Removing breech plugs - double

[jaxenro]

I picked up an old double in need of restoring. the locks are great, barrels so so, and the stock dried out and cracked. How do I remove the breech plugs from a double to check the barrels? Do I need to remove them? It appears to have twist barrels under all the age and grime.

I need to get a good look at the proofs to see if it is English or Belgian, if that matters.

 

[Lorne Johnson]

I haven't heard of many removing the breech plugs from original muzzle loaders. They've kind of been in there for 150 years or so. Minimum barrel thickness is significant as is distance from the breech. Wall thickness can be measured without removing the breech plugs with a specialized tool. (What "safe" is, depends heavily on what "is" is.)

There are small flashlights that can be slid down the bore of a shotgun for a level of visual inspection (at least down to 20 gauge). My experience has been that the defects (frosting and pitting) turn up after the bores have been thoroughly cleaned.

 

[jaxenro]

Looking them over I can see the right one comes off first, then the left. There are even indexing marks on the bottom of the barrel where they line up. But like you say they don't look like they have moved in 150 years. Is there something I could soak them in to loosen them?

 

[Mathias]

I try to always remove the breech plugg,it just make me fell beter about loading it knowing how the threads look like, it would ruin your day finding out that the guy before you glued it in place at the range.
I use rust solvent penetrating oil and let it soak over night. I find that i seldom have very much penetration so in the end it's down to force and making a tool thats fits the tang nicely so not to damage anything. Use caution, there won't be any more originals. Just my opinion.

Best regards
Mathias

 

[mazo kid]

.....I use rust solvent penetrating oil and let it soak over night. I find that i seldom have very much penetration so in the end it's down to force and making a tool that fits the tang nicely so not to damage anything. Use caution, there won't be any more originals. Just my opinion. Best regard Mathias

Good advice. You can put the penetrating oil down the barrels and also on the external breech. Another thing to consider is to have the barrels SECURELY held in place while trying to remove the plugs. You don't want to twist the barrels form the ribs. Heat might be another option....first be d@#&*d sure the barrels are not loaded! I have found loads in two old guns I purchased at rural auctions.

 

[ohio ramrod]

For removing rusted parts there is nothing better than Kroil. It is available from many hardware stores or on line from Kano Labratories.. Just plug the vent hole/or nipples and put some down and let set for a day or two. :hmm: :hmm:

 

[sc45-70]

I don't think that heat is a good idea.
It don't take much heat to losten the rib!
Don't ask how I know!

 

[RwBeV]

PT sent

 

[texcl]

personally I think it is a bad idea to remove the plugs, if you are worried about the plugs failing you should extensively proof the barrels, you can do alot more damage to thin barrels than good by removing a breach. also if you wan't to smooth the bores out you can buy a barrel hone from midway for around $50 and hone the bores without breach removal.

 

[mazo kid]

I don't think that heat is a good idea.
It don't take much heat to losoen the rib!
Don't ask how I know!

Point well taken! I was thinking along the lines of brazed ribs, rather than soldered. Guess I should have been more clear.

 

[Dave K]

I am certainly not going to say what I say is the way it has to be. But, I have unbreeched many of my old rifles, just to be cautious and there sure is nothing wrong with that. In all cases the gun appeared to be ready to shoot and in all of MY guns were declared safe and I did/do shoot them. Then I got into shotguns. I was going to unbreech them also and one I did. Again, I found the same good results, but the fear of ruining the gun, unbreeching them is deeply ingrained. Since then, I have used my experience by studying the gun and then by test firing it, to convince myself all is well. Is this smart? Probably not, but for me, I am comfortable with it. If you aren't comfortable, then by all means, do what you need to feel safe! The guarantees ran out a long time ago!

 

[charliek]

If you Google "V.M. Starr Shotguns" you will get a link to Starr's little book on ML shotguns. He discusses the pros and cons of pulling breech plugs and how to do it.

Charlie