Percussion Drum Installation

[burch]

I finally got a new drum for my percussion rifle. I`m guessing that to install it I need to line up the hammer with the nipple in place and center everything both on the side and front to get the hammer as centered on the nipple as possible.  I`m also guessing that locktight will work to keep it all in place. If i`m wrong here please chime in or any suggestions will be appreciated.

           Burch

[Sir Michael]

My experience with cap guns before I went flint was that once the drum was installed tight there was a jig you can get to line everything up.  The jig may also line up the drum as well.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com

Can't post a direct link but go to gunsmithing and then tools you'll find it there.

After drilling and tapping the barrel for the drum and the drum for the nipple, apply anti-seize to the threads of the drum and screw it back in tight and the same with the nipple.  That way you can get them out to clean or what ever.  

Attaching a cleaning tube to the drum or even the barrel directly makes cleaning a pinned barrel a snap.

OH BTW don't use locktite on any part of a rifle its just asking for trouble.

[Captchee]

Micheal is correct .
 myself i hate trying to install a pre drilled Drum bolster  into an exsisting  drilled barrel .
 the only way it will work is if the threads are indexed . other wise when you tighten up the bolster , you may just find the nipple is pointing down or forwards .

 pick up a  un drilled bolster . then get the  drill and alignment jig .
 tighten the boster down so its shoulder seals to the barrel  flat .
 then  mark  the hammer angle . place the jig on the bolster and drill it . thats the best way IMO

[Three Hawks]

When I converted my T-C Hawken from flint to percussion I hadn't got my lathe yet so I bought an undrilled drum that was threaded to fit the flash hole in my barrel.  I screwed the drum into the flash hole, snugged it up, then filed the clearance in the lock plate so the barrel would drop into the stock.  

Then I carefully allowed the hammer to rest on the drum, using a sharpie to mark the outline and center of the hammer face on the drum and a straight edge to mark the end of the drum for the angle of the hammer face.   I set up a vee block under the drill on my drill press so I got as accurate a hole into the center of the drum as I could.   Then I reamed it with a tap drill and tapped it.  After I got the drum back in the barrel  and the nipple in the drum, everything lined up fine.   All this seemingly took less time to do than describe.

I haven't had a misfire since I got a nipple with the right length threaded portion. ([size=75]knock wood[/size]).  A drum requires a much shorter threaded part of the nipple than a snail bolster.  

Three Hawks

[Captchee]

i can see how that would work .
 with the jig though , you can actualy drill the hole with a hand drill . it has an insetr that spins  with the drill . it also has a  set screw on the bottom that tightens the jig up tight .

 pretty nifty set up really . IMO well worth the money

[Three Hawks]

I looked at the jig and decided since I intended to do it one time only I'd go with my micrometer eyeballs and if I ruined the drum I'd only be out about a buck and a half.  Looks like I made the right decision that time anyway.  If I was going to do it repeatedly, I'd definitely invest in the jig.

I've actually done it one time since, only I made a drum out of a piece of a 1/2" grade 8 bolt instead of buying one.   It works fine.

I have to laugh, though.   Since I bought my $350.00 lathe,  $500 mini mill and $600 in tooling I've used 'em  to make roughly a hundred bucks worth of parts.  That's apparently working out well.

TH

[burch]

Well as luck would have it, I simply screwed in my new drum and the dang thing tightened up and lined up perfect, Go Figure.    Now, can you guys say you`ve had that kind of luck before ?

[Captchee]

nope cnt say that . i dont think i have ever had one , Excluding replacements for production guns , that has screwed in and aligned up perfectly. For that mater  even close LOL .
 

PS
Three Hawks

 if you have  a Mill . that jig is so simple to make , you wouldnt believe it

[burch]

After reading some of the replies on this I was having nightmares. Maybe it was the prayer I sent up.  

[Three Hawks]

After reading some of the replies on this I was having nightmares. Maybe it was the prayer I sent up.  

Withdraw all your savings.  Buy lottery tickets.

TH