How to ensure effortless pellet loading with steel breech

[point177]

I am wondering if there is anything that you folks are doing (and I am not) to ensure effortless pellet loading on a 1377 or 2300S with a steel breech.
The pellets are dome heads but I sometimes also use flat heads. The pellets have to be cajoled and encouraged to enter the breech.
The pellet probes are what came with the steel breech, could the probes be a problem.
Pellet loading with the plastic breeches is definitely much, much easier and care free. 

[Matchstickshooter]

 Most find it's that tiny breech screw that messes them on on the metal breeches.
 A lot of folks use a drop of candle or crayon wax over the head of the screw. jmho

[WyoMan]

Hi Manish,

First, make sure the barrel is all the way into the back of the breech (metal on metal contact). There should be no gap between the bolt bore and the end of the barrel.
Sometimes, a tight fitting probe will shove the barrel forward by 10 to 20thou... enough to snag a pellet head.

Next, like Wendell mentioned, it could be the counter-bore recess of the small breech screw (4-48). Some folks have used melted wax but I'm not one of them.
I like to fix two potential issues with the same solution... i.e. use a better breech screw:



The flat head stainless 4-48 has a Phillips drive so you're not going to strip out a socket with an ill-fitting hex wrench.
You may need to trim a bit off the head diameter as shown.

The fit ensures smooth loading with no snags. Not sure it's entirely effortless but pretty close 



Wyo

[point177]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for the detailed reply. I did suspect the gap to be a possible and yes the breech screw head too as pointed by Wendell, I have one whose hex head is messed and I barely managed to cut a flat slot into.
Now is a good time to look for and get better breech screws too.

Thanks

Manish

[moorepower]

Making a small feed ramp on the bottom edge of the barrel does not hurt esp on a .177.

[Matchstickshooter]

Hi Manish,

First, make sure the barrel is all the way into the back of the breech (metal on metal contact). There should be no gap between the bolt bore and the end of the barrel.
Sometimes, a tight fitting probe will shove the barrel forward by 10 to 20thou... enough to snag a pellet head.

Next, like Wendell mentioned, it could be the counter-bore recess of the small breech screw (4-48). Some folks have used melted wax but I'm not one of them.
I like to fix two potential issues with the same solution... i.e. use a better breech screw:



The flat head stainless 4-48 has a Phillips drive so you're not going to strip out a socket with an ill-fitting hex wrench.
You may need to trim a bit off the head diameter as shown.

The fit ensures smooth loading with no snags. Not sure it's entirely effortless but pretty close 



Wyo

 I've tried two different hardware stores for 4-48 without luck.     
Gary,  yours is a better idea than the wax.

[Rick67]

Hi Manish,

First, make sure the barrel is all the way into the back of the breech (metal on metal contact). There should be no gap between the bolt bore and the end of the barrel.
Sometimes, a tight fitting probe will shove the barrel forward by 10 to 20thou... enough to snag a pellet head.

Next, like Wendell mentioned, it could be the counter-bore recess of the small breech screw (4-48). Some folks have used melted wax but I'm not one of them.
I like to fix two potential issues with the same solution... i.e. use a better breech screw:



The flat head stainless 4-48 has a Phillips drive so you're not going to strip out a socket with an ill-fitting hex wrench.
You may need to trim a bit off the head diameter as shown.

The fit ensures smooth loading with no snags. Not sure it's entirely effortless but pretty close 



Wyo

 I've tried two different hardware stores for 4-48 without luck.     
Gary,  yours is a better idea than the wax.

Some light cover switches are 4-48.

[Lt. Dan]

I used a soldering gun to melt a drip of black crayon onto the breech screw smoothing  it out with my finger. To remove wax place the soldering iron on screw while holding the pistol upside down.  Use a q-tip to wick the crayon away.


My custom breech screw is from Magnum Airpower. 

https://onlinestore.magnumairpower.com/products/custom-breech-screw

[Rick67]

Hi Manish,

First, make sure the barrel is all the way into the back of the breech (metal on metal contact). There should be no gap between the bolt bore and the end of the barrel.
Sometimes, a tight fitting probe will shove the barrel forward by 10 to 20thou... enough to snag a pellet head.

Next, like Wendell mentioned, it could be the counter-bore recess of the small breech screw (4-48). Some folks have used melted wax but I'm not one of them.
I like to fix two potential issues with the same solution... i.e. use a better breech screw:



The flat head stainless 4-48 has a Phillips drive so you're not going to strip out a socket with an ill-fitting hex wrench.
You may need to trim a bit off the head diameter as shown.

The fit ensures smooth loading with no snags. Not sure it's entirely effortless but pretty close 



Wyo

 I've tried two different hardware stores for 4-48 without luck.     
Gary,  yours is a better idea than the wax.

Some light cover switches are 4-48.

My mistake!

What I was referring to was the grip screw, which is identical to the light switch plate’s 

[WyoMan]

I've tried two different hardware stores for 4-48 without luck.     

Wendell, I got mine here:

https://www.mcmaster.com/screws/flat-head-screws/thread-size~4-48/drive-style~phillips/

The head diameter needs to be about .192" +/- vs. the .212" as spec'd. But I found some screw heads in the shipment were undersize and fit without modification...hth-

Wyo

[Matchstickshooter]

 Ah, Thanks,Wyo!