Austin Halleck Stuck Breechplug and so so accuracy

[mrlnfshr1]

I have an Austin Halleck inline that is utterly a pain in the a... to clean. Each time I shoot it the breech plug siezes in place. Once i had to take it to a gumsmith to place in a vice for removal. It has the open syle of 209 primer conversion, so I shoot 777. Tried Win 777 primers and CCIs with the same results. Well, shot about 20 rounds through the gun yesterday and cant get the friggin plug out. Same CVA breechplug grease and finger tightening I use on my CVA optima with great results. What gives? Any other Austin Halleck shooters out there? Never really been able to work up a great load because I hate cleaning the darn thing. Shooting 100 gr loose 777 and 300 gr Barnes MZs and getting only Ok accuracy, not what other shooters have claimed in the past. Have tried the ballistic tip Barnes and XTPs as well in addition to varrying sabots, using charges from 90-110gr. Could the blowby that is causing the plug to foul so badly be affecting accuracy? Any idea wher to get a spare breechplug? This was a used gun I got on gunbroker, but it appears to have been fired very little and is in excellent condition, inside and out. Mighty purty pice of wood though. Maybe I could club the deer with it.

 

[Semisane]

Have you ever tried teflon tape on those breech plug threads mrlnfshr? That's all I use and never have a problem.

If you plug threads & breech threads are not a reasonably tight fit, you can double or triple wrap the tape so the plug is just a little tight to thread in. That provides a great seal and may solve your problem.

 

[GregF]

I don't really post much on these forums but read them everyday. Anyway, I have an Austin Halleck 420. I haven't really hunted with it because of some problems I've had with it. Recently I've had it to the range and have been shooting it with Black Horn and the PR breech plug. I've been shooting the PR 195gr duplex sabot. My load has been 110grs of BH with the CCI209M primer. This load out of my rifle shoots very consistant, like around an inch at 100yds for three shots. It has shot it like this after three trips to the range. I use the Thomson Center teflon breech plug grease. To lessen the breech plug seizure you are having pull the bolt out after five or so shots and loosen the breech plug. Then re-tighten it and continue to shoot. This has worked for me. I believe Precision Rifle still has the breech plugs for the 420. Hope this helps.

 

[Jason S]

120gr 777 powder with a 340 gr PR Dead Center with standard sabots that come with them. Into close to the same hole at 50 yrds with open sights. I open up due to the sight limitations at 100 yrds of my eye sight. Here in Washington State we are stuck with open sights and either #11's or Musket Caps which I shoot.

I will say if I only grease the breech pulg mine will stick too. But with the teflon tape a little more than finger tight it is good to go. 20+ shots cleaning the bore with two wet followed by three dry and a cap and it is a dream shooter.

I had another post here about a Thompson Center Black Diamond. I am spoiled by the accuracy of the two A&H's I own. I wish when they were giving them away when they were going out of business I would have bought a couple more. Also wich I had bought some more sapre parts for them like the strikers. Don;'t forget when cleaning the bolt to loosen the set screw. It will ruin the striker.

 

[boarman]

I had....stress HAD an Austin & Halleck. I used the .32 ACP (?) brass with small pistol primers , used 777.

Had to loosen the breach plug (which I still have) every 3-5 shots or I would bend the breach plug crown from torquing so damned hard.

I ended up having to file down the crown or else the brass wouldn't fit.

The blowback was terrible before I got the modified plug. Still it was hard on my scope.

Finally got rid of it & went with a TC Encore.

If you have a need for the modified breach plug, let me know

 

[boarman]

I had....stress HAD an Austin & Halleck. I used the .32 ACP (?) brass with small pistol primers , used 777.

Had to loosen the breach plug (which I still have) every 3-5 shots or I would bend the breach plug crown from torquing so damned hard.

I ended up having to file down the crown or else the brass wouldn't fit.

The blowback was terrible before I got the modified plug. Still it was hard on my scope.

Finally got rid of it & went with a TC Encore.

If you have a need for the modified breach plug, let me know

 

[GregF]

I had the same problem with the .32 plug. I bought the revised version of that .32 plug and didn't have the bending problems but the blowback was the same. I have to be honest, I've never had problems with the plug sticking in the Austin and Halleck. My Encore plug stuck and I read on this forum awhile back about loosening the breech plug after a couple of shots then re-tightening it. It's worked.

 

[mrlnfshr1]

Thanks for the replies guys. I had posted earlier this year about the PR plug and BH209 and never got any first hand reports. Will definitly try one as soon as I can. This gun is too purdy not to shoot. Part of the fun of shooting muzzleloders is working up a load,but damn this one has been frustrating. As for the teflon tape, have never tried it but probably will next time.

 

[Jason S]

Order some PR Bullet 340gr Dead Centers. If they don;t shoot in your A&H I'll buy them from you. Sub MOA for me with open sights. I would also say try some 777 or regular Pyro. The Buckhorn thing is new to me but 777 really works in both of mine.