Breach plug and flash hole

[DonG]

I have a Getz barrel that has never been fired. I took the breach plug off to look at the rifling and its perfect however, the breach plug has been channeled to the face to accommodate the flash getting to the main charge. The pan is centered and the flash hole is nicely placed. The breach face is fully 1/2" forward of the pan center which is why the channel was filed in to it. I assume this is safe but thought I'd ask here. I know that some other method like drilling into the breach plug face to the flash hole might have been better but now I have no choice.
Thanks,
Don

 

[plmeek]

The breach face is fully 1/2" forward of the pan center which is why the channel was filed in to it.

Is the 1/2" a typo? Usually a breech plug is no more than 5/8" long and sometimes just 1/2". Your value would have the vent hole about 1/4" from the end of the barrel!

Can you post some photos?

 

[Trot]

Yes, something doesn't sound right here, definitely like to see some pictures.

 

[DonG]

Thanks for the replies, I will try to get pics posted today but maybe I can be clearer in describing the issue. The flash hole is centered properly in the barrel with relation to the center of the flash pan. To make the face of the breach plug even with the flash hole location I would need to cut 1/2 inch off the breach plug. Instead of doing that, a channel was filed in the breach plug to reach the main powder charge. The breach plug is original to the barrel which is 30+ years old or more. I don't have a problem with that but it seemed unusual and I wanted to know if that method is ok and safe. Lots of barrel around the chamber area.

 

[EC121]

If the channel is a half inch long, it will quickly fill with fouling. It probably won't work more than a few shots like that.

 

[gemmer]

I had a similar albeit not as drastic problem with a Getz barrel a good thirty years ago. The barrel was part of Dunlap kit which were quite similar to those offered by TOW. Because the lock was inletted, the touch hole position for better or worse was predetermined. My plug needed to be notched, which in itself is not all that unusual, even in original guns. I'm betting your barrel came from a kit rifle. The alternative to the notch, if the face of the plug protrudes far enough is to drill a powder chamber into the plug and then drilling for a vent liner through the barrel, into the chamber. It's similar to a patent breech. CVA has used a set up like that for decades. The plug would have to be chucked in a lathe in order to be drilled properly for the chamber.

 

[Carbon 6]

The breach plug is original to the barrel which is 30+ years old or more. I don't have a problem with that but it seemed unusual and I wanted to know if that method is ok and safe.

Sounds like a chambered breech plug, or a patent breech plug.
if you look at the different styles of breech plugs you'll see it's probably normal, and as you said, "it's 30 years old" So it must work OK.

 

[DonG]

Thanks for the information and suggestions, now I better understand my options. My primary concern was safety. I'm comfortable now with the notch and as this will be primarily a hunting rifle for deer, I think I'll leave it as is and not mess with drilling or shortening the breech plug. I'm quite far from finishing this "Yeager" style rifle so I'll show pics when done.
Don

 

[BJHabermehl]

I have a Getz barrel that has never been fired. I took the breach plug off to look at the rifling and its perfect however, the breach plug has been channeled to the face to accommodate the flash getting to the main charge. The pan is centered and the flash hole is nicely placed. The breach face is fully 1/2" forward of the pan center which is why the channel was filed in to it. I assume this is safe but thought I'd ask here. I know that some other method like drilling into the breach plug face to the flash hole might have been better but now I have no choice.
Thanks,
Don

If the barrel was breached by Getz then there is only a total of 1/2 inch of thread to start with. If the edge of the fence of your locks pan is even with the rear end of the barrel your breech face should not need more than a slight notch probably less than 1/8 inch or less. We need pictures to understand what you are describing. Your description sounds alarming to me without pictures. I’ve seen some dangerous mistakes made in the past. BJH

 

[Zonie]

Thanks for the information and suggestions, now I better understand my options. My primary concern was safety. I'm comfortable now with the notch and as this will be primarily a hunting rifle for deer, I think I'll leave it as is and not mess with drilling or shortening the breech plug. I'm quite far from finishing this "Yeager" style rifle so I'll show pics when done.
Don

IMO, the barrel will be totally safe to shoot but as others have said, you may end up with an accumulation of fouling in the notch which could cause misfires.

If the notch is cutting into the breech plug threads for 1/2 of an inch, expect to see some of the powder gasses leaking thru the threads.
The type of threads used on breech plugs do not seal off the bore because they have built in clearances on the outside and inside diameters of the threads (called the major diameter and minor diameter).
For instance with a 5/8-18 UNC thread there can be .010 diametrical clearance or more between the outside diameter of the male thread and the outside diameter of the female thread. There can also be a .023 diametrical clearance between the minor diameters of this thread. This is the reason the front face of a properly installed breech plug butts up tight against the bottom of the breech plug hole without any grooves or gaps to let the gas get past this joint.

Because of this, if I were you, when it came time to install the breech plug for the final time, I would use teflon tape on the threads next to the face on the plug that will be seated against the rear of the barrel.

 

[longcruise]

I notched a plug that way for a cap gun and it worked(s) fine. The notch however only intrudes about 3/16" up the side of the plug.

 

[DonG]

I ground back then filed the breech plug face flat and polished it. I only went back to the threads removing just the "unthreaded" portion of the plug face. Its still about 3/8" inch in front of the touch hole but now has a much smaller and narrower notch. I gently filed it smooth and it only is into two threads. Its much cleaner and safer I think. First one I have done but I am confident it will work. If not I'll replace it.
Thanks again for all the replies and suggestions.

Don

 

[DonG]

Not 3/8", its only about 3/16th in front of the touch hole. Mis-typed my thoughts.

 

[user 34300]

I would not use a barrel breached that way. I would cut off the botched threads and touch hole, buy a new plug, and start again and do it right. There is a lot of time and money that goes into a building a rifle. Why start off with a flawed barrel?