fired my first flintlock today.

[Sean E Bug]

I built a 32 caliber rifle for a friend and sighted it in today. it was cold and a bit rainy and snowy but a good time. after my first couple of shots I started to have trouble with flashes in the pan. I am just looking for some tips or things I can change for more reliable ignition. I am in the habit of wiping with a damp patch between shots could this have pushed fowling over the touch hole. I only had a nipple pick but would pushing in a vent pick after loading or having it in while loading help? the vent is simply a 1/16 hole drilled in the barrel. I am going to try and cone it on the outside. any other advice on improving reliability would be appreciated.

 

[waksupi]

Put in a vent liner.

 

[Ames]

I am in the habit of wiping with a damp patch between shots could this have pushed fowling over the touch hole.

Bingo! Try a thinner patch and no wiping. 32's are notorious for quick fowling.
Dont cone the hole. Use the 16ths hole as a pilot for a liner.

 

[nchawkeye]

Do not cone from the outside..Nothing wrong with the gun, cleaning is the problem, patches too wet, etc...

 

[Grenadier1758]

The damp patch will push fouling back to the breech face and the touch hole. this can happen very quickly in your small bored 32 caliber rifle. A slightly under sized jag will allow the damp patch to pass over the fouling while softening it as the wiping patch is sent to the breech face. The damp patch will bunch up around the jag and pull the powder out. A nipple pick will clear the touch hole. I have used a dental flossing brush to clear the touch hole or a tiny compressor tip cleaning brush from Harbor Freight to clear the touch hole. Both help. The high humidity from the rain and snow add to the fouling issues. Even the no wiping method won't eliminate the fouling build up at the breech on wet days unless you use a nipple pick to keep the touch hole clear.

 

[TDM]

I built a 32 caliber rifle for a friend and sighted it in today. it was cold and a bit rainy and snowy but a good time. after my first couple of shots I started to have trouble with flashes in the pan. I am just looking for some tips or things I can change for more reliable ignition. I am in the habit of wiping with a damp patch between shots could this have pushed fowling over the touch hole. I only had a nipple pick but would pushing in a vent pick after loading or having it in while loading help? the vent is simply a 1/16 hole drilled in the barrel. I am going to try and cone it on the outside. any other advice on improving reliability would be appreciated.

First, congratulations on your build and firing the first shot.
Second, as long as the vent hole is 1/16" it's good to go. You shouldn't cone from the outside. As @waksupi said, you can drill out the vent hole, tap it, and install a vent liner. But not required. And using a vent prick each time is good.
Just be prepared to swab as often as needed with the smaller bore.

 

[Grenadier1758]

You can put a small chamfer on the outside of the hole to smooth the flow of heat from the pan firing to the main charge. You will have better ignition with an inside cone to bring the main charge closer to the heat of the pan flash.

 

[Sun City]

Put a 3x3 patch in your mouth until it's damp! Wrap around a brass brush and run down ONE TIME! That's all the dampness you need unless you want to have pan flashes galore!!

 

[Rancocas]

What they ^^^^ said.
I just use a straightened paper clip for a vent pick. Works great and didn't cost me anything.

 

[DuncNZ]

The damp patch will push fouling back to the breech face and the touch hole. this can happen very quickly in your small bored 32 caliber rifle. A slightly under sized jag will allow the damp patch to pass over the fouling while softening it as the wiping patch is sent to the breech face. The damp patch will bunch up around the jag and pull the powder out. A nipple pick will clear the touch hole. I have used a dental flossing brush to clear the touch hole or a tiny compressor tip cleaning brush from Harbor Freight to clear the touch hole. Both help. The high humidity from the rain and snow add to the fouling issues. Even the no wiping method won't eliminate the fouling build up at the breech on wet days unless you use a nipple pick to keep the touch hole clear.

Right on , if your jag is too big, chuck it in a poor mans lathe ( electric drill ) and use a file to take it down a tad , don't forget to keep the groves in the jag sharp so they catch the cloth easily . If you can still get pipe cleaners , they also work well as a flash hole cleaner . Maybe you have a craft shop near you that sells the big ones used for "art" work .

 

[Grenadier1758]

Large pipe cleaners often have a large wire core that is too big for most touch holes. You want small diameter pipe cleaners for flintlock touch holes or the dental flossing brushes. Those are often designed to be gentle for getting between teeth, but still do a reasonably good job of removing fouling from a touch hole. Big pipe cleaners work better for going from a percussion nipple seat to the powder chamber.