« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2012, 02:21:26 PM »
Govt.,
Not yet, I am using a temp. plug, AKA a primed piece of expanded 500 S&W brass. Chamber the primed brass and then like any other MZ. On the the 45-70s I converted to smokeless (and the 444M I gave up on) I shot them with temporary plugs until I decided they worked well enough for me to make a permanent conversion. IF/when I decide to make this 500 a permanent MZ I will have a slip fit steel or brass plug turned on a lathe. This plug will have essentially the same outside dimensions as a fired piece of 500 S&W brass but the wall and case head will be a lot thicker. One made the plug will be hand fitted and then will be epoxy it in place. THe Plug will have a reamed 209 pocket that is "o" ringed and a flash hole. Another option for a breech plug would be to have the chamber bored out and threaded and then use a Savage 10ML plug; more work & more money in my eyes.
Oh, before I am tarred and feathered for using glue to install a breech plug I would suggest that folks calculate the breech thrust, the glued surface area of the outside of the plug (would be the same surface area as the brass cartridge ext. wall) and the holding strength of the epoxy. I did the math and it said it would work on the 45-70s and then I did the testing by shooting 100s of rounds out of two different guns and the slip fit/epoxied plugs haven't moved. THe first plug was intentionally made with headspace so it doesn't touch the receiver face and it has stayed put.
BB
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RIP Tom: Tom Nolan, ( bikerbeans) passed away this afternoon (02-04-2021).
Why be difficult, when with a little extra effort you can be impossible?
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MINE: 270W, 308x444, 44 Bodeen, 410 shorty rifled slug gun, 445 SuperMag Shikari, 45 ACP shorty, 45-70 Shikari, 45 Cal Smokeless MZ, 50cal 24" SS Sidekick, 50 cal 24" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Sidekick, 50-70 Govt Shikari, Tracker II 20 ga shorty, 20 ga VR Pardner, 20ga USH, 12ga VR NWTF, 12ga Tracker II shorty WITHOUT scope, 12ga USH, 10 ga Pardner Smoothbore slug gun & 24ga Profino Custom rifled slug gun.