Frozen Bolster on Muzzleloading Rifle

[BSA1]

ARGGG!


I have encountered a difficult problem with a Traditions Percussion Hawken rifle. I have stripped the bluing off of the barrel with intentions to brown the metal. My problem is I can not remove the Powder Drum Bolster (proper name?) from the barrel. This is the part that the nipple screws into and the part then screws into the barrel.


I have had it soaking in PB Blast for months with off and on attempts to unscrew it without any success. At this time about the last thing I can try is to clamp a pair of Vise Grips on it and hopefully break it free. The problem is in doing this I will probably mar and damage the Powder Drum beyond use.

I want to remove the part to finish sanding the barrel and to apply a uniform coats of browning solution.


So I have two questions;


Any other suggestions about how to unscrew the Powder Drum without hopelessly damaging it?


Or where can I find a replacement part? I do not see this part in the Traditions parts diagram for their Hawken. The diagrams seem to show it already screwed into the barrel. Track of the Wolf lists Powder Drums but I need to know the correct size.

 

[FROGO207]

First try gently heating the barrel area around it with a torch and see if it breaks free. Call the factory and see if the part you need is able to be purchased. It may need to be fitted to that rifle though depending on where the threads start.

 

[Nappers]

From what I am told, those drum threads get filled up with carbon and very difficult to remove. Just like the nipples, only hand tighten as those threads get filled up and difficult to remove. I would block off the hole for the nipple and fill with an oil, PB Blaster etc. overnight....

 

[BSA1]

Do I apply the heat to the barrel or to the powder drum?

Since the heat causes the threads to expand it will be easier to heat the powder drum.

Nappers,

The inside of the drum is clean. I have removed the nipple and bolster screw. It is the exterior screw threads that are frozen.

 

[Sunray]

Start here. http://stevespages.com/pdf/traditions-hawken-rifle.pdf
Says do not remove the Bolster/Drum from the barrel. The Drum is not sold separately. Voids the warrantee if you fiddle with it too. Vise grips will damage the thing anyway. I'm guessing it can be browned(bottom of the .pdf.) as is.

 

[Dog Soldier]

These rifles use the later patent breeches. The barrel breech incorporates the powder chamber. The percussion drum screws into the breech bolster. You may plug the nipple and pour a penetrating agent down the barrel to soak.

https://www.shootersforum.com/gunsmithing/37102-removing-percussion-drum-bolster.html

 

[1KPerDay]

Not sure if it's the kind of breech dog soldier mentions but if it's the CVA type the bolster is screwed in and then the passage drilled through the muzzle opening, so replacing them is problematic. It should just turn out lefty loosey, but if it's like mine you will have to use every trick in the book to get it out. Mine was not drilled properly from the factory and my gunsmith buggered it up trying to fix it. I didn't want to send it back to the factory because I had already plum browned it and it was a lot of work and looked great. Replacement bolsters are available and I'll look it up if the above suggestions don't pan out.

 

[BSA1]

Well Pooh!

The warranty is meaningless due to the age of gun. Besides I had to fix one of their big screw-ups.

The rifle came with adjustable sight. When I removed the adjustable sight I discovered why they put one on. They had horribly butchered the dovetail by cutting it to large and then used a chisel or screwdriver to displace enough metal is hold the sight in place. I carefully recut the dovetail larger with files so I can put a correct rear fixed sight on it. By recutting the dovetail I was able to remove most of the damage caused by the factory.

1KperDay I would appreciate it if you can get me the right size drum and thread pitch. While it sounds like I will just live with the leaving the powder drum in place I may take a more aggressive approach after I have a replacement drum. Reading about replacement drums it warns about a drum already cut for the nipple may not line up correctly. The brown finish will not be as uniform as I would like but it will easily pass causal inspection as the sight dovetail it still shows a little damage caused at the factory.

 

[Stony]

Over the years I've found I had better luck bead blasting a barrel before browning it. It gives it a more uniform finish and you can blast around the bolster without a problem. A light blast with sand will work just as well.

 

[1KPerDay]

Some info here may help
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ed-off-drum-bolster-from-hawken-rifle.431438/

this has pic of how the bolster fits on this type (if yours is this type)
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/cva-breech-plug.329660/

As for the right thread pitch etc. I'd call Dixie. I THINK they were the ones where I finally found a replacement bolster that got my CVA back up and running. I have tried several searches but I can't find the original thread where this forum helped me locate the company to help me. sorry

 

[1KPerDay]

Wait! Think I may have accidentally found some info for you.

this thread

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/cva-kentucky-pistol-please-help.177299/#post-2215249

says dixie has replacement CVA bolsters

place an order with Dixie Gun Works for (1) replacement CVA bolster (P/N NP0905) with 10 X 1.25 mm threads

DISCLAIMER: I have no idea if the traditions is the same or whether this bolster will solve your issues. Please double check with dixie and don't blame me.

 

[Dog Soldier]

http://www.google.com/patents/US6532692

 

[entropy]

Leave it on and do as Dog Soldier said in post #6. I agree with stony's comment-It would look nice beadblasted. I didn't do my pistol kit that way, and I even had access to a blaster. Wish I had.

 

[BSA1]

Thank you for all of the replies and links.

After researching and reading I have decided against trying to remove the Powder Drum. The difficulty to remove the Powder Drum along with trying to find the correct replacement part and trying to get the hole for the nipple lined up correctly convinced me this project is too hard.

I spent last evening sanding the Powder Drum to bare metal. I also filed a flat area on the exterior of the drum where the nipple screws in so the nipple doesn't sit so proud. I have a small amount of bluing to remove in a difficult area under the Powder Drum on the barrel then I am going to apply brown finish on it.

 

[BSA1]

p.s. All of that P.B. Blast did loosen a bunch of gunk that must of been in the Powder Drum and barrel. I ran a patch with Ballistol down the barrel, rotated the patch a couple of turns and it came back black. A couple of more wet patches and all is really clean now.