We (mostly my wife) picked up a Harrington & Richards .45 cal muzzle loader huntsman. This is an older gun that I don't think that the new H&R will help me with (correct me if I'm wrong).

I would like to get this gun shooting. Issues:

I don't have a Primer removal tool (209) will someone else’s work?

Don't have a tool to unscrew the breech plug (it has two holes on either side of the nipple, guess that would be flash hole?, where you place the 209).. I think I can rig something up to get this out.

WHAT SIZE BALL... Guy at Sportsman’s guessed a .454 w a patch. This is way too big (if I get the breech plug out I'll slug it) I now have .010 lubed patches. Ball size recommendations??

The firing pin (really a large hunk of metal, nearly the size of the center of a 209) does not return after a hammer strike. Dry firing- it sticks (I know dry firing may be the cause). When igniting a 209, w/ no charge, it sticks and make opening the action was very hard. I have attempted cleaning with out disassembly, but I think I'm going to have to take it apart, I have some instructions form Old Greybeard site. Once apart any idea what I'll find, gunk burr, any recommendations on cleaning it up???

I’m really glad that my wife has taken an interest in this, and the gun has very nice furniture that may get donated to a new .50, if I can’t get this one going!!! She would really prefer to have this one as a shooter.

Thank for all help. Also, any issues with calling 90gr a MAX charge, strength of action??

Thanks

Nate

We (mostly my wife) picked up a Harrington & Richards .45 cal muzzle loader huntsman. This is an older gun that I don't think that the new H&R will help me with (correct me if I'm wrong).

I would like to get this gun shooting. Issues:

I don't have a Primer removal tool (209) will someone else’s work?

Don't have a tool to unscrew the breech plug (it has two holes on either side of the nipple, guess that would be flash hole?, where you place the 209).. I think I can rig something up to get this out.

WHAT SIZE BALL... Guy at Sportsman’s guessed a .454 w a patch. This is way too big (if I get the breech plug out I'll slug it) I now have .010 lubed patches. Ball size recommendations??

The firing pin (really a large hunk of metal, nearly the size of the center of a 209) does not return after a hammer strike. Dry firing- it sticks (I know dry firing may be the cause). When igniting a 209, w/ no charge, it sticks and make opening the action was very hard. I have attempted cleaning with out disassembly, but I think I'm going to have to take it apart, I have some instructions form Old Greybeard site. Once apart any idea what I'll find, gunk burr, any recommendations on cleaning it up???

I’m really glad that my wife has taken an interest in this, and the gun has very nice furniture that may get donated to a new .50, if I can’t get this one going!!! She would really prefer to have this one as a shooter.

Thank for all help. Also, any issues with calling 90gr a MAX charge, strength of action??

Thanks

Nate
Hi;
I have owned several of these rifles and still have a couple.If you have an old one there is no 209 conversion that I am aware of. Sounds like the nipple is gone. I can't remember the thread right now, But it is a common american sae thread.To get the breech plug out I use my leatherman multi tool. Sometimes if it has been in a long time you may have to heat barrel with a small propane torch. No the propane torch will not get it hot enough to do any harm unless you hold it in one spot too long and then it will mess up bluing. While hot give it a squirt of wd 40 and breech plug will come out. It is a right hand thread. It is common for firing pin to get "sticky" In these guns when not properly oiled. Just use some good gun oil on firing pin and work back and forth till it is free. I use a good spray cleaner when done and then oil pin. It is just "gunked up". There is actually a spring in there to return firing pin. I am sure some cleaning and oiling will fix pin. I believe these are a 1-60 rifling, I know my 58's are. I use a .440 round ball with a wonderlube patch. As for loads, Mine seem to like 75 grains of 3f with ball and 80 grains 2f with the Thompson maxi ball. These are a strong gun, You would be hard pressed to overload it. I don't believe the newer barrels will fit this action, I think they changed the firing pin set up so they don't line up right, But there is a website that you can email them and find out for sure. These are a great gun to shoot and all I ever had were accurate as any. Actions seem to loosen up on some but never hurt accuracy. Enjoy God Bless Steve

The huntsman did not have a primer but a nipple and cap that is why the firing pin (actually a secondary hammer) is so blunt to make ignition of the cap positive. The two holes in the breech plug are for a spanner wrench, measure the diameter of the holes and go to your local hardware with that information and buy a good spanner wrench with the right sized pins in it so you don't burr the holes. Most likely the advice you got from backwoodswalker on using heat to remove the plug will be a necessity as it sounds as if you will have to remove it to clean up the threads for the nipple. If you want you could take it to your local smith have him convert it to shoot the 209s for ignition. This will involve making the secondary hammer (firing pin) small so it will ignite the primer. It will need and adaptor made to make sure you get the proper spacing for this conversion.

Thanks for the info guys. I'll check the Breech hole for signs of threads for a nipple, but a 209 dropped right in, and went off.

I've been all over the H&R site looking for an email address, if anyone has this please share. All I have found is regular mail and Phone, and I have not been able to make the phone call during thier bussiness hrs.


I have oiled and oiled, and hot water rinsed and oiled and Hoppesed the action/firing pin....Think It's going to have to came apart to get clean.

Thanks again

Nate

I got it taken apart last night. some serious polishing of the firing pin and It’s hole got things to quit sticking.

I cheated and use the pliers trick to take out what I thought was the breech plug, only to discover the real breech plug under it. Had to use the heat trick to get that one moving, Looks like this one has been converted to 209s.

Hoping I can find some sort of tool to make removing the spent 209 easier. Any recommendations?

Going to try to find some .440 balls before the weekend and see how she shoots.

As a side note: I attempted to follow the instructions from Greybeard; However, I was unable to get the template to line up, so I punched out the pins free hand (Only got the end of a finger caught between the pin and punch once!).

If I can tear one of these down most folks can...

Thanks

Nate