jethro224 said:
Are you banking the prime away from the vent and/or picking the hole after loading the main charge? Doing both of these definitely makes a difference for me.
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That seems to be pretty much standard advice but in my own testing and that of a friend we have found ignition just as fast and much more certain if the pan is primed rather heavily (I use a 3 grain primer spout) and right up to the vent hole.
Hmmm.... that's strange. I have a Traditions PA longrifle and it has a small lock (uses 5/8" flints). I didn't get good ignition from it until I started priming my pan by putting the powder (3Fg Goex) only on the outside half of the pan. Ignition became virtually instantaneous. Anytime I fill the pan with too much powder (all the way across the pan & level with the top), I get delayed ignition.
I read somewhere by an advocate of the "less is more" method of priming that he had successfully fired his flintlock by slightly wetting the pan, dumping in some powder and then blowing it back out of the pan. A very small amount of powder remained because only the powder that adhered to the moisture in the bottom of the pan was left. So, being the non-believer that I was, I tried it. I was amazed that it worked. I don't advocate doing that on a regular basis, but you might give it a try to see just how little powder it really takes.
By the way, I did not drill out my vent liner. It is completely stock. It is however located in exactly the right spot to make the most out of any flash (in the middle and even with the top of the pan).
Hope this helps.
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Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
