Kibler Breach Plug

Nav · Nov 2, 2024

I was at a match today shooting a .32 SMR. I have this rifle for competition, and the balls and ticking fit TIGHT. On about my fourth shot I got a flash, and then another, and I picked the hole, and then another…

So I went back to my table to pull the ball. I got it started and pulled, and half the threads broke off the ball puller in my range rod. Now I have to open the breach. There actually looks like a micro weld on one side of the breach.

Are these designed to come off at all?

2 shots · Nov 2, 2024

call jim.

wiscoaster · Nov 2, 2024

There are other ways to get that ball out without removing the breech plug. Try searching the forum for "dry ball" threads. Removing the breech plug should be your LAST option.

Nav · Nov 2, 2024

With the ball puller in it? It wasn’t a dry ball, just a small charge. I think I’d rather remove the breach and get it from the backside.

wiscoaster · Nov 2, 2024

Nav said:
With the ball puller in it? .....

Sure, why not. Doesn't make a difference. Given that your touch hole liner doesn't have a screw slot, the CO2 discharger method might work the best.

reddogge · Nov 2, 2024

I'd trickle some 4F into the touch hole, pick it, pour some more until it won't take any more and then shoot it out.

French Colonial · Nov 2, 2024

reddogge said:
I'd trickle some 4F into the touch hole, pick it, pour some more until it won't take any more and then shoot it out.

This method works

olskool · Nov 3, 2024

i dry balled my 36 Kibler once. i ended up pulling the breach plug. it is not welded, or at least mine wasn't. but the breach where you need to put a wrench has a taper, so a special breach plug wrench to remove it, but that also being said, i did not have the wrench and used a large adjustable with the barrel in a vice with the barrel protected, and it worked fine. if you do it remember it has to go back right where it came off! there is a witness line cut into the bottom of the barrel that crosses into the breach plug and these two line up. put the b. plug line dead on with the barrel line. nothing to it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

garypl · Nov 3, 2024

I didn't dry ball my Kibler .32 but I was trying to see how little powder I could shoot with and I swabbed the bore with a wet patch, forgot to run a dry patch down and loaded @10 gr 3f - must have been too wet as I could not get it to ignite. Didn't have a .32 ball puller so I put a screw down without a proper sized collar to keep it centered and proceeded to tear off one side of the ball. Took it home and pulled the breech plug. I have a wrench set from Rice that includes a set of aluminum vise blocks and a tapered wrench - the plug came right out, I pushed the remaining chucnk of lead out the back along with a goopy mess of wet powder, put it back in and it's been fine since! As @olskool stated above, just be certain to align the witness marks. (I also bought proper .32 ball puller with the collar)

I can send you the wrench set to use if you will ship it back when you are finished.

duca · Nov 3, 2024

I to had to pull a patched ball from my Kibler .36 tried pulling with no luck. Was already to pull the plug But I started to Tap the T handle with a hammer lightly and it started to come out

Indy Durtdigger · Nov 3, 2024

Mine has machine marks on it that look like the finest of TIG welds at a glance but aren't. I wouldn't say anything for certain though. They've switched barrel makers and if the rifle came from someone else then you never know what was done before you got it.

Eric Krewson · Nov 3, 2024

If you have a witness mark for alignment on the bottom flat your breech plug it is made to come out, I have never heard of one other than a CVA or el-cheapo that had a breechplug you couldn't be easily taken out if you have the right tools. I made an early SMR and pulled the breech plug a bunch of times to clean up the inlets. The early SMRs took a bit of inletting to get everything just right.

Witness mark, in this case the breechplug was lost, and I hadn't fitted a new breech plug into the barrel yet. The witness mark will be on the plug and barrel.

Siringo · Nov 3, 2024

Indy Durtdigger said:
Mine has machine marks on it that look like the finest of TIG welds at a glance but aren't. I wouldn't say anything for certain though. They've switched barrel makers and if the rifle came from someone else then you never know what was done before you got it.

Kibler buys barrel blanks, machines the profile and fits the plug. No welding of any form is ever used.

Uncle Miltie · Nov 3, 2024

reddogge said:
I'd trickle some 4F into the touch hole, pick it, pour some more until it won't take any more and then shoot it out.

I have done this with small caliber flintlocks for years. Should never ever de-breech a barrel, IMHO.

Mike in FL · Nov 3, 2024

I would NOT pull the breech plug. Not ever. If you can shoot it out, the broken off screw is not a concern because it just in the very front of the ball. The ball will follow the rifling with the screw always facing forward and cannot harm the barrel. I am assuming the puller has a collar that keeps the actual screw centered after it began biting into the ball. There has to be a way without removing the breech plug. Maybe call Jim for advice.

sturmkatze · Nov 3, 2024

@James Kibler

Clark Badgett · Nov 3, 2024

Mike in FL said:
I would NOT pull the breech plug. Not ever. If you can shoot it out, the broken off screw is not a concern because it just in the very front of the ball. The ball will follow the rifling with the screw always facing forward and cannot harm the barrel. I am assuming the puller has a collar that keeps the actual screw centered after it began biting into the ball. There has to be a way without removing the breech plug. Maybe call Jim for advice.

Why not? Removing a breech plug is rather simple.

wiscoaster · Nov 3, 2024

Clark Badgett said:
Why not? Removing a breech plug is rather simple.

Probably not if you've never done it before.

French Colonial · Nov 3, 2024

Once a gun is finished, I have never found the need to remove a breech plug. Lots of other simpler ways to fix whatever needs fixed.

Clark Badgett · Nov 3, 2024

wiscoaster said:
Probably not if you've never done it before.

Just the same as removing a nut from a bolt. Lefty loosey, righty tighty.

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