Breach Plug on Side-Lock

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Still-n-Quiet

Still-n-Quiet

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San Antonio, TX
Anyone ever find a way to remove the breach plug from an older "Hawkins" style side-lock? I have a 54 cal. that I like, but it hangs up my cleaning patches when I get near the bottom of the barrel. I'd really like to open it up and do a thorough cleaning and see what the issue is.

Any suggestions?
 
elauwit said:
I wouldn't try to take it out. Have you tried running a cleaning worm down it. I knew a guy fired his without it being cleaned before loading. It had some oil left in the bolster and caked up the powder like concrete. Does yours have the screw going through the side. Some older models did and you can try cleaning it out that way if it does.
Click to expand...

I think mine is as you describe, with the screw. So how would a cleaning worm (not sure what it is) clean out hard, caked on material?

Thanks!
 
Pour you a little oil down the barrel and let it set a few days, then get you a fouling scraper and put on the end of your ramrod. Then just drop it down your barrel and put a little pressure on it as you turn the ramrod. Turn the barrel upside down and let the gook run out. Plug your nipple hole up and fill your barrel with very hot water with dishwashing soap and let set a few mins. Repeat a couple of times. Then just clean it as you normaly would.
 
Thanks, smokin! I'll give that a try. It does seem to "catch" the cleaning patch just before hitting bottom. As if there is a snag about 1 inch from the bottom. Same procedure work, you think?
 
Most if not all side-lock ML were not intended to have the plug removed, so they were assembled without grease or anti-seize in the threads of the plug. The metal will chemically bond and you won't be able to remove it without destroying the barrel, unless it is very fresh and has been removed repeatedly.

If you forget to grease the plug of your inline, shoot it, and leave it together for a year, and you may not be able to remove it, either.
 

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