Breech Plug Spacer

[fishmusic]

I recently posted about my travails with a stubborn breech plug. I finally got the plug removed and checked the seal against the barrel. It does not touch the mating surface of the barrel. I went to the manufacturer and there advice was to insert a stainless or brass spacer between the breech and mating surface to seal the breech. It seemed a simpler solution than filing the barrel and refitting the plug. I measured the plug height and the depth of the mating surface in several places on the barrel and the average gap is about .018" I think a .020" brass spacer would solve this. What think you all?

 

[EC121]

I did it on a rifle in 1978. Worked fine.

 

[Nobade]

Most TC rifles have plugs fitted like that. I have done the same thing to several of them. I face off the bottom of the hole and the breech plug so I had a nice square sealing surface then turn and anneal a brass washer. A thou or so too thick and turn the plug into alignment and I know I have a good seal. It works well and keeps the cleaning patch from snagging in the gap as well as no fouling getting on the threads any more.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have heard that using a silver coin is a very good way to do that. And, you can buy gold sheeting for the spacer that will lend a touch of class to the rifle. For more better advice wait for one of our master builders to chime in. I'm just repeating what I have heard or read.

 

[Nobade]

Gold would work but nobody is ever going to see it and it's hard to work with being so soft not to mention expensive.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have made several brass spacers to fill the gaps in the breech plug barrel fit. They work well with about .001 compression.