Breech Plug stuck on Thompson Black Diamond

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Hooray, I got it out !!!

After soaking it in Kroil for about 2 days, I still could not get it out by just putting a socket wrench up thru the receiver and then putting the gun down on the floor to try to hold it while attempting to turn the plug.

So, made a trip over to my brother-in-laws house and after wrapping the barrel so it would not get scratched, placed the barrel in his vise by attaching vise jaws to the little extension on the bottom of the receiver that holds the stock to the receiver/barrel and then ran my ratchet wrench and extension up to an 11mm socket that I had on the breech plug nut and gave the ratchet handle a push and it turned almost right away.

When I got the barrel back home and looked at the plug after I removed it from the receiver, it actually did not look all that bad or at least not as bad as I had been expecting.

I think it is going to clean up real nice. I think the Kroil really did help because it looked like it had penetrated about 3/4 of the way down the threads of the plug towards the barrel end of the gun.

So, there does seem to be some value in 1) Kroil, 2) Brother-in-laws, 3) Vises.

Thanks for all your suggestions.
 
wpshooter said:
Hooray, I got it out !!!

After soaking it in Kroil for about 2 days, I still could not get it out by just putting a socket wrench up thru the receiver and then putting the gun down on the floor to try to hold it while attempting to turn the plug.

So, made a trip over to my brother-in-laws house and after wrapping the barrel so it would not get scratched, placed the barrel in his vise by attaching vise jaws to the little extension on the bottom of the receiver that holds the stock to the receiver/barrel and then ran my ratchet wrench and extension up to an 11mm socket that I had on the breech plug nut and gave the ratchet handle a push and it turned almost right away.

When I got the barrel back home and looked at the plug after I removed it from the receiver, it actually did not look all that bad or at least not as bad as I had been expecting.

I think it is going to clean up real nice. I think the Kroil really did help because it looked like it had penetrated about 3/4 of the way down the threads of the plug towards the barrel end of the gun.

So, there does seem to be some value in 1) Kroil, 2) Brother-in-laws, 3) Vises.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I sort of knew that was gonna work. CoNgrats man!
 
wpshooter said:
Hooray, I got it out !!!

So, there does seem to be some value in 1) Kroil, 2) Brother-in-laws, 3) Vises.

4) Expert advice from MM.Com

Congrats on saving another ML from the bone yard...I got a small tear in my eye :D
 
I don't understand why that Black Diamond XR is such a fiend for keeping breech plugs. I did away with the 209 ignition and went back to the #11 cap. Since I don't shoot pellets out of it, and of course we can't shoot BlackHorn 209 (or at least should not shoot it), I find less fouling between shots, and breech plugs that cooperate more. I teflon tape the breech plugs and then smear the outside with anti seize.
 
cayuga said:
I don't understand why that Black Diamond XR is such a fiend for keeping breech plugs. .

It's essentially a new and improved version of the Thunderhawk.

My thoughts are that they are relatively inexpensive MLS to purchase and generally speaking the majority of people that purchase them may not fully understand,,appreciate or care to read or understand the maintence of the ML and the breech plug. Therefore the majority of them may not be being cared for properly. This may be one reason u see so many stuck breech plugs as I see no design flaw on the Ml that would eat breech plugs.

Most users probably buy their ml and take it strait to the range not prepping it before firing it. This certainly could explain stuck plugs.
 
Edwardamason said:
wpshooter said:
Edwardamason said:
Soaking in Kroil is a good idea.

Are you trying to remove the breech plug with the action still in the stock? If so get it out of the stock and into a vise. This will give you more leverage.

A electric impact wrench will help greatly to remove one.

IF those two means do not work Smack it with a impact socket pretty hard and a extension.

If that does not work its time to break out some heat. Heat up the underbelly of the barrel till it gets a bit warm. I generally will stick the entire barrel and action in the freezer for a few hours and then quickly get it to the bench and then heat just the underbelly of the barrel up and then they usually just fall right out.

