Stuck tight breech plug

[moleeyes36]

I have a new pistol barrel from which I need to remove the breech plug so the barrel can be inlet.  This puppy is really in there tight.  I've tried soaking it in Liquid Wrench oil for a few days and heating it with a map gas torch, but I can't get it to budge.  There may not have been any anti-seize applied to the threads of the plug when it was seated initially.  As you can see from the pictures, the sides of the plug are tapered and prevent me from getting a good grip on it with a wrench.  Because of this taper, I'm apprehensive about damaging it with a wrench.  Anyone know how to remove the plug from one of Hugh’s barrels?  Thanks.

Mole Eyes

[bob in the woods]

Leverage     Seriously…I have a piece of 3/4 inch bar that I forged into a breach plug wrench.  It is 2 and 1/2 feet long.  If I clamp the barrel in my bench vice , and  put my weight on the wrench, all of the plugs I've tried to remove have broken loose.

[JDK]

.... Anyone know how to remove the plug from one of Hugh’s barrels?  Thanks.

Hugh does!

Otherwise, a tight breech plug requires the barrel be clamped in a good strong vise mounted to a heavy fixed workbench.

As Bob suggests, it's fairly common practice make a breech plug wrench to fit the bolster or to grind the jaws of an old wrench you might have laying around so that they are the same angle as the bolster's sides.  You may even need a "cheater" in the form of a pipe or something to add length to the wrench to deliver more force.

If your worried about marring the bolster a little marring can be filed out or you could bend some sheet brass around it....and, by all means, avoid the having the wrench reach so far up on to the bolster to where its jaws straddle the tang, elsewise you will mar the tang sides.

Haven't had a breech plug that didn't come out yet....even a couple that the threads were pretty galled up on.

Enjoy, J.D.

[whitebear]

Some where on the forum here is a message on building an adjustable breechplug wrench from 3/4" square stock that can be adjusted to fit tapered plugs tightly so there is no slipping.  I will try to find it later but you might find it first.

[Nate McKenzie]

Sometimes an old pipe wrench has just enough slop in it to fit a tapered plug.
Do you know who made that barrel?  I built a rifle out of one with that marking.  It shoots so good that I'd like to get another.

[moleeyes36]

It's definitely starting to look like I may have to try to make a breech plug wrench that fits this thing.  I've never failed to extract a breech plug yet, but this stuck, tight tapered one is trying to be the first. 

Mole Eyes

[moleeyes36]

Sometimes an old pipe wrench has just enough slop in it to fit a tapered plug.
Do you know who made that barrel?  I built a rifle out of one with that marking.  It shoots so good that I'd like to get another.

Nate,

I'm senile and can't remember the maker's last name.  His first name is Hugh and his last name starts with a T.  However, I bought the barrel from Dave Rase and he probably remembers the makers name.  Sorry.

Mole Eyes

[smylee grouch]

My breech plug wrench is two 1" chunks of key stock with two 5/16 bolts through each side of the key stock, above and below the tang therefore fitting the tapper.  Make sure you dont clamp the barrel over the threaded portion where the plug screws in. Enough key stock on each end to use as handles.

[Dennis Glazener]

I don't recommend this (in case something screws up ) but I have had the same problem with some barrels. I solved it by picking a nice big fat hammer, putting pressure on the wrench and frailing the end of the wrench with the hammer. Haven't had one fail to release yet.

I DO have a great vise to hold the barrel and I do use brass shims to protect the breech plug. I normally use an aluminum (yes aluminum) pipe wrench with about an 18 inch handle. Many plugs just will not break loose with only an 18 inch handle. I think the sudden impact breaks it loose.

Oh, one other thing, don't forget to make sure your barrel vise is not clamping the barrel threads, back off about 3/4" from the end of the barrel.
Dennis
 

[flinchrocket]

If it is a flint barrel with the liner installed by Hugh Toenjes it goes through the plug, if it's the one I'm
thinking about. Can't take out the breech plug, unless you remove the touchhole liner.

[Ky-Flinter]

Mole Eyes,

It may just be an optical illusion from the angle of the picture, but based on the witness mark, it looks like you've moved the plug a little already.  I hope it doesn't have the touchhole thru the breech plug, like flinchrocket mentioned.

