couple of changes for the good

wabi · 10-14-2007, 01:25 PM

If you remember, the newTraditions Pursuit Pro barrel I recently bought seemed to be accurate, but I had a bad problem with the breech plug hanging up as I removed it. It would break loose easily, the seize up as I removed it, until I had to use the impact wrench to get it completely out.
Another forum member had seen my post about mydesire totrythe vari-flame adapters, and was kind enough to send me some to try (and keep if they worked!), and yet another forum member suggested teflon tape on the breech plug.
Well, this morning I headed for the range equipped with the new vari-flame adapters with small pistol primers installed, and a breech plug installed with (yellow gas line grade) teflon tape and a very light coat of lube. I tried to install my new scope before I went out, but the rings were too low to let it clear the rear sight, so I just shot with open sights today.
80 grains T-7 ffg behind a 300 grain Hornady XTP bulletwithHornady sabot. Two shots at 50 yards, then a slight sight adjustment for windage (I was about 2" left on the first 2 shots). Next 3 shots were two through one hole, and the third about 1/2" above the first two. Perfect ignition with the vari-flame adapters every shot. I only had 7 adapters, so I moved to 100 yards for my last 2 shots. About 1 1/2" apart withone straight above the other.
I then checked the breech plug. It broke loose easily (as usual), then I unscrewed it the rest of the way by hand!
No blowback on the threads (with anti-sieze lube only there was dirt 4 or 5 threads back from the face), and only a very little dirt on the face of the plug where the tape didn't cover!!!!
I also run a wet patch, followed by a dry patch through the bore between every shot. Usually I could feel a slight "crud ring" with the T-7 and regular 209 primers. Today no crud ring at all with the vari-flames!!!!!!!!
Looks like the Traditions is a good shooter, and with the teflon tape & vari-flames performance is improved. Very little blow-back, much cleaner in the breech plug area, and great ignition!
Came home, threw the breech plug in a cup of water, ran two water soaked patches through the bore, cleaned the breech threads with a round brush, ran two Butch's bore shine soaked patches through the bore and wiped the breech threads with a bore shine patch on a brush. A dry patch, a shot of compressed air, a squirt of WD-40, another dry patch or two, and it was spotless!!!!!!! Brushed the breech plug off, dried it thoroughly, wrapped it with teflon tape and reinstalled it. A patch of Rem-Oil down the bore and I was finished!!!!!!

Thanks for the tips & thanks for the vari-flames Jim. Looks like I'll buy another 10 of the brass adapters and some more teflon tape very soon. I believe this was the easiest cleaning I've ever had with an inline, and performance coldn't have been better! Now when I get the high scope rings the deer will really be in trouble.

frontier gander · 10-14-2007, 01:32 PM

Sounds like that traditions is a shooter! I never owned a traditions inline, just traditional but i may have to look into getting one some day. XLT maybe.
Have you shot any conicals yet? im interested in seeing how the 385 and/or 410 great plains would perform.

wabi · 10-14-2007, 01:40 PM

Haven't tried conicals yet, but I probably will in the future.

ReDoT · 10-14-2007, 03:26 PM

frontier gander......your all about the conicals

sabotloader · 10-14-2007, 03:57 PM

wabi

I am surprised the "yellow" gas tape worked. It is the thickest of the tapes and it is to thick for any of my guns. It is so thick that it usually is cut and balls up in the threads. Pink is the one I use the most, but something uses white tape can rember which one for sure...

cayugad · 10-14-2007, 05:36 PM

Even the pink tape is too thick in some of my rifles. So I use the White Teflon tape and if needed, give them two wraps. That teflon tape is easy to remove like you noticed. It also sounds like you have one excellent load there.. nice shooting.

wabi · 10-14-2007, 06:41 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: sabotloader

wabi

I am surprised the "yellow" gas tape worked. It is the thickest of the tapes and it is to thick for any of my guns. It is so thick that it usually is cut and balls up in the threads. Pink is the one I use the most, but something uses white tape can rember which one for sure...

I have a feeling the threads are a little loose in fit. The yellow is tight, but it held together inserting it. The loose fit could be why blowback is so bad. I have another breech plug, but it's not a 7/16 hex to remove. It's the old one with two flats on a round end. As long as the teflon tape is working I'll just keep using it.

Very pleased with the groups I'm getting. Like I've said before, the fit & finish on this rifle is terrible but everyone should own at least one rifle they arent afraid to get wet & dirty. This may be the perfect one to use in bad weather. A little water & mud wouldn't hurt the looks a bit, and the way it shoots the deer would still be in serious trouble.

frontier gander · 10-14-2007, 08:28 PM

Sure i am all about conicals. Thats what i have to use during muzzleloading season.

Semisane · 10-14-2007, 08:49 PM

Just got back from a weekend at the hunting camp. Cleared brush on trails all day Saturday and shot all day today.

I also used teflon tape for the first time - yellow gas/chemical line tape -two wraps pushed into the threads with my fingers - no grease at all.

The plugwas a lot snugger intalling than it is with anti-sieze grease,not really hard but it took a firm turn of the wrench all the way in. Shot 35 rounds with that gun and never touched the plug until I got home about an hour ago. The plugcame out very easily and the threads on the plug were as clean as a whistle. Twirled a round brush in the barrel threads and the tape came out quite easily, looking like a dozen little ribbons. Barrel threads were as clean as they could be also. Anybody want the last 1/4 stickof my CVA breechplug grease?

I wish I had tried the tape a year ago. Never got around to it because I never had any problems using CVA Anti-Sieze Stick.

SIDE NOTE: I had a game camera out for the last two weekson one of my two 1/2 acre foodplots. It had 330 pictures on it, including an 8 pointer, a 7 pointer, a 6 pointer, and at least five different spikes. Our season opens Nov 10 - can't wait.