I am somewhat mystified as to all the problems associated with breech plugs, as I have never had a problem. Heck I have shot up to 70 shots without pulling the plug, and this year after deer season, I merely wiped the outside of the rifle down with breakfree and I ran a patch with breakfree down the bore and set the rifle in the safe intending to clean it, in a couple days. I finally got around to cleaning the rifle in May. The breechplug and ventliner popped right out, no problemo.
Maybe what I do would work well for some that are having the problem.
Starting with a dirty gun/breechplug. I pull the plug, clean the bore a little bit, getting out most of the gunk. I then clean the threads in the rifle with carb. cleaner and a bottle brush. I then finish cleaning the bore using sabot solvent.
I then clean the plug with carb. cleaner and a toothbrush. I remove the ventliner and drill out the carbon with a 5/32 drill bit, I do this by hand, as a power drill certainly could get into the threads if one was not very careful. The drill bit I use has a square shank and if things are a little hard to turn I simply grab the shank with a pair of vise grips. After I drill out the carbon, ( this takes less then a minute) I then spray out the inside of the plug with carb. cleaner. I then wipe everything down with a clean rag. I now have a clean plug and ventliner. Now maybe here is where I avoid problems with stuck breechplugs and ventliners. First I use the Loc Tite copper anti-seize stick. I then coat the threads of the ventliner and the underside of the cap completely. I then install the ventliner, and torque it in hand tight, not being bashful when I cinch it down. I then completely coat the threads of the breech plug, maiking sure every single portion of the threads have anti-seize in it. I then take a dab of breakfree and coat the rest of the outside of the plug other then the face of the ventliner. I then screw the plug into the rifle. I then take a rawhide mallet and give the T handle of the plug wrench a couple of sharp smacks making sure the plug threads are seated tightly in the rifle. I then take a clean rag and wipeout the rifles breech area, getting rid of any anti-seize I might have smeared on the gun.
I think there are several things I do that prevent any problems with stuck plugs and ventliners:
1. I always start with a really clean plug and ventliner.
2. I always get the threaded area inside the rifle really clean as well.
3. I only use the Loctite Copper anti seize stick which has two things going for it, one it is a good anti seize product, and two the stick is easy to handle and makes getting everything covered much easier then using ones hands or the brush found with other anti seize products.
4.I make sure the ventliner is installed tightly in the breechplug,which prevents gas/carbon from getting in the threads.
5. I make sure the breechplug is installed tightly in the rifle which prevents the plug from loosening and allow gas/carbon to get in the threads.
6. When I remove the breechplug after shooting, I give the T handle of the breechplug wrench a sharp rap with a rawhide mallet, never more then two, to get the plug " off seat" before I attempt to unscrew it.
This has worked for me with several 10MLII's over the last 3 years or so and if you are experiencing difficulty in this area, maybe these tips will help.
Rifleman
Maybe what I do would work well for some that are having the problem.
Starting with a dirty gun/breechplug. I pull the plug, clean the bore a little bit, getting out most of the gunk. I then clean the threads in the rifle with carb. cleaner and a bottle brush. I then finish cleaning the bore using sabot solvent.
I then clean the plug with carb. cleaner and a toothbrush. I remove the ventliner and drill out the carbon with a 5/32 drill bit, I do this by hand, as a power drill certainly could get into the threads if one was not very careful. The drill bit I use has a square shank and if things are a little hard to turn I simply grab the shank with a pair of vise grips. After I drill out the carbon, ( this takes less then a minute) I then spray out the inside of the plug with carb. cleaner. I then wipe everything down with a clean rag. I now have a clean plug and ventliner. Now maybe here is where I avoid problems with stuck breechplugs and ventliners. First I use the Loc Tite copper anti-seize stick. I then coat the threads of the ventliner and the underside of the cap completely. I then install the ventliner, and torque it in hand tight, not being bashful when I cinch it down. I then completely coat the threads of the breech plug, maiking sure every single portion of the threads have anti-seize in it. I then take a dab of breakfree and coat the rest of the outside of the plug other then the face of the ventliner. I then screw the plug into the rifle. I then take a rawhide mallet and give the T handle of the plug wrench a couple of sharp smacks making sure the plug threads are seated tightly in the rifle. I then take a clean rag and wipeout the rifles breech area, getting rid of any anti-seize I might have smeared on the gun.
I think there are several things I do that prevent any problems with stuck plugs and ventliners:
1. I always start with a really clean plug and ventliner.
2. I always get the threaded area inside the rifle really clean as well.
3. I only use the Loctite Copper anti seize stick which has two things going for it, one it is a good anti seize product, and two the stick is easy to handle and makes getting everything covered much easier then using ones hands or the brush found with other anti seize products.
4.I make sure the ventliner is installed tightly in the breechplug,which prevents gas/carbon from getting in the threads.
5. I make sure the breechplug is installed tightly in the rifle which prevents the plug from loosening and allow gas/carbon to get in the threads.
6. When I remove the breechplug after shooting, I give the T handle of the breechplug wrench a sharp rap with a rawhide mallet, never more then two, to get the plug " off seat" before I attempt to unscrew it.
This has worked for me with several 10MLII's over the last 3 years or so and if you are experiencing difficulty in this area, maybe these tips will help.
Rifleman
