home made breech plug

[camerl2009]

so when making breech plugs whats better

coarse or fine thread

and how about welding or soldering the breech plug

[DutchGramps]

The (my...) ideal would be a forged piece and coarse Whitworth thread....

[camerl2009]

The (my...) ideal would be a forged piece and coarse Whitworth thread....

that be some work
once i get my forge out i will have to try

[Acer Saccharum]

Coarse threads have more engagement than fine threads. This was more of an issue with iron barrels, with limited precision and a a weaker material, coarse threads would have been safer in general. But with modern steel barrels, you can use either pitch; just be sure your plug thread root diameter is bigger than bore size.

[northmn]

Current barrels are threaded with fine threads.  A flint type breech plug is relatively easy to make but soler may not hold.  Generally I weld the tang onto a bolt.  I have used a brass machine screw and solder to hold the tang in place such that once tightened I file off the screw slot in the screw and make it look like a decorative inlay.

DP

[Dphariss]

so when making breech plugs whats better

coarse or fine thread

and how about welding or soldering the breech plug

You need to be careful welding on grade 5 of grade 8 bolts.
Brazing silver or brass, will work but I make them from one piece.
Dan

[omark]

so when making breech plugs whats better

coarse or fine thread

and how about welding or soldering the breech plug

You need to be careful welding on grade 5 of grade 8 bolts.
Brazing silver or brass, will work but I make them from one piece.
Dan

curious what you need to be careful about when welding a grade 5 or 8??   thanks in advance, mark

[Kelhammer]

Good luck getting any positive response here in regaurds to welding anything. 

[JTR]

Good luck getting any positive response here in regaurds to welding anything. 

Then perhaps you'll kindly reply with the correct answer?

John

[doug]

     I expect that Dan's concern was with having a brittle joint. 

cheers Doug

[Kelhammer]

Both are made of a medium carbon steel 

[Bill of the 45th]

I can only think of one reason to make a breech plug from scratch, and that's for a restoration, where the plug needs to be custom fit.  What with all the well made plugs that the suppliers have, there is no need to make them.  If it's to just learn metal working skills, there are much better projects that can be pursued.  The breech is the most important safety area of the muzzleloader, and I prefer mine prefitted to the barrel by Getz,Rice, or Rayle, and company.

Bill

[P.W.Berkuta]

Here is one that I made for a left handed rifle for lady shooter who shoots competitively.

[Dphariss]

so when making breech plugs whats better

coarse or fine thread

and how about welding or soldering the breech plug

You need to be careful welding on grade 5 of grade 8 bolts.
Brazing silver or brass, will work but I make them from one piece.
Dan

curious what you need to be careful about when welding a grade 5 or 8??   thanks in advance, mark

Since they are heat treated carbon steel (grade 8 are a higher strength alloy steel) they may well get brittle and break if welded and not annealed afterwards.

Dan

[Dphariss]

Rebarreling a rifle and making a breech plug.

 58 caliber barrel.


Cupped breech face fitted to barrel note the print of the rifling showing a sealed bore.


Machining the tang


Fitting to a finished stock, bend to the needed size, contour & length then file close to the tape when tang is bottomed in the inlet.


Remove the tape, scribe and then remove and file to scribe line. Counter sink the screws final time, tighten and check fit. File and polish to flush with wood.


Proof picture shows finished breech plug and barrel ready for final finish.




Old barrel with original makers name is interchangable since tang was fit to the wood and uses the original unaltered screws.
Plug is made of hot rolled 4140 or 4150 GB quality bar end from a rifle factory.
Vent was installed at the rear of the "cup".

Dan

[Old Ford2]

Hi Dan,
Thank you for the good information & pictures.
All the best.
Old Ford

[Don Getz]

If you have a vertical milling machine and a lathe you can make a plug, otherwise, go out and buy one ready made, then
spend your time fitting it to the barrel........Don

[Dphariss]

The question was about "home made" plugs.
It can be and has been done with a bolt, a hacksaw, a file and a way to braze parts.
People don't learn anything by buying parts, especially some of the junk available and benefit in several ways from knowing how to make their own parts with or without a mill and a lathe.

Dan

[Stophel]

Now, I'll be one of the first to say "go ahead and make it" for most things...and I'm known for doing everything the hard way myself, but honestly, unless you're making the barrel to go with it (or perhaps fitting a new plug to an old barrel with odd sizing/threads), I don't see much need in making a breechplug.   

[Kelhammer]

Thanks for sharing your work Dan.

Andy

[camerl2009]

well i was going to do some stuff

i have a piece of thick wall tubing(over lap welded) thats some where in between 10ga and 8ga i cant rember
i dont have a mill or lathe and i dont think a normal breech plug will work  

[Acer Saccharum]

Take your bore size, and that will be the root diameter of your plug as a minimum. A little bigger than bore dia is better.

Be very careful of that seam welded tube, mate. Make sure you proof the bugger.

[camerl2009]

Take your bore size, and that will be the root diameter of your plug as a minimum. A little bigger than bore dia is better.

Be very careful of that seam welded tube, mate. Make sure you proof the bugger.

its not seam welded its the to walls are ground at a angle and welded

oh im going to proof it lol have to i will never fire it with out proofing it

for 8ga it be 3.5oz of shot and 248gr of fg

[omark]

so when making breech plugs whats better

coarse or fine thread

and how about welding or soldering the breech plug

You need to be careful welding on grade 5 of grade 8 bolts.
Brazing silver or brass, will work but I make them from one piece.
Dan

curious what you need to be careful about when welding a grade 5 or 8??   thanks in advance, mark

Since they are heat treated carbon steel (grade 8 are a higher strength alloy steel) they may well get brittle and break if welded and not annealed afterwards.

Dan

thanks for the info dan.but in that light, would it be safe to use a soft bolt? or should that be annealed too? or would it be too soft?  thanks again, dan

[Dphariss]

well i was going to do some stuff

i have a piece of thick wall tubing(over lap welded) thats some where in between 10ga and 8ga i cant rember
i dont have a mill or lathe and i dont think a normal breech plug will work  

Tubing is not suitable for gun barrels.

Dan