamber


TlgYL4J.jpg



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 :lewis:


s3nCg1N.jpg



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)


f4FgV1o.jpg



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


VsDUMfE.jpg



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


WW74Zbb.jpg



And another photo, this time with a Nipple in place

FjVFrCx.jpg
 
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


7gjFnYn.jpg
 
This is an item that every Muzzleloader guy should own, They are cheap, and EXTREMELY Effective at Cleaning, A little Handheld Steam Cleaner :s0155: NOTHING Cleans like the Power of Steam!


qRIjDN2.jpg

Steam Cleaning my Breech plug from my Old Knight Mountaineer (I don't have an inline anymore, Just Sidelocks :))
T5L9rH3.jpg

lhrOOgj.jpg

Like Brand New again in just a Few minutes
isQfMDM.jpg
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top