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Author Topic: Huntsman basket case...suggestions???  (Read 1129 times)

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Offline Sourdough

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Huntsman basket case...suggestions???
« on: April 29, 2004, 08:55:22 AM »
My suggestion.  Turn it into a wall hanger.  I know that sounds kind of hard and uncaring but I have my reason's for saying that.  The old Harrington & Richardsons had a serious problem, the gun opened and the breech plug would come flying out.  I've talked to several people who had this problem with their's.  Just last year a young fellow found an old .58 Huntman in a gun shop.  He bought is took it home and cleaned it up.  He then took it shooting.  Luckily he only got a scalp lasceration and a big lump.  He did spend some time in the Hospital for observation.  His became a wall hanger.  This problem is why Harrington & Richardson was taken to court and went bankrupt.  Like I said make it a wall hanger, they look nice hanging over a fireplace, or on the den wall.  My Dad has one hanging on the wall beside the Den door, looks like it is just ready to grab and take hunting.  Dad poured lead down the barrel so none of his grandkids would be tempted to try and shoot it.  More than once he has caught Great Grandkids taking it outside to check it out.
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Offline gone-hunting

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Huntsman basket case...suggestions???
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2004, 04:16:28 PM »
I am not sure exactly what you are talking about when you say the breech plug has problems. I have an old H&R in 58 cal and the breech screws in. The only problem I had with it is the big round firing pin was not reliable with #11 caps. Modified the nipple to accept a 209 shot gun primer and the igniton problem has been solved. This 58 drives tacks and did when it was purchased in 1971. Explain the breech problem please.
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Offline stuffit

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.58 caliber Huntsman
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2004, 07:44:07 PM »
I bought one back in the early to mid 70's and it has a screw in breech plug.  If it's cleaned after each session, there is no problem with the weapon, though it does require extra attention to keeping the nipple clean. My means of enhancing ignition was to prime the nipple with a little fast burning ball powder before putting the nipple on.  Worked good.  It is deadly accurate with round balls (bagged a few cat-squirrels early on when getting the hang of the gun) and, somewhere along the line, I picked up a Lee mould for a flat point mini that has been a consistent one shot killer on whitetail.  I wouldn't trade it for a basket full of speckled puppies.  If you can get another .58 caliber barrel on it, I guarantee you'll sho like it.
 8)
stuffit
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Offline Sourdough

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Huntsman basket case...suggestions???
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2004, 08:16:33 PM »
Maybe you fellows have a later revised model.  The ones I was familure with had a breech plug fitted with an O-ring, and was just pressed in place.  The closed action was supposed to hold it in place during firing.  As the guns aged and the actions got loose they quite holding.  They started flying open and the breech plug would fly out.  Sometimes with desastous results.
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Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
What Is A Veteran?
A 'Veteran' -- whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact.

Offline maddmaxx

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breachplugs in old huntsman
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2004, 05:09:56 AM »
The old huntsman had 2 styles of breachplugs. The first style was threaded and quite secure. The later style was O ring.   But if the breachplug was drilled out without harming the threads, a barrel lug can be silver-soldered in place and a new breachplug installed, (if everything else is ok). I had one of the later kinds, (.58),  and while it was accurate enough to graze a squirrel's head without damaging the meat, (still have the hide from that one), it seemed every time I went for a deer, I got jinxed! Never thought about a shotgun primer. But I never liked the O ring system. Have a friend with one who snagged a cap closing it. He got off lucky with slight powder burns. "Wall-hanger" is a good choice!
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