Cleaning/plugging vent without leaking

[koauke]

I thought I remembered seeing a similar discussion posted, but can't find it.

When cleaning my rifle I use the toothpick in the vent method, but I can't seem to get it to seal well enough to not leak water. I need to hold a paper towel over the toothpick to soak up the water so it doesn't run into the wood.

Does anyone have a different method of plugging the vent to prevent leakage?

 

[dlgraley]

A round toothpick works well for me. Some toothpicks are more squarish in cross section.

 

[koauke]

I've been using round toothpicks, even tried different brands to see if that would work. Still hasn't helped. I even got creative and figured, well if I used a section of nitrile glove in front of the toothpick maybe it would create a gasket like seal. Didn't help.

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

I use a round toothpick and keep a roll of Teflon pipe tape in my shooting box. A couple of wraps of Teflon tape around the toothpick which I drive into the touch hole works real well for me.

 

[koauke]

I'll have to give that a try!

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

If you want to be accurate in a traditional way use a feather

 

[Skychief]

Koauke, I had the same trouble as you are with my fowler. Upon close inspection, I realized that the touchhole had become more oval shaped, than round, from use I suppose.

No toothpick of any shape would plug that hole! :surrender:

Good luck, Skychief

 

[Curt]

Put your tooth pick in water or your mouth about 5 minutes before you need it and it will swell up and be just fine ,then take it out and swoosh the dirty water out the vent.I carry plenty of them in my patch box that way i always have one when i need it.

 

[Flintlock]

I just loosely ball up a dry patch, place it in the pan and close the frizzen. And damp patches, not so much danged water, might as well place it in a creek.

 

[SgtErv]

Feathers do pretty well. They are a bit more malleable than toothpicks. Wetting the toothpick works well, too. For added insurance I wrap a paper towel around the toothpick then secure it with a leather tie. This also helps keeps it from getting a tap and loosening or falling out. If it does leak, it'll at least not dribble down the wood finish

 

[Mickc01]

Ditto to SgtErv!

Round toothpick with a wadded up patch in the pan and the frizzen flipped closed as far as it will go. This has always worked pretty well for me. When cleaning I hate nothing more than to get a black streak down my stock and across the patchbox or heel of the buttplate...ICK!! Just be careful and check the butt area often....Mick

 

[Eric Krewson]

 

[Mickc01]

Great Idea, Eric. I think I'm going to try that next time....Mick

 

[Vaino]

Tried all the rustic" approaches which didn't work that well, so resorted to a "modern method"......Scotch Tape. In fact when I'm browning a bbl w/ a "White Lightning" TH liner. a small piece of Scotch Tape that fits inside the liner dia. is used. Never had the tape fail.....Fred

 

[Pete G]

I use the feather with a dry patch in the pan and close the frizzen over it.

 

[gwalker]

I have used both wooden tooth picks and feathers, but both will leak on occasion. I'm intrigued by the idea of soaking a wooden tooth pick in my mouth for a few minutes and will try that. But to avoid the leakage, I just use my patch lube (pig lard) by spreading a small amount on the end of the tooth pick or feather before inserting it into the vent hole and get no leakage.

 

[koauke]

Thanks for all the responses. Very helpful and I will give them a try. I'm thinking maybe part of it is when I messed with the vent liner and marred the screw slot that maybe it left a sharp edge that is cutting into the toothpick on the way in. It leaks constantly. So I'll start with the plumbers tape!, picked some up today :grin: .

 

[MountainRanger]

Feather and dry patch here

 

[Brokennock]

I use those bamboo barbeque skewers. They're like a giant toothpick. I often slather the point end with my olive oil/beeswax mix, and wrap a cotton flannel cleaning patch around it just in case.

 

[Joe Yanta]

TOW sells this nipple that presses over the vent hole and has a tube that carries the water away from the stock. You would have to remove the lock to use it.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/806/1/FLUSH-FLINT

If you have a modern vent liner say with 1/4 x 28 threads you could remove your liner and screw in a percussion nipple and a piece of tubing and accomplish the same principal.

Joe