Breechplug
I have always finger tightened my BP's, there snug but not tight, it's hard to explain it.
When i tape my BP's I can not even turn them by hand - they go in with a ratchet and are snugged with the ratchet handle... the plug is fairly snug all the way through the turning process as the tape is compressed..... again not tight but sung.
It would'nt make a difference in blow back with a finger tight BP would it?
I think it might... this is not a good comparison but, put the lid on a bottle of windex loose - turn the bottle up side down - might it leak? Sure might be possible! Put an engine head on a motor that is suppose to hold repeated compression strokes from cold to warm temperatures, but only moserately tighten the bolts - will it leak??? How about the effects of metal temperature. again poor analygies but you get my drift.
Look at the face of your breech plug - then look inside the barrel at the end of the breech plug threads. Do you see a corresponding face in there. Ideally the face of the pug should mate with the face of the bore in the barrel. Ideally the blow back around the threads should be stopped right where these two surfaces mate.
Have you seen this drawing that UC has illustrated for me?
Next thing I do not want you to think I am telling you how to do it - because there is more than one way to skin a cat - but you might try it one time and see.
It's just once a long time ago I got a BP stuck and had a heck of a time getting it out, I used to really snug em down, since then I just snug em in with my fingers, no BP wrench. I never felt any wiggle in the BP when I did this or I'd have snugged it in better.
There have been a lot of peole that have experianced that same thing - but were you or even them using tape at the time and did the tape go on an in smoothly... And that is exactly why i say it works for me but your results may be different.
Look at this picture - and I have to admit it is not the norm - the tape does not usually come out still on the BP as it does in my Remingtons but it does show how well the threads were sealed...
I just want to get the most out of the BP, should I tighten it in a little better and how do you know when tight is too tight?
I hear you and I know what you mean - no one wants to stick a BP...
For me and only me - I do use a socket and ratchet to install the plug - I do snug it up with the socket and ratchet to the point that I feel I am compressing the the tape on the nose of the plug but not tearing it. To check this after the plug is install I shine a light down the barrel. I should see tape all the way around the bottom of the barrel where it has been compressed face to face. That is why I wrap over the nose of the BP. Again works for me but... it has taken me awhile to develope putting thetape on correctly and the feel of installing it.
None of this has anything to do with the blow back - back up the middle if the BP - that is another different game...
Wish this made as much sense to you as it does to me - actually wish I could just drive over and show ya...
has anyone ever thought of a 2-Piece BP, one that the primer goes inbetween the 2 parts
There is a two piece 209 unit built for sidehammers - the name of the device eludes me at the moment (old timers disease) The closet thing to it for inlines is something like a 25acp conversion... which uses a prime and a shell casing... Wish I could show you how that works in my Omega - would not be as effective in a break open though...