I feel bad about not having written something sooner, now that I've heard some of your comments and concerns. It seems that some of the newer muzzleloading shooters / hunters were having problems with hang-fires and thought it was something they were doing wrong. Not so.
Over the past few years, the industry decided we needed breech plugs that we can remove with our fingers. I'm not sure why, removing the dang breech plug with a wrench was never a problem for me, it took a few seconds but I can't ever remember breaking a sweat over having to do it that way.
So why did we need our breech plug out quicker?
Is it because they think we love cleaning a dirty breech plug so much that we wanted to hurry up and get it out so we can get started on that chore? Do they think we just can't wait? Who has been calling the rifle manufacturers and telling them we wanted to get our breech plugs out faster? Who told them we wanted a break from having to use a dang socket wrench anyway? Which one of you was it?
Whatever the reason, and no matter who ratted us lazy muzzleloaders out to the manufacturers, the new QRBP is here and they are not going away.
The problem is that all of them, no matter the manufacturer, have caused a whole new problem for us to deal with (now that we have gotten rid of that pesky wrench). The new problem being that we need a much better maintenance program and a much more detailed cleaning regiment...much better, more detailed and more often.
As I see it, there are 6 breech plug features that have an effect on ignition and accuracy:
1. The Primer Pocket
2. The Fire Channel - that hole between the primer pocket and flash hole.
3. The Transition Area - the area that connects the fire channel to the flash hole.
4. The Flash Hole
5. The Face of the Breech Plug
6. The length - and this is what has been the driving force in causing us to have to pay more attention to the other five features.
Now that is really a lot of stuff to have to pay attention too!
It's also a lot to write about, especially in one blog post, so this is what I've decided to do. I'm going to spread it out over my next several posts to keep this one from running too long.
So watch the MAX Blog as I cover each feature individually, starting at the bottom of the list with #6: The Length. Length is not all bad if a company has done all their homework.
Till my next article, take a look at the breech plugs below and compare them to yours.
Also, I encourage all of you to visit Blackhorn 209's website and take a look at the work they've done and the information they are sharing concerning ignition guidelines, like how to deal with breech plug problems and how to get them to work correctly and accurately. Then before you leave their site, join the Blackhorn Team; I don't think you'll be dissapointed.
And while you're surfing the internet, go to CVA's website and look at what they've done to correct or help you with their breech plug ignition problems....oh, what's that you say? You can't find any link on their page to help with QRBP ignition problems? Hmmm.
After checking out each site, decide for yourself which company seems to have your best interest, your accuracy and your shooting & hunting successfulness, at heart.
And just for a little comparison, here is a picture of CVA's QRBP along side the new breech plug designed by Blackhorn.
One more thing - Traditions is a company that very little has been said about in all this. I, for one, have no experience with their rifles, but I'm ordering a Vortex tomorrow! I've had my eye on one for quite a while now, it's a perfect timed to take action on my desires. And Blackhorn has never mentioned any problems with Traditions breech plugs to me, so maybe it's time for us to have a look at another mid-priced In-line.
If you are shooting Traditions rifles I'd be very interested in hearing your comments below, what's been your experience?
