Bestill UltraLite Breech Plug

[ronlaughlin]

Sent BESTILL CREATIONS money; then breech plug came to house.

No vent liner. Tungsten Carbide Bushing with 0.032" flash hole plenty long. Jeff say the bushing will be good for one thousand and more shots. Bushing is held in place by the hollow set nut. The flame channel is 0.153" diameter, the chamber to hold the bushing is necessarily larger.

The first step for me, was to determine how much to shorten the breech plug to fit the rifle. One needs to know what primers one will use. Turned out there is two common primers that are now about the same length. The newer boxes of Winchester W209 primers appear to be mostly shorter than the older lots. These newer lots of W209 primers are about the same length as the Federal 209A primers.

Using a small lathe, about 0.003" was cut off the end of the breech plug. This resulted in a plug that makes a goodly amount of 'crush' to both primer brands.

Photo shows the plug with the bushing in place; then the set nut in place.

Next photos shows the plug installed in the sleeve. It is my understanding Jeff intends for the sleeve to be glued into the barrel of the rifle. Me, i was unable to glue the sleeve into the rifle yet. Too nervous. Wouldn't know how to remove it. Note the plug has a rear seal that marries the sleeve.

Note the assembled plug looks nearly the same as a Knight or Lehigh plug. So what happened next is the plug was installed in the rifle, and a little trip was made to a place where one can shoot guns. Once the plug was ready to shoot, it had to be shot.



Six quick shots were taken; the plug worked good. Short W209 primers were burned. The primers fell right out of the plug. The primers were blow by free. The primers had plenty of 'crush'.

Back at the house, the plug was easily removed from the rifle, and cleaned, and reinstalled for more shooting. This shooter is still too 'nervous' to glue the sleeve into the rifle...........

 

[45-70]

had one in a knight best plug system invented, mine was glued and only center came out. No stuck plug and no blow back, black or BH209. must keep flame channel clean

 

[Idaholewis]

AWESOME Looking Breech Plug System!! To top it off, It couldn’t come from a Nicer, more Genuine Guy

 

[sdporter]

I guess I don’t understand the threaded bushing. Why not make the plug full thread diameter? Is it to get the rear sealing plug effect?

 

[45-70]

I guess I don’t understand the threaded bushing. Why not make the plug full thread diameter? Is it to get the rear sealing plug effect?

yep and some knight rifles aren't squared or flush so they leak , bushing glued in , plug screws into that , seals every time

 

[Patrick McChristy]

Thanks for sharing - looks awesome

 

[Sideshow]

yep and some knight rifles aren't squared or flush so they leak , bushing glued in , plug screws into that , seals every time

Its either buy this plug system or lap in the standard design to stop leaks . Bestill's design of this plug is superior in every way . Putting whatever on the threads to stop the leaks is just a band-aide for the True issue with a front sealing factory style plug . The Permatex Thread Sealant #80632 is the Best band-aide for this but still merely a band-aide used that way without lapping . Bestills plug is by far the better option for these rifles against All challengers with its rear sealing design . The sleeve can be fairly easily removed once put in place with the loctite bestil recomends with a heat gun and acetone cleanup . Bestill even offers only the threaded sleeves alone should they be needed .

 

[ronlaughlin]

Kinda installed the breech plug in the rifle yesterday, and took it out. Made 13 shots using W209 primers. There was zero blow by, and the primers fell right out when the bolt was opened. Load was 90g Blackhorn, Poly wad, 250g Deep Curl, W209 primer.

This morning, still unable to fasten the sleeve to the barrel, installed the plug as though it were one piece. Wrapped the outside with a single wrap of plumber tape, for the seal. Changed the primer to the Federal 209A. Brought along a different bullet -- the Speer 260g HP. Shot the 250 Deep Curl again too. Made a total of 13 shots this morning, using the two different bullets. To remove the 209A primers it was necessary to recock the bolt, and pull the trigger again, but there is zero blow by.

It was windy up there, but not too bad for shooting at 100 yard, so made some shots. Load was 90g Blackhorn, poly wad, 260g Speer HP, or 250g Deep Curl, Federal 209A primer. Seemed like the wind was quieting down, so wondered if one could try going out to 200 yard. After shooting 10 shots, taped over the Deep Curl shots at 100 yards, but not the 260 HP shots. After moving out to 200 yard, took three more shots with the Deep Curl bullets, ignoring the wind. The top target was punched by the 260g HP; bottom target was punched by the 250g Deep Curl. Wind never completely went away.

The photo shows the single wrap of plumber tape. Following photo(s) show how the single wrap of plumber tape completely stops all blow by around the breech plug. After 13 shots the plug is nearly still clean. The nose of the plug, which was below the tape, has soot on it. The soot on the nose, is visible. The plug was very easy to remove; no sign of sticking. There is virtually no clean up involved when using the tape for the seal. Doing more than installing a single wrap of plumber tape on the breech plug is completely unnecessary.

Photo(s) also show how there is zero soot in the primer socket.

The plug seems to be near a perfect length for the 209A primer. However, am still not comfortable adhering the sleeve to the barrel........

 

[45-70]

Kinda installed the breech plug in the rifle yesterday, and took it out. Made 13 shots using W209 primers. There was zero blow by, and the primers fell right out when the bolt was opened. Load was 90g Blackhorn, Poly wad, 250g Deep Curl, W209 primer.

