TC Renegade Breech Plug

[HoboBob74]

Would i wan't to remove the breech plug when doing a normal cleaning or just if i was repairing?

 

[ranger335v]

I really don't know. But the breech plug in my 35 year old TC .54 Renegade has never been off.

I ALWAYS take the nipple out and give the barrel a GOOD hot water & soap flush and brass brushing after shooting, inside and out. Then it soaks in a hot bath tub of water for a half hour or so. Then I drain it, run a dry patch down the bore and flush it with a good, heavy squirt of WD40 before running a couple more dry patches through to take out the last bits of water. Finally, I finish off with a good gun oil and put it away in dry safe. I've never had a visible spot of rust on or in ol' Betsy. Yet.

(I think the WD - Water Displacing - 40 flush has a lot to do with lifting out the last few drops of water. WD40 is a lousy gun lube and a poor rust preventative but that's really not what it was made for.)

 

[arcticap]

It supposedly requires a TC factory wrench and will probably void the TC lifetime warranty if someone removes it and runs into problems.

 

[Chawbaccer]

I knew of somebody removing theirs from a TC Hawken and upon putting it back on the flats didn't line up.

 

[Plink]

You don't need to debreech a barrel for cleaning. Get a .30 caliber cleaning brush and it'll get into the powder chamber of the patent breech. Also you can get a breech scraper that is made to fit the T/C breech. Most any muzzleloader supplier like Dixie, T/C, Track of the Wolf, etc., has it. If you flush plenty of water through it, it'll rinse out the corrosive salts. Debreeching is usually only done in a repair situation.

 

[Slamfire]

I am aware from reading North South Skirmishers forums that some of those guys remove their breech plugs, maybe once a year. I do not know if it is a wide spread practice. One friend recommended unscrewing the breech plug, cleaning the threads and barrel end, and installing with anti sieze grease. This is something I have not done to my muskets.

I have a Thompson center Renegade and I called TC to find out if they sold a breech plug wrench, well not any more. They use to, I have a TC breech plug wrench for a smaller barrel than my Renegade, and they don't make that one either anymore.

I suspect that someone took a breech plug off, did something stupid in putting it on, and they were sued. I really don't know if pulling the breech plug is a good idea or not, but I would like to take it off once and see if there is rust or crud in the breech.

Wish I could provide a suggestion to an alternate wrench, but I can't.

 

[MutinousDoug]

Not only do you need a breechplug wrench (which I have), but an 8 pt socket to wrench on.
I have the breechplug wrench and still couldn't get the breechplug out with the barrel clamped in an 8" vise. 12 pt socket on a cheater is NOT a solution either. Don't ask.:banghead: Breechplug intact after 25 years.
Breechplug wrench for sale: reasonable offers considered.

 

[Phillip Allen]

don't remove the plug...when I build a rifle I use antisize compound (Coppercoat) when I put it together for the last time...it won't come out again until rebarreling if then...same for the little clean out plugs which are not clean out plugs but left over from the manufacturing process (generally). clean with hot soapy water (dish soap) then pour a tea kettle of boiling water through to rinse followed by drying inside and out with towells and dry patches...lay it aside for long enough to cool down and add oil inside and out...treat the threads on the nipple with light grease applied with a tooth pick...put it together and leave it alone...