Replacing breech plug on muzzle loader

[GregLaROCHE]

Removing it took a bit of heat, and a lot of force to remove it. All the threads are in good shape. I’m thinking of putting a few wraps of Teflon tape on it before assembling it. Is this a good way to reassemble it. Any other advice? Thanks!

[schutzen-jager]

either the silver or copper colored automotive Never Seize thread compound [ permatex is a supplier here, but there are others ] - jmho teflon tape will tighten the threads more + i do not know jf heat generated from firing will cause a problem - give the internal _ external threads a good cleaning before reassembly -

[Wilderness]

Greg - was this the one with the drilled through stuck bullet in it?

[LAGS]

I use Automotive Anti Seize stuff on my breech plugs.
I have also used Shotgun Choke lube for Anti Seize on them.
They both work well.
But I would not recommend Teflon Tape.
What model rifle is the one you are working on?
Some BP rifles are not good to pull the breech plug.
The tumbler if it has one are sometimes drilled and tapped into the side of the breech plug threads.
They sometimes are hard to get re aligned.
But the TC plugs get removed lots of times in my shop.
I also made barrel vise blocks and have the wrench adapter tool that fits the breech plug.
And on the adapter, I use a 20" crescent wrench.

[BLAHUT]

I would use one of the anti seize only......

[Vopie]

Gave up on anti seize many years ago, clean, lube threads, and apply teflon tape to breech plug threads. Stops gases from working into threads. Plug comes out with ease, no more carbon in threads to mess things up.

[GregLaROCHE]

Greg - was this the one with the drilled through stuck bullet in it?

Yes this is the one. I still haven’t cleaned it up yet. I’m thinking ahead with my question. I hope I don’t find too much metal has been corroded away, so I can still feel safe shooting it.

[schutzen-jager]

Vopie re post #6
just curious - would not the hot gases burn the teflon tape if it makes any contact with it ? - don't believe that a properly fitted breech plug allows gas to reach plug threads -

[Rapier]

The breach plug should seal when its threads and the barrel's threads, in and out, are clean. It the threads do not seal correctly, I would use synthetic grease on them to seal and never get hard and keep the threads lubed. That plug really needs to come out at every barrel cleaning, so you are never putting a BP together perminently. Cleaning without removing the breach plug is a waste of time and only leads to corrosion problems in the chamber end of the barrel. Old plugs were fairly loose so they could be removed by hand, today with, vices and with an octagon jaw adapter, no reason not to remove the breach plug to clean the barrel. The nipple should also be removed and cleaned if a precussion.

[GregLaROCHE]

I think I’m going to put never-seize on the breech plug, if I can find it. I know it’s around someplace, even if I haven’t seen it in ten years.

I know some people remove the breech plug each time when cleaning, but I’ve never seen anyone at my club doing so. We always remove the barrel and lock, then clean them with lukewarm water and dish soap.

The plug was probably put in 160 years ago when it was converted from a smooth bore flintlock to a rifled percussion cap. I doubt if it’s been out since then. After cleaning up the threads, I can screw it in by hand until half a turn before the alignment marks. When I put the plug in, it will be for the next generation to take out, not me.

[indian joe]

The breach plug should seal when its threads and the barrel's threads, in and out, are clean. It the threads do not seal correctly, I would use synthetic grease on them to seal and never get hard and keep the threads lubed. That plug really needs to come out at every barrel cleaning, so you are never putting a BP together perminently. Cleaning without removing the breach plug is a waste of time and only leads to corrosion problems in the chamber end of the barrel. Old plugs were fairly loose so they could be removed by hand, today with, vices and with an octagon jaw adapter, no reason not to remove the breach plug to clean the barrel. The nipple should also be removed and cleaned if a precussion.

r i d i c u l o u s................................................. ......

[LAGS]

I Do remove most of the breech plugs on the T C rifle barrels when I get the rifle to rebuild and restore.
But that is about it.
I have found some problems like a plug that the threads were all sized up and stripped out for some reason.
It did not look like the problem was from Rust.
I do also inspect the breech to see if the rear of the barrel is pitted from some previous owner not cleaning it properly.
When the breech plug is out.
I also do bore slugging on both ends and length of the barrels.
But now that I got a better Bore Scope.
I find a lot of that work isn't needed unless I see a potential problem like heavy putting down by the breech plug..
Those barrels with damage inside , then get sent to Hoyt to be fixed either by Re Boring or Re Lined to a original or different caliber or rifling twist.

[2152hq]

The face of the breech plug should be what fits uniformly and tightly against the shoulder of the bbl/bore breech down at the end of the threads.
That is what seals the breech and keeps any gases and crud from getting into the threads and causing rust.

The shoulder down in the bbl at the end of the threads needs to be cut squarely. The bbl threads also cut to the end.
The plug also a clean square end with close fitting threads.
But the fit of the very end of the plug to the bbl/bore shoulder is the most important and takes the most time to do and do correctly.
It's a spotting in procedure to get the plug to sit and seal completely around as it is seated.

Part of the job is making the plug seat correctly,,having the top flat of the plug tang line up with top bbl flat and also have the plug verticle bar right behind the threaded portion just lightly touch the rear bbl face as the plug is tightened up.

A little common grease on the plug threads before final assembly is a good thing for easy disassembly later.
That 'later' can be years later if nothing demands it being taken apart like a stuck ball.

Clean the bbl well when done shooting and all the crud will flush out of it whether a Flint or a Percussion.
A little soap in some water does it. Check the bore again the next couple of days

[curdog007]

This ^^^^^

In my career (I'm retired now) I fitted over 5000 breech plugs.
2152hq is on the money.

[schutzen-jager]

jmho - 2152hg is totally correct -