This morning, still unable to fasten the sleeve to the barrel, installed the plug as though it were one piece. Wrapped the outside with a single wrap of plumber tape, for the seal. Changed the primer to the Federal 209A. Brought along a different bullet -- the Speer 260g HP. Shot the 250 Deep Curl again too. Made a total of 13 shots this morning, using the two different bullets. To remove the 209A primers it was necessary to recock the bolt, and pull the trigger again, but there is zero blow by.

It was windy up there, but not too bad for shooting at 100 yard, so made some shots. Load was 90g Blackhorn, poly wad, 260g Speer HP, or 250g Deep Curl, Federal 209A primer. Seemed like the wind was quieting down, so wondered if one could try going out to 200 yard. After shooting 10 shots, taped over the Deep Curl shots at 100 yards, but not the 260 HP shots. After moving out to 200 yard, took three more shots with the Deep Curl bullets, ignoring the wind. The top target was punched by the 260g HP; bottom target was punched by the 250g Deep Curl. Wind never completely went away.

The photo shows the single wrap of plumber tape. Following photo(s) show how the single wrap of plumber tape completely stops all blow by around the breech plug. After 13 shots the plug is nearly still clean. The nose of the plug, which was below the tape, has soot on it. The soot on the nose, is visible. The plug was very easy to remove; no sign of sticking. There is virtually no clean up involved when using the tape for the seal. Doing more than installing a single wrap of plumber tape on the breech plug is completely unnecessary.

Photo(s) also show how there is zero soot in the primer socket.

The plug seems to be near a perfect length for the 209A primer. However, am still not comfortable adhering the sleeve to the barrel........

then take it to a gunsmith and have it done you won't regret it, center will go in and out just like the whole plug with sleeve

 

[ronlaughlin]

My concern is not installing the sleeve. My concern is removing the sleeve should i wish to change the length, or change to a different breech plug. Installing the sleeve is not much of a worry. However, i cannot think how it would be removed.

 

[Patrick McChristy]

What's the glue used?

 

[45-70]

What's the glue used?

some kind of Loctite is all I know . Bestill did mine, I only live about 5 miles from him.

 

[fishhawk2700]

My concern is not installing the sleeve. My concern is removing the sleeve should i wish to change the length, or change to a different breech plug. Installing the sleeve is not much of a worry. However, i cannot think how it would be removed.

If it is installed with red Loctite, it would take a little heat and the corresponding easy out. You would lose the threaded sleeve but I'm sure Jeff could replace it. Once glued in I don't think there is any way to save it. If there is, Jeff would be the one to ask.

 

[bestill]

Looks like installation went well.

Loctite the 2 pc together and fitting into your rifle works great especially in normal loads in a 50 cal

Looking at photos looks like flame cutting of front sealing surface is happening and is difficult to stop.

Red loctite the outer sleeve in place will stop flame cutting and utilize plugs design and rear seal.

Yes removing sleeve is tricky but using a expandable 9/16 ×18 extraction tool and heat will come right out.

But of course thru testing i had to have these specialty tools made.

Glad plug is working!
Thanks Jeff

 

[ronlaughlin]

Yes removing sleeve is tricky but using a expandable 9/16 ×18 extraction tool and heat will come right out.

Jeff, thanks for the information. Knowing you have the right tool may allow me to fasten the sleeve to the barrel. Am quite hesitant to do such, without knowing how to remove it. Even having to mail the barrel to you, makes it more doable for me.

Thanks again. By the way your breech plug is a pretty piece of work!

 

[sdporter]

Its either buy this plug system or lap in the standard design to stop leaks . Bestill's design of this plug is superior in every way . Putting whatever on the threads to stop the leaks is just a band-aide for the True issue with a front sealing factory style plug . The Permatex Thread Sealant #80632 is the Best band-aide for this but still merely a band-aide used that way without lapping . Bestills plug is by far the better option for these rifles against All challengers with its rear sealing design . The sleeve can be fairly easily removed once put in place with the loctite bestil recomends with a heat gun and acetone cleanup . Bestill even offers only the threaded sleeves alone should they be needed .

Are you on your soap box again? Lol....

 

[Sideshow]

Are you on your soap box again? Lol....

Actually i hit the wrong reply button . That which i posted was for you . You asked so i answered , and in detail as well as truthfully . That speaks for itself . Read bestill's reply , its there . So is my support for his plug if nothing has clouded the eyes .

 

[sdporter]

Actually i hit the wrong reply button . That which i posted was for you . You asked so i answered , and in detail as well as truthfully . That speaks for itself . Read bestill's reply , its there . So is my support for his plug if nothing has clouded the eyes .

I was just tryin to be funny. Hope you didn’t take offense. I apologize if it came over that way. I agree with EVERYTHING you have said about lapping a plug in, and I’m still gonna do it to all my Whites. Bestills plug makes sense now also. That threaded bushing, being concentric with the plug, and being glued in place, gets rid of any need for the threaded section of the breech to be 100% true with the bore. I kinda guessed the threaded bushing was for the rear seal when I looked at it, just wanted some clarification.

 

[ronlaughlin]

Photo shows plug once again with a single wrap of plumber tape. This plug put into the rifle, and we went out in the cold to shoot. Shot a dozen shots, and came back to the house. Removed the plug from the rifle and observed.

Once again we see bright shiny threads. The single wrap of plumber tape did a perfect job stopping any blow by, and keeping the plug clean, and keeping the plug free. Interestingly the tape is almost self cleaning; note remnants of tape on the end.

Once again, one can see how clean the primer socket is after using the Federal 209A primer a dozen times. Obviously there is no blow by around the primer.

One might say this plug is working perfectly as is.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Don't change what you're happy with.