RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

The stuck item is most likely a jag with an oversized patch. I have been here and refuse to tell you how I cured the problem because we know not for sure what is behind the broken rod.

Send it off to T/C and ask for an estimate before they do the work. You never know they treat people real well there and even though this is obvious abuse they may fix it thinking an ill repaired barrel my be a liability.

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Sharp-I was looking for a 1:28 barrel.Nothing wrong with my 1:48 I just was wanting to try somthing different.Hmmm I wonder if that .54 would drop in? Here I go again.

Charlie

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Hey MikeAR - I just told my cousin about this, and he came up with an idea.
After you've saoked it in oil, how about removing the barrel, putting a piece of leather (or something) on the floor, and then repeatedly dropping the barrel, muzzle-first on it (just from a few inches, of course).This might jar the broken piece of rod and whatever else is in there out. You could keep checking for progress by inserting the rest of the rod.
Might besafer than shooting it out, but not near the fun!:D

IM jaybe :)

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Thanks everybody for all the help. I got REAL lucky and managed to clear the barrel.A wild thought came to me just as I was about to hit the sack last night, and it actually worked. The gun had been soakingin Blaster penetrating oil (Blaster wasthe only thingI could find on my way home from work Monday evening). Anyway, Igot a real long skinny flathead screwdriver, stuck it down the barreland tapped it with a hammer just enough to sink it into the end of the broken ramrod. It was a little tricky and it took a few tries. When it felt like the screwdriver was seated pretty good in the ramrod I started twisting and the damn thing unscrewed right off the end of the jag that was stuck in the breech. I then took my big heavy CVAbrass range rod (the one with the big silver handle), stuck it down the barrel andscrewed it on to the stuck jag. I pulled and pulled but it wouldn't budge. I got the hammer and tapped on the edge of the handle (back out toward the muzzle) and the stuck jag broke loose after the fourth or fifthgood solid tap. There was not a charge in the barrel. It was a little short, concave, knobby loading jag and a round cleaning patch.That thing was all the way at the bottom of the breech as far as it could go. Man, was I thrilled when that thing broke loose.

I got a bore mop and suctioned some freshpenetrating oil in and out real good and was getting real good flow in and out of the nipple. I probably made about 100 passes from one end to the other before I quit. The batteries were dead on my bore light so I didn't get to inspect it real good but from just shining it with a flashlight it looks like the bore is in real good shape. The lands are really clean and smooth looking but there is still a little rust in the grooves. I'll get my act together tonight and try to scrub it down (per Cayugad and other's instructions) and drop a bore light down there. I think the barrel is very shootable from what I can tell so far. Now my main problem is the nipple. It's still fused in there pretty good and I'm afraid to mess with it too much. I've got the whole thing soaking again today.

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Mike AR

Outstanding.... hope you get that nipple out - it will come eventually - next time you try to take it apply a little heat to it and tap it with a small brass hammer (like you were driving it into the bolster) then take the wrench to it... just a thought

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Sabotloader, I just got off the phone with a gunsmith and he gave me basically the very same advice as you. I'll give it a try. He also told me a story about a guy that brought in his "unloaded" .50 cal with arusty, stuck nipple several years ago. The guy assured him there was not a charge in the gun. He worked with it a few minutes and decided to apply a little heat.The moment he did, the gun saidBOOM...knocked a good sized chunk out of his shop wall and made him a little weak in the knees.

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Mike AR

Yes, i was assuming you have already cleaned the bore - I was thinking you said you had everything out of the bore... Drop a cleaning rod down the barrel to the breech if it bangs metal to metal you should be good to go - even if it hits lead it will not "bang" the same or bounce the same as it does off of steel.

good luck

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Oh yeah, my gun is completely empty for sure, positive. I bounced that big heavy range rod off the bottom several times.

That gunsmith just told me his little story to make 100% sure that my gun didn't have anything leftin there before I used heat, and to let me know that he'd never take anybody's word for it ever again without double checking.

RE: TC New Englander in BAD Shape
 

Mike- Good to hear you got it cleared.Also a good move to check with range rod to make sure.So many people overlook the simple things.In the case of the gunsmith simple could have gotten someone killed.There is no such thing as being too safe.My wife wonders why I check every gun when I take it out of the cabinet,when i checked it as I put it away.That's just me,the way i was taught.EVERY GUN IS LOADED UNTIL YOU CHECK IT YOURSELF.Now get that nipple out and get yourself some shooting time.I think you will enjoy it.

Charlie