Touch-hole size(s)

Hello there:

I am working with my second flintlock rifle (#2). I have the first one (#1) working fantastic and after some tweaking today the #2 is working okay.

I noticed my vent pick, feather and T/C "Vent Cleaner" fits flintlock #1's touch-hole just fine however they don't fit this new rifle's (#2's) touch hole. The hole on #2 is 1/16th, I'm sure of it because I just opened it up yesterday and carefully measured and drilled and re-measured.

My understanding was that 1/16th was pretty common in a factory touch-hole liner or otherwise a benchmark to strive for. Flintlock #1 has perfect ignition every time. The touch hole is obviously slightly more than 1/16th since the tools fit it but not Flintlock #2.
Flintlock #2 is more finicky with noticeably less reliable ignition. Any harm in opening the touch-hole on Flintlock #2 so the tools that I use for #1 fit the touch-hole? Could I get better (quicker-more reliable ignition)?

Thanks

does it have a liner? if yes i would not hesitate to try it . some of mine are larger than1/16 i open them up a bit until i get reliable ignition.

Yes Sir, it is a liner (and not one of my preference anyway). I could always replace it if I opened too much or it didn't work.....

You know when you went to big when you can fill the pan while taking home the ball. Lol.

I forgot don't ask how I know.

I know...



Based on personal experience.

Sparkitoff, do you have a set of number drills so you have the sizes between 1/16" and 5/64"?

Yes it was a learning experience. And keep it under 1/8 .

I cone both sides of the liner to get the main charge close as I can to the pan. Useing a dremel tool off the gun . polish and test . I usually can get the factory liner to work pretty good .I actually do this before opening up the vent hole .

Sounds like #1's vent is bigger than 1/16". Try the blank/chuck end of the numbered bits to find the closest size that fits #1 and use it to drill #2.

I have numbered bits. I cant read the #s real good but it appears 48, 49 are at and in between 1/16th and 5/64th. Regardless, I went ahead and coned the back of the liner and opened the hole to one size bigger than 1/16th but smaller than 5/64th. The tools I referred to fit the hole now. I measured as best as I could with the implements I have and this touch-hole on #2 is the same size as #1's touch-hole. I will get back to the range and report back. I appreciate the input, advice and suggestions.

I have used a #2 center drills on vent liners for the last 20 years or so. Coming from the back or inside of the liner, the center drill puts a nice champfer in the liner for the powder to get close to the actual hole, which ends up at .078”. I try and get the .078” straight or land to about .030” long.

Check the frizzens and flint / cock alignment too. How do they both spark relative to one another? Frizzen spring tension? Do they both flip open relatively easily? The issue may be more from those things than your TH size.

While it's true that just one little bitty spark will light a pan full of powder, often that results in slow ignition. A whole shower of them directed in to middle of the pan will get it to light a bunch faster. I would look for fixes that don't involve drilling holes out bigger before I went there.

I make my own liners out of 1/4x28 stainless set screws, drilled through from the outside. They work very well, and are easily removed with a 1/8 Allen key. I always use a 1/16 hole, coned on the inside using a countersink. The coning should remove as much of the shoulder in the flash hole as possible; it creates a venturi which accelerates the flash into the powder charge. I get either 1/4" or 5/16" set screws depending on the barrel wall thickness. Cost about a nickel. The thread is the same as common rifle nipples, so it is pretty simple to attach a cleaning hose set-up or a silent ball discharger by screwing in a nipple.

I drill all liners to 1/16" and ignition is excellent. If the vent ever gets larger than I like I'll install a new liner.

Range Report:

Instant ignition and went 14 shots. All other issues were fixed. Thanks!