Ssk 209 breech plug problem

[Humyeah]

I had purchased a cva optima v2 2 weeks ago. I took it out last weekend and put 11 shots through it with the cva 209 breech plug installed. No problems. From reading on here I had ordered a ssk blackhorn 209 breech plug and it came in on Thursday. I went out this morning and wanted to see if I could get the 330 grain powerbelt elr to shoot good. I started with 150gr by volume of pryodex select and cheddite cx2000 209 primers. After 5 shots and a poor group I decided that that wasn't going to be the bullet I wanted to shoot. I cleaned the barrel in-between each load. I then switched to the hornady bore drivers 290gr. I used 120 gr by volume of pyrodex select and the cheddite cx2000 209 primers. I shot that round 3 times cleaning in-between each shot.after the second shot I went to unthread the breach plug and it would unthread for abut 3 threads and then get super tight. After struggling to get the plug out ,which took a pair of channel locks I saw that the opening of the breech plug was bell mouthed.


Has any one ever seen this?

I Read that the SSK plugs were quality made.
Could there be a problem with were plug face seats in the barrel?

Attached is a picture of the bell mouth. The plug on the left is the ssk plug and the plug on the right is the cva 209 plug I shot throu the week before

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

I would send it back it to thin or not hard enough and expanded at the bore end don't use it anymore if it was mine.

 

[Humyeah]

I am not going to use anymore. Thanks for the response. I am going to email SSK and with picks.

 

[smokepolehall]

Another thing may have been a bit stout on the powder. You also need to clean out the BP fire hole for carbon build-up which raises the pressure.

 

[Humyeah]

I didn't think I was to stout, but I could have been. Thanks for the response

 

[MrTom]

Why start with the maximum load? I think with Pyro Select you could start easily with 90-100 grains and work up to about 120, where you'll likely find the best accuracy.

 

[Jitterbug]

I would have started with a lower powder charge as well, BUT…that plug should have withstood 150 grains, w/o any issue.

I would absolutely contact SSK, and see what they say.

-Jitterbug, who has two of those plugs, waiting to be installed in Optima V2 pistols. Maybe I’ll wait!

 

[Humyeah]

I would agree with you on starting at a lower powder charge, but every thing I read about trying to get that bullet to stbilize properly out of a 1-28 twist and a 26 in barrel was max charge. That being said I did go out this morning with the regular CVA 209 breech plug and did the exact same loads as yesterday, cleaning in-between each load and had no problems at all. Even got a 1.25in group at 100 with 120 gr by volume prodex select and 290gr hornady bore driver using cheddite cx2000 209 primers. Muzzle velosity being 1670. I will be calling ssk in the morning. Maybe I just got a lemon. Every thing I have read says those plugs are awsome. Thanks for the reply

 

[jd24.5.48]

What happened when you contacted SSK? I'm getting ready to order 1 and would like to know that they stand by their products if something like this would occur!

 

[Humyeah]

They definitely stood behind there product. I emailed them and the sent me a new plug right away. Awsome customer service.

 

[jd24.5.48]

Thanks for the quick reply! Have you had any more problems with the SSK plug?

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

CVA factory plugs at the powder end are designed to make contact with the inside of the barrel for a good seal, that's why some are harder to install for the first time and a small tool is needed to screw the breech plug all the way in.

Was the SSK plug longer than the factory plug? That would account for the end becoming bell mouthed after using it the first time.

 

[Humyeah]

Thanks for the quick reply! Have you had any more problems with the SSK plug?

I havnt used the new ssk plug yet. But I know alot of people like them.

 

[Humyeah]

CVA factory plugs at the powder end are designed to make contact with the inside of the barrel for a good seal, that's why some are harder to install for the first time and a small tool is needed to screw the breech plug all the way in.

Was the SSK plug longer than the factory plug? That would account for the end becoming bell mouthed after using it the first time.

The ssk plug east longer than the factory plug, still not sure what happened. The guy from ssk was thinking that I could of had to much carbon built out on the seating face.

 

[jd24.5.48]

I havnt used the new ssk plug yet. But I know alot of people like them.

Did you use the install tool with the SSK plug?

 

[Humyeah]

I did use the install tool.

 

[jd24.5.48]

I did use the install tool.

Hopefully it was just 1 bad plug then! I've seen a lot of people who are using it and yours was the 1st time I have seen a bad thing about it! Thanks for the replies!

 

[Humyeah]

Hopefully it was just 1 bad plug then! I've seen a lot of people who are using it and yours was the 1st time I have seen a bad thing about it! Thanks for the replies!

I have seen the same thing, alot of people use them. Somthing was going on but i have heard nothing but good things about them, and there customer service was awsome.I will use the new one I got after hunting season.