1863 Trenton Rifle

[Patrick Chadwick]

Sorry all, I slipped into Engleutsch again. NIPPLE is what I meant!

The message was, if even a part that is supposed to be regularly removed becaomes baked in hard pretty quickly, then it is extremely unlikely that a breech plug (or indeed any threaded joint) is easily removable after 150 years.

Hence the conclusion that someone probably had a good reason to do so fairly recently, and it would be a good idea to check the serviceability of the barrel.

And in spite of my linguistic confusion, I am happy to see that you also agree that the plug should not be easily removable.

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[gew8805]

Sorry all, I slipped into Engleutsch again. NIPPLE is what I meant!

Ah! I see. Using "old" American English, I call it the cone.

The message was, if even a part that is supposed to be regularly removed becaomes baked in hard pretty quickly, then it is extremely unlikely that a breech plug (or indeed any threaded joint) is easily removable after 150 years.

Hence the conclusion that someone probably had a good reason to do so fairly recently, and it would be a good idea to check the serviceability of the barrel.

And in spite of my linguistic confusion, I am happy to see that you also agree that the plug should not be easily removable.

You are absolutely correct, if the breachplug can be removed by finger pressure only or even if it can be easily unscrewed using a vice and an 8 inch Crescent wrench, there is serious trouble ahead.

So, ncblksmth1 in answer to your question "Incidentally is the tang plug/screw supposed to come out of the barrel easily?", then no, most definitely not.

BTW, if I am not mistaken, your rifle musket was once the property of the State of New Jersey.