"Squirrel" Rifle Coming along.

[jh45gun]

Well a friend and I used his lathe today to drill out the center of 3   3/8th x24 bolts and drilled and tapped them for a size 12x28 nipple Standard nipple is 1/4x28 so this one is a bit smaller. This nipple is the size used on the TC Senca rifle and the Ruger Old Army Cap and Ball Pistol. I was supprised to see that a #11 percussion cap fit on it snug I figured it may have taken a size 10. Glad to see it takes the larger cap. We left the bolt head on so it will come out of the breech easy with a wrench for easy clean out. I felt as long as we were making one breech plug might as well make a couple of spares too that way I should never have to worry about burning out one as I will have extras though I would suspect the only issue would be the threads of the nipple wearing out as they can do over time, Though I suspect that would take a lot of shooting.  As you can see in the pics I am including here the hammer was altered when I got it with a hood or shroud what ever you want to call it to protect the cap area from flying cap metal. Here is a couple of pics.

[jh45gun]

Filed down a jamb nut to fit the gap between the bolt head and the barrel so it looks better and fills that gap and gives it more support.

[charlie45]

That looks like a neet project. What was the action you started with? Have you shot it yet? Did you hit what you shot at? Barrel & twist? and all the rest of the report
Ya got to love bp! :grin:

[toytruck]

Very nice!!  I wish somebody would make a breechplug that would accept the #11 cap for a T/C Encore!!!  If that is possible with the Encore firing pin setup......firing pin would most likely need to be redone as well.

You could make a mint if someone was so inclined....hint, hint. :-)