I have a problem that I need your input on. I am a maintenance mechanic/metalworker and I thought I'd nearly seen it all. I got a great deal on a .58 cal. reproduction Zuave from a co-worker and brought it home only to find that it had some neglect problems. The nipple was frozen in place so I soaked it in penetrating oil for two days and still twisted it off in the breechplug. No big deal there.I can get that out . Then I realized that there was a blockage in the breechplug itself. I soaked it in penetrating oil thinking that I could unscrew it after a good week or so of sitting and soaking in. I clamped it in a padded vise and it would not budge. I heated it with a propane torch making sure that the barrel got more heat than the breechplug so it would expand before the plug did. Still no luck. Then I tapped around the perimeter of the mating joint with a brass hammer thinking that this may jar it so the penetrating spray could soak in the threads.I soaked it a few more days and no dice. I did see a ring of oil that managed to seep out around the mating surface and I thought for sure that it would come apart. Now I don't want to damage it, but am running out of ideas. Are there any manufacturers that use left- handed threads on their breechplugs? It is marked with a P over R. There is no drum or anything obvious that I see that would hold it from turning. I even looked for a lock pin and see nothing. And before anyone asks, No, it was not loaded. Thanks for any input. I usually figure these easy ones out on my own, but this one's got me.
-
This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.
Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades -
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Breechplug woes
- Thread starter mbw907
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,538
- Reaction score
- 80
DON'T BE SHY WITH THAT TORCH, AND HEAT THE BARREL UP AS HOT AS YOU CAN. EVEN USE AN ICE CUBE ON THE PLUG TO MAKE THE METAL SHRINK TO BREAK THIS FREE.I THINK YOU ARE USING A PRODUCT THAT IS MANY KEROSENE, AND THAT IS WHAT EVENTUALLY WORKS IT TAKES TIME, AND THEN HEAT. YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS. JUST DO THEM SOME MORE. ITS LEFTY, LOOSY, SO TURN THE PLUG COUNTER CLOCKWISE. ALSO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO USE A PIPE TO EXTEND THE LEVERAGE ON THAT HANDLE OF THE WRENCH YOU APPLY TO THE PLUG. A 3 OR FOUR FOOT EXTENSION MAY BE NEEDED TO BREAK THAT FREE. YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT SEEING THAT OIL SEEP OUT OF THE SEAM. PUT BREAKFREE, OR LIQUID WRENCH, OR JUST PLAIN KEROSENE DOWN THE BARREL AND LET THAT EAT AT THE RUST. YOU MAY HAVE A PLUG THAT WAS CROSS THREADED WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED. IF SO, THAT EXTENDED LEVERAGE WILL BE NEEDED.
Paul, I am using the penetrating oil "P.B. Blaster" because it seems to be the best thing I have found for rusty parts. I did not know if there may have been some company who dared to be different and use left-handed threads on their breech plugs. Thanks for the input. I will try again with a little more heat and a lot more force. I guess I could always repair the breech plug if I damage it too badly. I knew that you guys would let me know if I was headed in the right direction or not. Thanks :hatsoff: Shannon
I hope you dont have one of the Zouaves that had Brazed in Breechplugs........I read about them on the NSSA bulletin board.....Some Zouaves have the breech plug/tang screwed into the bolster,which in turn screws into the barrel.I'd extract whats left of the nipple and try to unblock the communication hole...........Not sure how the communication hole is situated,but one could drill a hole in the side of the bolster to help clear it and then tap and plug the hole.................Bob
JUST MY OPINION THE PB BLASTER IS GOOD STUFF! I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTOMOBILE TECHNICIAN. I HAVE USED THIS MANY MANY TIMES TO FREE FROZEN RUSTED PARTS. I WOULD BE CAREFUL WITH HOW MUCH TORQUE YOU APPLY TO THAT PLUG SO YOU DONT TWIST OR ROUND OFF THE PROTRUDING PARTS. THE HEAT AND TAP METHOD SHOULD WORK BUT ONCE TRY HEATING THE PLUG RATHER THAN THE BARREL AND LETTING IT COOL BEFORE TRYING TO TURN IT OUT. ALSO THE TAPPING AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE PLUG WORKS BUT USE ANOTHER HAMMER AS WELL. HOLD ONE HAMMER AGAINST THE BARREL DIRECTLY OPPOSITE WHERE YOU STRIKE WITH THE SECOND HAMMER. WORKS ON MANY MANY TIE ROD SLEEVES, PIPE FITTINGS, AND YES MY HAWKEN BREECH PLUG. BE SURE THERE IS NOTHING SCREWED THRU THE BARREL AND INTO THE PLUG MAKING A LOCKING CONNECTION SUCH AS THE NIPPLE OR SOME SUCH ARRANGEMENT AS THAT. GOOD LUCK!
twotoescharlie
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2005
- Messages
- 189
- Reaction score
- 1
KROIL
TTC
TTC
twotoescharlie said:
Me too! Kroil is #1.