Ive never had one I could not get out using these methods.

Good luck.

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I have taken it out of the stock BUT unfortunately, I do not have a vise. Might have to make a trip over to my brother-in-law but I think I am going to let it soak another night and give it another try tomorrow.

I have now taken the bolt out of the back of it and ran a socket and extension up to the plug and I still can not get it to turn BUT that was with it out of the stock. After I let it soak a bit more, I might put it back in the stock and give it a try with the socket & extension on the plug. Don't way to try turning it too hard and mess up the form of the stock.

I don't have a full size freezer and I don't think that it will fit into the freezer part of the frig.

Do you think that a hair dryer set on HIGH would be enough heat to make it free up ?

I am sort of hesitant about using heat because I don't want to mess up the finish. The bluing on this gun looks like it just came out of the factory. I know it is a ML but I am very picky with all of my firearms.

Thanks.

I doubt you are getting enough leverage just trying to hold it with your hands. . I bet once you get it up in a vise with the socket and extension its gonna free up.

I doubt a hair dryer is going to produce enough heat. Maybe a heat gun. You could try some really really hot water just don't get any on the plug. You do not want to heat the plug up too. You are wanting to expand the barrel while keeping the plug as cool as possible. Heating on the underbelly of the ML in the area UNDER the stock with the torch is the area I was speaking of heating. NOT the top so it will not distort the finish. You just have to be careful.

Good luck.

I agree... you need a vice... getting some lubrication around the threads is necessary in my opinion. I've been using Marvel Mystery oil as of late and for some reason this stuff works well ... not recommending it.. but it has kept my guns clean, it lubricates.. and when used with lucas gun oil, is impossible to beat as a preservative... but... back to the plug...

Vice, impact wrench or if worst comes to worst... I've drilled them out before too... but that takes some real innovation with an inline.... However, I can't see if you've soaked them through where an impact wrench and breaker bar wouldn't do the job.

The problem in the long run is that if you don't remove the plug and shoot alot, you ARE going to evenually come to a point where the gun is going to provide too much pressure to be limited by the flash hole and you will now be getting into the realm of personal injury potential for you or those next to you at the range.

My opinions of course are those of my own making and are agreed to the three of resident at this computer... Good luck with this.

Much Aloha... :cool:
 
I don't understand why that Black Diamond XR is such a fiend for keeping breech plugs.

The vise is required every time i remove the breech plug from my current Black Diamond. My last Black Diamond was not that way, the plug came out easily.
 
Black powder and black powder subs are water soluble.I was advised by both hodgdon and savage that petroleum based solvents and or penetrating oils would make the problem worse.After soaking in kroil and blaster for weeks with no luck,used a water based cleaner and plug screwed right out.Gives credibility to sabotloaders method,seems to be to the the best first step.
 
When you put the plug back in use plenty of breech plug grease and only put it in finger tight. If you put it in tighter you will just have a problem getting it out later on. Plug needs to come out every time you clean it.
 
I normally put the plug in and then turn it back off about 1/4 turn. Also I noted that since I went to #11 caps to set it off, the rifle stays much cleaner and the breech plug does not seem "so tight" at the end of the day.
 
cayuga said:
I normally put the plug in and then turn it back off about 1/4 turn. Also I noted that since I went to #11 caps to set it off, the rifle stays much cleaner and the breech plug does not seem "so tight" at the end of the day.
You bring up a much needed point too... and that is that ignition works best with the least amount spark as is necessesary to ignite said powder, when you let the powder do what it's supposed to.

Aloha... 8)
 
Both Kroil and PB Blaster are great products. Kroil should do the job.
 
Tried everything gere, finally with it in the vice went and bought an 8 dollar screw extractor set from home depot. Use the large one, new plug is like 15 on amazon.
 
If you can still find some Slick 50 grease you will never have another stuck breechplug. I don't know if they still make it, got mine at Wally World many moons ago. I still have over half of a tube left which will probably outlast me... :yeah:
 
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