The Savage Breech plug.

[Grouse]

I was reading about Erosion on the Savage Breech plug tonight. I'm really starting to believe with improper use and thousands of rounds threw it. It's very possible. Lets think about this for a minute. The normal tendency of a Encore Breech plug is to get tighter the more you shoot. With the Savage the tendency is to get looser the more you shoot. It is very easy to shoot the Savage with a semi loose Breech plug. Been there done that.

My theory is, we never notice gas cutting or Breech plug Erosion when using 777 powder. Why, because the Breech plug is getting tighter not loser. How many Savage owners right now are shooting strictly 777 out of there Savage? I would bet, those guys will show know erosion at all. People who pay alot of attention to there Breach plug wont see any either. Obviously to me, the object is to keep the Savage plug tight. If you don't, i would say you will replace them more often then not.

The Savage Muzzleloader is seeming better then ever to me. You still need to keep up on it a little. But a much better user friendly gun then an Omega for example. Shoot Smokeless, Keep your Breech Plug tight, And keep your Breech plug clean. No problems at all. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

All barrels and breechplugs wear with use. As for the breechplug, that it one of the basics added long ago: the ventliner. Both breechplug and ventliner are consumables; they are designed to be replaced.

Most muzzleloaders never shoot enough to experience it-- ask your self if you have not put more rounds through your Savage in the last year than all your other muzzleloaders combined?

 

[Doohan]

The BEST PART IMO???

If you are worried or question your breech plug/barrel and gas cutting..
You can send your gun to Savage for a quick piece of mind.

I for one have not seen it first hand!

 

[big6x6]

If you are worried or question your breech plug/barrel and gas cutting..

Gas cutting on the end of a breech plug, if there in fact IS such a thing, is really not an issue at all. The threads are the structural unit and as long as they remain un-harmed...I can't really see an issue here anyway.

 

[dwhunter]

The key word is "tight" and all will be well.

 

[Anonymous]

big6x6 The threads are the structural unit and as long as they remain un-harmed...I can't really see an issue here anyway.

It isn't a structural issue at all. DW is right, the hardest, hottest Savage shooters in the country have never eroded a breechplug to my knowledge.

I NEVER have. Nor has Henry Ball, Bill Ball, and the rest of the NC mafia. That is a LOT of shhoting, over a LOT of years. Snap it down tight as you can is the key-- I do not believe it is due to mass-hysteria.

I've never seen a breechplug with abrasion, just pictures. If I can EVER get one to show wear, I'll sure come out of my shell and report it.

If it does show wear, just replace it. It is designed to be replaced as all in-line breechplugs are.

 

[Doohan]

I've never seen a breechplug with abrasion, just pictures.

Ditto....

 

[Loggy]

My HB's breechplug shows no signs of erosion/wear. I do keep it snug and check its tightness at shooting sessions etc.

 

[charlie]

Why is "gas cutting" presumed to be a problem? If the shoulder that mates againt the barrel face is not designed to be a positive seal why does gas cutting matter?? If a quantity of gas flow is restricted to a very small area I think it will promote cutting. My breech plug showed radial grooves before it had 200 shots and it was always tight. I believe the grooves are most likey from gas flow. If it's mechanical, most anything can happen. Until I am told combustion gases aren't allowed at the plug threads I'll not worry.

charlie

 

[Anonymous]

Why is "gas cutting" presumed to be a problem? If the shoulder that mates againt the barrel face is not designed to be a positive seal why does gas cutting matter?? If a quantity of gas flow is restricted to a very small area I think it will promote cutting. My breech plug showed radial grooves before it had 200 shots and it was always tight. I believe the grooves are most likey from gas flow. If it's mechanical, most anything can happen. Until I am told combustion gases aren't allowed at the plug threads I'll not worry.

charlie

It never was-- until a few months ago, when this "non-issue" was invented (or should I say perpetrated) by a vindictive, freshly fired minor league Savage consultant with a very long history of problems. :? Face it, it still isn't. Face abrasion and face erosion is not a structural issue in any breechplug, and cannot be. The pitch diameter of the thread engagement controls the strength in any threaded fastener which is what a breechplug is-- it is just that simple. The entire vent liner patent acknowledges and addresses the fact that erosion is normal wear in the first place.

If "combustion gases" are not allowed at the plug threads-- every breechplug in every inline made today has a problem. They don't have a problem, and they ALL erode.

If your breechplug threads are nicked, distorted, or distended-- then, you certainly want to replace your breechplug. Likewise, if you smash your breechplug threads or otherwise damage them by abrasion from channel locks or vise grips-- sure, better replace them. Unlikely to do that with a Savage-- the unthreaded portion is where you grip the breechplug to swap ventliners, no reason to nick up threads.

If a Savage breechplug was not sealing-- hot gas would be jetting out from the dual gas vents in front of the bolt. I've never experienced it, never heard of it, and I don't believe Savage has either in the last six years plus of testing and continuous testing. I don't believe Henry Ball, Bill Ball, or any experienced shooter has either.

Nevertheless, that is why the dual gas vent ports exist in the Savage 10ML-II-- to vent any gas away from the shooter's face in case it was ever to happen, which it never has to date. No breechplug has ever leaked that I am aware of-- and no one has experienced flames shooting out of those gas ports that would be so very, very apparent if they had.

 

[dwhunter]

Good post Randy. The problem about seeing some minor signs of erosion on my on breechplug I figured out was a spare plug that I had used in the first ML-II I owned and before I learned to keep it tight. The plug now in my HB shows no signs of erosion. So still as always the key word is "tight".