-Ron

[moleeyes36]

If it is a flint barrel with the liner installed by Hugh Toenjes it goes through the plug, if it's the one I'm
thinking about. Can't take out the breech plug, unless you remove the touchhole liner.

I knew somebody would know Hugh's last name, thanks. 

No, this barrel is not drilled for a touchhole, it's not drilled at all.  I'll have to go to Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. tomorrow and look for an aluminum pipe wrench.  I don't recall ever seeing one but it sounds like a handy tool to have on hand.

Mole Eyes

[Dennis Glazener]

I'll have to go to Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. tomorrow and look for an aluminum pipe wrench.  I don't recall ever seeing one but it sounds like a handy tool to have on hand.

Good luck, I haven't seen one other than mine. It belonged to my dad who died over 20 years ago and he owned that wrench for as long as I can remember. It has steel inserts in the jaws and the handle has a raised rib that runs around the perimeter, I assume to strengthen it. *well I'll be, just googled it and it looks like Rigid makes one as do others. Rigid even makes one 48" long if you want to pay $382.53 for it!*
Dennis

[moleeyes36]

I'll have to go to Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. tomorrow and look for an aluminum pipe wrench.  I don't recall ever seeing one but it sounds like a handy tool to have on hand.

Good luck, I haven't seen one other than mine. It belonged to my dad who died over 20 years ago and he owned that wrench for as long as I can remember. It has steel inserts in the jaws and the handle has a raised rib that runs around the perimeter, I assume to strengthen it. *well I'll be, just googled it and it looks like Rigid makes one as do others. Rigid even makes one 48" long if you want to pay $382.53 for it!*
Dennis

Yes it seems all the places where I was going to look has them for around $20 to $30.  I guess I'll run out and get one in the morning.  At my age I don't think I could even lift a 48" pipe wrench even if it was mostly aluminum  .  Thanks, I'll let you know things work out tomorrow in round two of the tapered breech plug versus the old goat.

Mole Eyes

[little joe]

If possible contact the maker for his recomendation.

[ScottH]

"Blacksmoke" is the handle for Hugh T on this forum. I'm sure if you contacted him he could offer advice.
Good Luck

[Larry Pletcher]

I have a 3' pipe that fits over the handle of my wrench.

Regards,
Pletch

[EC121]

When I was working in the papermill, I saw 48in. pipe wrenches(steel and aluminum)bent by production people.  They would have a stuck valve handwheel and get the big wrench and a long piece of pipe for a cheater.  Then two of them would get on it.  Two pieces of keystock and some bolts to clamp the plug should work.  Then put the wrench on the keystock.

[jerrywh]

Heat it red hot and let it cool all the way. It will probably come out easy then.  It doesn't hurt a black powder barrel to heat it at the breech as long as you don't cool it by quenching. 

[frogwalking]

Be careful with the long pipe on the wrench.  I still have a scar on my cheek from the wrench jaws exploding while using this method on a stuck bomb rack bolt in 1971.  As it turned out, the wrench was a mite too hard.

[Birddog6]

Years ago I bought two 15" adjustable (Cresent) wrenches at the flea market, Kept one straight jawed
& ground & sanded the other jaws to a taper for taperd breech plug lugs.   BIG vice, brass strip jaw liners,
and a BIG work bench.  Do not clamp the barrel in the vice  over the breechplug.  If need be, a 3' cheater
pipe on the wrench.

Keith Lisle

[Bob Roller]

Years ago I bought two 15" adjustable (Cresent) wrenches at the flea market, Kept one straight jawed
& ground & sanded the other jaws to a taper for taperd breech plug lugs.   BIG vice, brass strip jaw liners,
and a BIG work bench.  Do not clamp the barrel in the vice  over the breechplug.  If need be, a 3' cheater
pipe on the wrench.

Keith Lisle

By altering that wrench,you've messed up its metric capabilities.

Bob Roller

[frogwalking]

Bob, it was a metric adjustable wrench.

[Daryl]

Seriously guys - Hugh Tonjes.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

If you can lay hands on and old Monkey Wrench it will work well!!