To vent liner or not to vent liner.. that is the ?

Wes/Tex said:

Caywood certainly has a 'thing' about vent liners. Installing one voids all warranties they have stated or implied. It's their contentions that they can blow out causing serious damage or injury. I have to admit, I've never heard of it happening but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Interior coning is a long time solution for quicker ignition and was adopted by Frederick the Great's military in the 1740's.

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To say they have a "thing" about liners is putting it mildly. They are fanatical on the issue. They were also similarly fanatical about 1:48" being the 'only' acceptable twist to use in a rifle. BTW, they now use a different twist. :hmm: Another BTW, one can burn out a vent with frequent use of an ml rifle or smoothie. Replaceable vent good/great idea.

Rifleman1776 said:

Another BTW, one can burn out a vent with frequent use of an ml rifle or smoothie. Replaceable vent good/great idea.

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OK it can happen, agreed. These questions remain: How long will it take? How many shots will it take? Is one kind of modern steel alloy more susceptible to burning out than another commonly used for gun barrels? Wouldn't corrosion be a bigger culprit than actual burning?

I have several guns without any liner and they all fire great with no more instances of a flash in the pan than the ones with a liner. I don't think liners are needed, otherwise every original gun would have been outfitted with them. They depended on their guns to work well. In my opinion its a modern add-on, not needed.

If you go to antique gun shows you do not see liners on the original American guns. If historical accuracy is important just go with a straight drilled hole.

While I'm at it, if you want an historically accurate gun, don't put a giant front blade sight on it. The originals have little barley corn, grain-of-rice sized front sights, not tall blades.

Cruzatte said:

Rifleman1776 said:

Another BTW, one can burn out a vent with frequent use of an ml rifle or smoothie. Replaceable vent good/great idea.

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OK it can happen, agreed. These questions remain: How long will it take? How many shots will it take? Is one kind of modern steel alloy more susceptible to burning out than another commonly used for gun barrels? Wouldn't corrosion be a bigger culprit than actual burning?

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Everything in this game has variables and factors that are hard to quantify. My .45 cal. longrifle burned out it's lined touchhole in about 35 years of use with (I'm guesstimating) 30 rounds shot through it per month. My Ped. Brown Bess burned out after less than 1,000 rounds shot through it. I still favor use of a liner.

Deciding to have a liner because it is easily replaceable is not clear to me. A touch hole drilled through the wall is replaceable too. With a liner.

Here's an original 1760s barrel with a liner. Nice quality Spanish barrel.

Here's an early barrel with something similar. When the touchhole burned out, they would drill and tap it and put in an iron plug, then drill another touchhole.





Spence

Yes, and notice how small the liners were. Never over 1/4" and often less in diameter. Likely not internally coned on most American guns, but the liner on that Spanish barrel is internally coned.

He did qualify his comment by saying "American". But, many (most?) high end European rifles had liners made from platinum or gold.

Thanks to all for the input, I never thought I'd get this much response.

I think for the time being I'll go without a liner, and if Im not happy with it I'll install one.

Again, thanks one and all.