Question on issues with breech plug fitting

[Billy Boy]

If you tighten and loosen it a few times the metal should compress enough to gain the little that you need to line up. It all looks good from here.

Right! Also, you can hit it with a steel brush in a drill a few laps around the plug threads and you will be able to snug it into time with the barrel flats without removing iron anywhere else.

 

[2 shots]

did not read all the replys . if not mentioned use anti seize on threads so they dont gall or strip.

 

[Dave Dworshak]

you guys are truely pros

 

[jfahlingsr]

Dave said it right.

Dave has it right, many if the original threads weren't more than .400 long and unbelievable poor quality threads, museum of Appalachia near Knoxville has many on display. Also look at good pictures of golden age guns and the lock fence will be at the end off the breech and vent hardly 7/16" ahead. I always cut breech end of bbl off and shorten the plug that amount to get that old timey look. Lock is never too far foreward from end of breech then.

 

[HighUintas]

All you guys have some awesome advice. Thank you for the help!

I've got her in. Full, solid contact on the plug face, perfectly timed to the flats, solid contact on the top of the bolster and light contact on bottom.

I snugged it tight a couple of times and then gave a couple of whacks on the 8" wrench with a mallet, which got it a bit further.

Gave the barrel breech too side a couple of very light file strokes and tried again. It went a tiny bit further. I hit it with 320 grit sand paper wrapped on a file.

Polished the plug face mirror bright with 1500grit paper on a file and then some yellow chisel stropping compound on a leather block.

Put the plug back in and got it perfectly aligned with a couple real heavy leans in my wrench.

 

[Herb]

High Uintah is basing his build on Jim Beckwourth's rifle. B. was a mulatto and chief of the Crow Indians, an impressive person. High Uintah is doing very well with this build. Here I am with that Beckwourth rifle. Next photo is Jeff Hengesbaugh who owns the rifle, and Carney Pace. Then an X-ray of the breech and tang area. And the breech plug, which Dave Person commented on. Jeff asked me to make a bench copy (A copy as close to the original as I can build) of this rifle. I have ordered a .560 barrel from Bobby Hoyt.

 

[HighUintas]

Yikes! That's a real scary looking breech plug. That makes me feel a lot more confident about mine

 

[Barry Strickland]

Just remember that you do not have to heavily torque down the breech plug. There is no need to pre-stress the threads of the plug. You have done a very nice job of fitting it as it should be. It should take no more pressure than a moderate push on an 8" wrench to properly seat it.
Some people mistakenly believe the threads are like plumbing pipe threads that are tapered and need a fair amount of torque to seat properly.

 

[HighUintas]

Just remember that you do not have to heavily torque down the breech plug. There is no need to pre-stress the threads of the plug. You have done a very nice job of fitting it as it should be. It should take no more pressure than a moderate push on an 8" wrench to properly seat it.
Some people mistakenly believe the threads are like plumbing pipe threads that are tapered and need a fair amount of torque to seat properly.

Yes, thank you! I don't think the amount of torque I put on it with that 8-in wrench was all that great. I'm a really lightweight guy, didn't go as hard as I could, and had my vice jaws lined with thick leather, so it's probably just right!

 

[Notchy Bob]

@HighUintas ,

How is that rifle coming along? I have not had the opportunity to handle the original Beckwourth rifle, but based on photos I have seen, it is a beauty. I have read that it is quite heavy, maybe 12-14 pounds (?), yet it has a very clean, well-balanced look.

I would agree with @Herb that its original owner, James Beckwourth, was a pretty remarkable fellow. I read a lot of fur trade and western frontier documentation, written during the period, and Beckwourth's name, though frequently misspelled, shows up pretty often. His reputation was larger than life, even in his own time.

Anyway, it would be great to see some photos of your rifle.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[HighUintas]

@Notchy Bob , it's coming along well!

I'm keeping a record of my progress on ALR forum here even though I have made various other posts on ML forum for troubleshooting.

I just finished reading Elinor Wilson's book on Beckwourth. He is absolutely an interesting fellow! I think it's pretty clear that a lot of the disparaging things that have been said about him by many people are unjustified. While he may be a tall tale teller, I think much of the recorded accounts in Wilson's book show he was an honest, mostly good person.

You'll note in my build "journal" on ALR, that I have started deviating from that build plan by making and installing barrel keys. I am mostly now planning on making a different gun, as I've spent enough time on it that I'm wanting to make a "finer" rifle. I have been drooling over the William Clark rifle made by Philip Creamer. So, I may install a similar patchbox and I'm going to try to make the trigger guard and buttplate.

 

[HighUintas]

@Notchy Bob here's a couple of pictures

Made some barrel keys from 1/16" sheet. Have one key installed and just need to cut the tennon slot for the other two.

 

[oldwood]

You've done a masterful job. Don't sweat the small stuff , 'till you get to the engraving part. A 15 " Crescent or pipe wrench will aid in lining up the flats. Tighten the plug in and out a time or two ,should fit ,ok. You also don't need a 1/2 " web of metal below and behind the lug face. The long lug takes more tedious inletting time. When ya get the plug installed , turn the barrel / with plug installed upside down , and trim 1/8 " off the rear of the lug and file the saw marks smooth. I second the motion to polish the breech face. It stays shiny for a while. and you will be amazed how the inside of the bore can be seen w/ just a flashlight.

 

[Notchy Bob]

@Notchy Bob here's a couple of pictures

Made some barrel keys from 1/16" sheet. Have one key installed and just need to cut the tennon slot for the other two.

Thanks for the pictures! Man, that’s looking good! I’ll check out your thread on the ALR forum. I’m a member there, but I don’t check in on that forum as often as here, and I miss a lot.

The wedges look great. Your attention to detail is above reproach.

I seem to recall Louie Parker built a replica of the Creamer/Clark rifle. I think I have a photo of the original in a folder on my computer. I’ll see if I can find it.

Thanks for the updates! I hope to see photos of Herb’s bench copy of the Beckwourth rifle some day, too.

Notchy Bob

 

[Vaino]

I have always made the bottoming taps and to ensure that the breech end of the bbl is square w/ the bore a " V" block is clamped on the bbl.....if the bbl is swamped, shims are used.....Fred