Colonial .54 touch hole

[kyron4]

I've seen plenty of posts suggesting putting a touch hole pick (or feather) in the vent while loading. Pull it out and prime. Supposedly gives quicker ignition but I don't know if anyone ever timed it. Not defective.

I've tried it both ways and couldn't really tell any difference. Likely need not noticeable to the human ear.

 

[2001guns]

Only thing I worry about is the rivet body of soft stainless does not peen closed, loose it's grip and come out of the eroded flash hole like bullet at some point.

Thank you Sir. This rivet is 18-8 stainless as opposed to the softer 304 analysis.
18-8 is the most corrosion resistant, hard and very high tensil strength. I believe you would split the barrel before you could fold that flange and spit the rivet. I've worked my way up to 50 grains of FF pushing a
.69 ball and it ain't loose yet.

 

[LongWalker]

I've seen plenty of posts suggesting putting a touch hole pick (or feather) in the vent while loading. Pull it out and prime. Supposedly gives quicker ignition but I don't know if anyone ever timed it. Not defective.

I'm not sure if it is faster; it does seem to result in more-consistent ignition and fewer misfires/hangfires. In the first 2,500 or so shots with this rifle, loading in this manner, I've had no hangfires and only 6 flashes in the pan w/o ignition of the primary charge. Probably half of those shots were in classes where either I or students were shooting: not a context in which I want to have ignition problems.