Rich Pierce said:
Bushing a rifle with a worn touchhole in the flintlock period here would normally be done using wrought iron and there's not much evidence that the bushing would be internally coned much/most of the time. If folks want to justify their using "liners" because originals were sometimes "bushed", there may be a bit of apples and oranges here.
The statement was that there were few or no "liners" back in the day.
He wanted citations for his "notes". I posted them. Now he can put them in his "notes", or not.
Nobody but and da*ned fool would think they were made like a White lightning in design or materials. BUT THEY WERE STILL THERE. They were installed in the SAME or very SIMILAR manner.
As I have stated here before.
I don't like plain vents. They are not reliable unless over .093" and probably not then.
People can pontificate on how reliable THEIR plain vent is but my experience is they are not.
I like flintlocks.
I like Kentucky rifles.
I am not making flintlocks in 1770.
I make them to use I don't make them just to look at.
People need to ask this question.
"What vent liner would I want if I knew that a flash in the pan would cause me to die?"
This is how I look at it. In 1770 I might not have any choice or even KNOW of another. But this ain't 1770.
In a discussion with another long time flintlock user concerning this issue, reliability etc. He wondered how many of the people that love to make such statements actually use the guns. Like as part of the DAILY LIFE. LIKE ON A JOB. LIKE TO EAT. LIKE FOR 6 MONTHS STRAIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS HORSEBACK.
He has. I used to run around in grizzly country with a FL, but wait! I still do.
I like the reliability of a GOOD vent liner.
Furthermore when I put the rifle in the pickup and drive I know the smaller vent will not pass powder and UNLOAD IT to a greater or lesser extent from vibration.
Anyone who thinks this not likely, simply is CLUELESS. .070" WILL pass FF Swiss if in the "Easy Rider Rifle Rack" in my 66 pickup.
Why do I carry a loaded FL in the pickup? Because in the course of a day I may drive 50-100 miles to visit various parcels of public land and either glass or walk them. I am not going to load and unload the rifle every time. Its too time consuming and I am hunting, not playing with my flintlock.
So after walking 2-3 miles, maybe running if I find game I need to catch up to, maybe crawling on my belly for anything up the a 1/4 mile having the thing go "POOF" rather than "bang" or missing the shot because I think a smoothbore is cool is just aggravating as H*LL.
Yeah, I have had both happen over the years more than once. So don't tell me I don't "understand" plain vents OR poor liners OR smoothbores.
So I use properly made vent liners specifically designed to give fast, reliable ignition with a small touchhole diameter, usually .062 or slightly smaller. I have good reason to use a vent liner. So do the people I make rifles for.
But then none of them are thread counters.
I don't recall ever threatening to come to someone's house and exact vengeance because they want to use a plain vent.
I could care less what someone wants for a vent in their flintlock.
If making a museum quality rifle for display or demonstration it should have a plain vent about .90 or even larger.
So if someone posts a question and a poster states that a plain drilled vent is as good as a good liner I will, if I feel like wasting some more time, tell them I do not agree.
So given that:
Someone that does not hunt.
Someone who's idea of hunting is setting in a tree stand he walks 25 to 300 yards to that the deer walk past every morning and/or afternoon.
Someone who sets around some "event" worrying about if the hidden stitching in his shirt is 100% HC but never shoots his somewhat HC "prop" flintlock.
Someone who lacks the ability to laugh at someone (or tell them to get a life) who gives him a hard time about his modern vent liner.
These individuals MAY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CRITERIA in how functional their flintlock might need to be than I do.
I use stainless liners that I design to bring the main charge within .030 or less of the pan.
Some reader here don't like it?
Not their gun.
"Get a life".
Dan
