underhammer plug

[watopeka]

Gents just bought a underhammer and would like to take the plug out. It very tight gave it a bit of heat but did not budge. So how much heat can i give that plug. It would be fun to be able to remove . I f needed to push a ball out or give it a good cleaning
Thanks

 

[Metalshaper]

make sure the nipple is out!! or at least NOT protruding into the breech plug!!

On a couple of the UH guns that I have built. The BP is counter-bored and the the nipple comes in at the back of the 'chamber'.. Doing it this way also LOCKS the breech plug in place.. when the nipple is seated..

Something to consider :hmm:

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[watopeka]

I will check, but i dont think so, it seems to be direct throught the barrel.

 

[watopeka]

No, it's completly free from the plug so i much heat do you figger i can give it . I gave it some bolt out oil for the night.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I prefer kroil for freeing up gun parts and any other rusted items. It ain't cheap but it sure works! :bow:

 

[John Taylor]

Heat the barrel, not the plug. The barrel will expand and the plug can be moved. you can also dip just the plug in water. The amount of heat, I have taken some to a dull red with no harm except to the finish. There is no heat treat to muzzle loading barrels.

 

[watopeka]

plug came out with heat and a 2 foot pipe wrench,
it was only dry nothing broken . A bit of filing clean the threads and put it back together.
YYYHaaaaaaa

 

[watopeka]

will be making a new plug i have to tighten the old one so much to have the action straight .Could be the reason it's so hard to take out
C'est la vie

 

[paulvallandigham]

Use a draw file to take a few strokes off the face of the plug, so you won't have to put so much torque on the bolt to get it in and lined up. You don't need a New bolt. They all come with problems, and all need to be filed to fit. :shocked2: :idunno: :hmm: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[watopeka]

Thanks Paul will do, what would you consider tight when put it back in. :hmm:

 

[paulvallandigham]

About the amount of muscle needed to rotate that plug, once it touches, between 5 and 6 o'clock on a dial.

Again, these guns, shooting black Powder do not produce the kind of chamber pressures we expect when using smokeless powder cartridge guns. As long as the plug is NOT cross threaded, or the threads are damaged or destroyed some other way, you don't have to worry about the plug coming out.

The main reason for a snug fit of the plug, is to provide a good seal where the face of the plug meets the grooves and lands, so that crud won't get down behind there easily, and corrode the threads.

Use anti-seize on the threads before you screw the plug in the last time, to provide both lubrication, and a seal in the bottom of the threads to will help protect the threads from rust, too. The lube will allow you to remove the plug in the future, should it be necessary, without 4 horses to provide the leverage to turn the plug out. If you don't put a "Crush" fit on those threads when you put the plug in, you won't have to overcome that tight fit to get the plug out. :shocked2: :idunno: :surrender: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: