removing a breechplug from TC Renegade?

[bouldersmith]

Man is that thing in there,,,,ok the barrel is loaded. The customer and good friend managed to strip the bullet and really jam it up in the barrel while trying to pull it out. I want to pull the breech plug and remove the powder charge. Any idea how to break it free? Its been soaking in Kroil the last few days, Thanks.
Steve

 

[paulvallandigham]

Have you killed the powder charge by pouring water down through the nipple? If not, do that before working on the plug.

Once that is done, you will need a good mounted bench vise, with soft jaws to protect the flats of the barrel. YOu will want to clamp the barrel in the jaws of the vise so that you are FORWARD of the breechplug when you close the jaws on the barrel. You want to use a good pipe wrench to close on the plug, and you want to have an iron pipe, approx. 3-4 feet long to fit over the wrench handle to provide you with additional leverage to turn the plug out of the barrel. Once the plug is free, you can turn it with your finger tips in most cases. If the plug is cross threading the barrel, you may have to use that wrench to take the plug all the way out. ( Unless someone has already removed the Breechplug after the gun left the factory, I doubt seriously that the plug is cross threaded. )

You might want to look for witness marks, or make some of your own with a scribe, or a sharpened nail, so you will know when you have returned the plug back to its exact, prior position. These are strikes that cut across the seam between the rear of the barrel and the plug. Usually they are found on the bottom flat.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Heat. T/C used to sell a block that fits the Renegade breech to hold it securely with a wrench with the barrel in a vise. I'll loan you mine if you want and promise to return it (It's for a 1" across the flats barrel). But, I would really recommend exhausting all the alternatives. Soak the stuck ball/bullet in oil and try a bigger ball puller screw. I buggered up mine even with the right tools (as you say, it's in there). And the seam will show forevermore.

 

[lonewolf5347]

I would give t/c a call and ask them first before screwing up the barrel also know they sell CO2 discharges that work.I also read you can purchase a grease plug in 1/4 28 threads and use a grease gun to push the charge out of the barrel.

 

[Mountainman56]

I guess I'm just dense and don't really understand the question. Is it a double charge? If it's not what is the reason you can't make sure the ball is down on top of the charge and shoot it?

 

[MSW]

i'd certianly try lonewolf's suggestion before taking a wrench to the thing... reinstalling a hooked breech can be a very daunting experience for the uniniated. (like me)

 

[Scota4570]

TC plugs are insanely tight. They use tremendious torque that swages and distorts the steel. You need special vice jaws and a perfectly fitted wrench insert. Wood blocks and a cresent wrench will not work! One you have it set up properly you will need to bounce on a cheater bar before it moves. Basically, unless you have the correct tools and experience you will ruin the barrel and plug. TC does not intend for you to ever remove it, IMO. The ideas suggest above are 100% sure to ruin it. I highly suggest you send it back to TC.

 

[jtmattison]

Have you tried blowing it out or pumping it out with grease? If all fails, let T/C fix it.

HD

 

[buttonbuck]

You can use a nozle that goes on an air compressor Remove the nipple jam the rubber nozle in the barrel that is in a soft jawed vice and let the thing have it with at least 120 psi. THis works on brake calipers.

 

[J.D.]

Is it a double charge? If it's not what is the reason you can't make sure the ball is down on top of the charge and shoot it?

I wondered that too. If the gun is fully loaded, the ball could be shot out, unless there is another issue. However, if the breech is soaking in Kroil, the charge may be compromised...unless the Kroil was applied to the ouside of the plug, as opposed to the breech soaking in a cup of Kroil.

How about a CO2 discharger. That is what they are made for.

Ohhh, I think I know what might have happened. Was this gun loaded without the breech and flash channel being cleaned?

Or, is this a dry ball...or both?

In either case, remove the so called clean out screw, or the nipple, and clean the flash channel with a pipe cleaner. Trickle some BLACK priming powder, 3F will work too, into the flash channel and reinstall the clean out screw/nipple and shoot it out. If the powder is wet, the flash channel will need to be dried using several pipe cleaners, so's the priming/3F won't soak up the dampness of the main charge.

This process may need to be repeated several times to expell that ball/bullet. Each successive snap of the cap on the powder in the flash channel will dry that area, to some extent, so don't get discouraged.

I once had to snap six or eight caps on priming in a flash channel to expell a ball. The idiot, not me, forgot to clean the congealed oil from the breech AND dryballed.

Make sure the ball/bullet is seated on the powder. A heavy brass or steel rod will break the ball/bullet loose to seat it on the powder...if powder is present. :hmm:

 

[Mountainman56]

I also read you can purchase a grease plug in 1/4 28 threads and use a grease gun to push the charge out of the barrel.

If it can't be fired and it can't be blown out I would try this before more drastic measures. Your local auto supply parts will have a 1/4-28 grease fitting. Once you pump the ball out just remove the grease fitting and run a tight cleaning patch slowly back down the barrel and most of the grease will "squoze" back out. After that hot water and dish soap will get the rest of the grease out.

 

[George Holton]

One more thing!!!!! try modifying a tap that will still cut threads in the lead, have someone weld it to the end of a steel rod. Then twist it into the lead,way in and then pull it using a vise on the rod and several friends on the barrel. Lsat resort.

 

[flintlocksnh]

t/c breechplugs, as was stated, are very tight. kroil is amazing stuff, but rust is not the problem. i made a large wrench, like a tap wrench out of 3/4 inch square stock, locked the barrel in a large vise with brass pads, and it still needed a cheater pipe for leverage, but it came out. the wrench has two allen head bolts to secure it to the breechplug to keep it from slipping and marring it up. good luck.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

As Stumpkiller said, T/C used to offer a device made to fit the breech plug, for the specific purpose of removing it. I have one in 15/16ths and used it to remove the plug from my .45 barrel so I could lap it. The thing worked as advertised, so to say. On reassembly, the plug mated up to the barrel tight, so the joint is no more noticeable than before.

The plug was tight, but at the time I was working in the oilfield and as used to dealing with tightly threaded things, so it didn't seem like a big deal.