Encore Breech Plug
 

I got some feedback on my other post on my Encore pistol range results but I thought I'd start a new thread more focused on the topic.
I was having some delayed ignition using BH209 on my outing. Zero delays with Alliant Black MZ.
The BP on my Encore has the hex head for installation/removal and the front face is slightly concaved. Hubby stated in my other thread that they had a new design that had a cupped face. I can't see any images on line about this type. All the pic show are the back end of the BP and not the end that contacts the powder.
Would it improve ignition if I were to bore out a "cup" in the face of the BP?

can you post a picture of your's?

that might help id what you have as to what is now being given out with the guns!


if I recall on the one's I had, (its been 10 yrs or so)
the difference I had in the one's I got from TC< there were different depths of the face concave, how deep they were, and then the cone shape was different on some as well
I also had some that had overall shorter lengths and amount of threads too!
as again I went back and forth with TC, as we went nuts trying to get mine to shoot(I think I went thru like 4-5 barrels from TC, as well as a good 6-8 breech plugs)
when I sold gun I gave new owners all items!
but MIGHT have 1-2 breech plugs , I'll have to look?
as I even had a few custom made to try different idea's

Here you go mrbb. I hope it helps. Any advice will be taken. If you think deepening the "pocket" on the face of the BP would help I could use some grinding compound and work it down. I could even make it a bit smaller in diameter to concentrate the flame in the center.

Here is a pic of diff plugs. From left, #2 and #4 (not sure if there is a difference) are the most common and work well with all powders, including BH209. #1 likely has problems with BH209, my guess is #3, with its narrow edges, can have problems with pellets. Credit to Sabotloader, I nicked the pic off one of his posts.

Thanks Hubby (boy it seems weird calling you that). After looking at thatg pic I decided to modify my BP. It only took about 45 mins with the drill press a bit and then a hand drill and some grinding compound. It should work good now. Next outing will see. Here is the before and after.

So now you have a massive flash hole in your plug. It needs a Savage type vent liner and a 5/32 flash channel. A flash HOLE that large is a primer rupture waiting to happen. Anything over a .036" hole and a breech plug is toast.

You even responded to the thread on how Ron does them. Process is the same for the old style TC hex head plug.
https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/bla...ification.html

Gm that flash hole is only .035". For some reason it looks bigger in the pic. I know because I just bored ot out yesterday

yes I think that is a bad idea on opening up the flash hole there, it allows gases to go both ways and coming back at you can be dangerous

when I had a few custom plugs made(by my gun smiths trying to find a way to get gun to shoot)
we did a slightly larger flash hole on the bore side, just a little to get more a flare on things as it left the plug into the powder charge
DIDN"T help me at all, or sure didn;t notice any difference in anything
but again, out o ALL my plugs and I had a bunch, I never had issues with delayed charges

I however was also pulling breech plug about every dozen shots or so, and cleaning flash hole
so, things always went off instantly as they should!
I do recall some primers were WAY dirtier than others
its been so long I honestly don;'t recall what one's were the cleanest and what I settled on
as between me, Thompson center and two custom rifle builder that always gave it a go trying, we went thru about every combination that existed

SO if it was me, I'd start with a NEW breech plug here to be SAFE
and from there try some NEW primers, make sure there fresh and dry fire off some primers of a few brands and see what one's leave your flash hole the cleanest(also check chambers for how dirty just a primer charge is!(no charge in barrel here, just firing off primers and inspecting things!
and then maybe stick with the one that seems to keep flash hole the cleanest!

and then once that is figured out, start shooting things again(making sure charged are seated well and see if any better

Also, any chance the hang fires are primer/firing pin related?
did you save any to see if lighter impacts/dents on primers?

The current design Omega/Encore breech plug works just fine shooting BH209 even with a standard Win209.

I know I am really late to this thread, but Bronco you never say that you have cleaned/hand driller out the flash channel under the primer cup. Hang-fires and eventually no fire can be caused by the build up of hard carbon in the flash channel of the breech plug. I really would not do anything to the flash hole.



Another thing that would/might really help that plug is to modify the the flash channel size and the the fixed flash hole to accept a screw in vent liner.

These are completed CVA plugs that I have been modified...



This is a picture of a regular TC BP and one that I drilled the flash channel out with a 5/32" bit.



This group might give you more information. I prefer to use the domed Lehigh Vent Liners versus the flat faced Savage vent liner.



Hope some of this might help

GM I stand corrected I had bored the flash hole out to .035" prior to putting the pocket in the face. I just pulled it and checked the flash hole after putting the pocket in and it is about .060"! Way too big. I used the same .060" bit and hand turned it in the back end of the BP below the primer pocket and it was filled with carbon. Once thru the carbon it went all the way thru the BP. I guess when I drilled out the pocket I cut deep enough to get to the larger section of the flash hole.
The BP on my 209x45 barrel already has the deeper cup in the face with the small flash hole (.030").
Looks like I'll be buying a new BP. Any idea what part number it is?

Sabotloader - I may just do that myself with the vent liner. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Not sure if this will help you or not but...

Sabot the only question I have is how long a 10-32 screw do you use? And I imagine you drill down through the center of that with an .030" or .035" bit???

16 bucks for a new plug from TC
part # SKU: 31007763

https://accessories.tcarms.com/acces.../31007763.html

New plugs are cheap as mentioned BUT........

If you want to tinker you can buy vent liners from Lehigh Defense or Badger Ridge Industries. The link i posted from Ron listed the tools needed to mod a OLD STYLE breech plug. Dont modify the current style or the flash channel gets really short.

Yeah I realized that when I started to tinker with my BP. Once I had drilled the face then drilled the .159" hole for the vent screw I didn't even bother drilling out the vent liner screws because I only had MAYBE 3/8" left of the flash hole. Not enough. I'll look into the Lehigh one but as much as I'll shoot this pistol I may just buy a TC one.

Yeah I realized that when I started to tinker with my BP. Once I had drilled the face then drilled the .159" hole for the vent screw I didn't even bother drilling out the vent liner screws because I only had MAYBE 3/8" left of the flash hole. Not enough. I'll look into the Lehigh one but as much as I'll shoot this pistol I may just buy a TC one.