Roy wrote:when you insert the plug into the body have I read it right the gates and the bar must line up with the opposing groove in the padlock body before turning and removing the key ?
Is anyone able to open this lock now without hacking it to pieces ?
Nope, the discs have to be in the as-locked position, as in turned CCW as far as they go in the core, i.e. insert-a-key-position. Then you push the core in to the lock, lining up the locking bar slot of the core with the one in the body and then drop the locking bar in that little space. At this moment you have a locked lock. Now you screw in the end cap and you have what appears to be an assembled lock that is locked. Now you push the key in, turn it to open the lock, lift the shackle and screw in that little set screw to secure it.
If you line up all the gates of the discs beforehand (which I didn't write in my instructions), push the locking bar in the groove and then assemble the lock, you can then lock it with just the tip of the key and if the code discs are not in correct order, that was it.
And yes, I'm able to open any rekeyable PL series Abloy lock (PL330 and up). But I'm in Finland and the postage costs back'n'forth and my costs would exceed locks worth. If you had many locks keyed alike then it would be viable option to send me one.