Since you're lucky(?) enough in a shop, Slot a pc. of mild round stock to fit your tang. Mill a hex on the other end to fit your impact gun.
Keep the penetrant to it and just give it a "rattle" every once in a while.
Eventually, it'll come. The "rattling is the trick. It'll eventually break the rust bond as the penetrant weakens it.
Unless it's welded or brazed, it'll come. Time,,, be patient.
Just to make all of us worry worts here on the Forum happy, drop a ramrod down the bore and mark the muzzle location with a piece of tape.
Then lay it along side of the barrel and let us know how far it is from the end of the rod to the split line where the breech screws into the barrel.
As a wild guess, it should be about 5/8-3/4 inch. If it is much more than that, the thing may have a ball in there with, or without powder under it.
A year or so ago we had a guy who was heating his newly bought "used" gun barrel and it would have blown a hole in his driveway had it not been concrete.
Just call me concerned.
Zonie
Then lay it along side of the barrel and let us know how far it is from the end of the rod to the split line where the breech screws into the barrel.
As a wild guess, it should be about 5/8-3/4 inch. If it is much more than that, the thing may have a ball in there with, or without powder under it.
A year or so ago we had a guy who was heating his newly bought "used" gun barrel and it would have blown a hole in his driveway had it not been concrete.
Just call me concerned.
Zonie
I've purchased one, but I'm glad I didn't try to shoot it out.
The idiot had loaded it with a pile of smokeless powder! (The long little cylindrical shaped kind.)
Zonie
The idiot had loaded it with a pile of smokeless powder! (The long little cylindrical shaped kind.)
Zonie
E Gads! I put mine in a parts cleaner for a few days and washed the powder out then pulled the ball. But I don't see why you couldn't just pull it. The S man here says it isn't loaded. Quite frankly I don't see a need to pull that plug, I don't think I ever will. I'd 86 the barrel before I went through great pains to open it up. If ya want the barrel open on both ends there's that type of gun we don't mention much
Along with the many good suggestions for applying heat and penetrant, here's a kink I learned from a millwright in a Penn. steel mill. It may work for you.
Get sombody to help you do this. With the barrel securely (no chance to twist) in the vise, attach a snug-fitting wrench to the breech plug; the less loose play the better. Then, while you apply leverage on the wrench, have the helper give several sharp raps to the breech plug web with a hammer--the blows should be directed along the axis of the barrel. Many times this is just the thing to break an otherwise impossibly stubborn joint. Good luck, and let us know if this approach does the trick.
Brgds, Bluejacket
A vulture tried to board the aircraft carrying two dead racoons. The flight attendants said, "Sorry, sir, only one carrion per passenger".
Get sombody to help you do this. With the barrel securely (no chance to twist) in the vise, attach a snug-fitting wrench to the breech plug; the less loose play the better. Then, while you apply leverage on the wrench, have the helper give several sharp raps to the breech plug web with a hammer--the blows should be directed along the axis of the barrel. Many times this is just the thing to break an otherwise impossibly stubborn joint. Good luck, and let us know if this approach does the trick.
Brgds, Bluejacket
A vulture tried to board the aircraft carrying two dead racoons. The flight attendants said, "Sorry, sir, only one carrion per passenger".
John Taylor
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2005
- Messages
- 776
- Reaction score
- 3
With a stubern breach plug it is a must to have something to hold the barrel secure. I made a set of aluminu "V" blocks that fit most octagon barrels. This way you hold the barrel with 4 flats insted of 2. My barrel vice has a 20 ton jack that won't flex under pressure. I have no worries about the barrel comming out of the vice with any pressure I put on the plug but I do need to be careful about how much pressure I put on the jack, it can crush a barrel. The wrench that fits the breach plug has to be a good fit. I have the 3 that T/C sold many years back for their barrels and they are not a good fit. A custom made wrench with bolts to adjust is the best way to go. If the plug is octagon then the wrench should have the "V" cut on each half to hold on 4 flats just like the barrel. A loose wrench will distroy the breach plug if it is tight.
