Flash in the pan.

[squib load]

Hi,I took my Kentucky with the new L&R lock out this past weekend.The lock worked great,but I was getting a lot of flash in the pan.I did locate 2 problems.The flint was hitting the barrel,and the little pan primer was out of powder.I just ordered a small primer horn.How much powder do you add for a small lock like this?Every time I take this flinter out I learn something.I will master this rock banger.Squib Oh and I have drilled out the vent to 5/64

 

[Zonie]

Was the vent 5/64 diameter before you tried your new lock or did you enlarge it after your shooting?

Lots of flashes in the pan indicate that the lock is working fine.

 

I assume you opened the flash hole after your range session? If so, that will most likely take care of your flash-in-the pan problem -- did for me.

I usually have the pan 1/3 to 1/2 full. I do not think it is really critical. I have tried a very small amount of priming and it usually went bang. :grin:

 

[rabjr]

My vent holes are 1/16 and I fill the pan up to the bottom of the vent hole with 3F as prime after picking the vent. I rarely get a flash in the pan at the range, never during hunting.

 

[squib load]

I had the vent hole at 5/64 before I put the new lock on.The tip of the brass primer was crusted with powder.It was humid outside.I will add more powder and see if that helps.Thanks for the help,squib

 

[hanshi]

Likely it was moist fouling plugging the hole. Did you wipe between shots? If so you could have been pushing crud down to the breech and blocking the vent. I drill all my flash holes out to 1/16" and that seems to work fine for me. New liners usually come undersized and can cause fitp.

 

[Zonie]

Sense your vent was already large it does sound like the main powder charge was either fouled somehow or your vent hole was partially plugged with something (besides new powder).

Before you prime the pan try using a vent pick thru the vent hole to push any crud that may be lurking there back into the main powder charge.

While some folks scoff at the idea of picking the vent after loading it does several things.
First, it clears any fouling that may have gotten into the vent.
Second, it opens up a small cavity in the compressed powder under the ball.
This larger cavity exposes more granules of fresh powder to the pans flash so there is a better chance of one (or more) of them lighting almost instantly. If one granule lights it doesn't take long for the rest to fire.

 

[squib load]

Ok,I will make sure I have the vent clear.I will use my pick every time.Thanks,squib

 

[rabjr]

Easy with tooth picks, they can break off and ruin your day. Find a suitable length of copper wire or something similar.

 

[Tom Compton]

A correct size piece of wire (copper is good as Swampy says) inserted after firing and left in the touch hole during loading can prevent crud from pushing into the flash channel area during cleaning, act as a safety device, keep the flash channel clear, alert you that the piece is not yet primed and loosen the main charge at the point most desirable. Tie it to the trigger guard.

TC

 

[Zonie]

Just a plain old paper clip works just fine if you straighten out the first bend.
It's also real cheap to replace if you loose it.

 

[Old Salt]

The large paper clips make very good vent picks.

I use a vent pick for three reasons.
1) to verify the vent is clear
2) to verify the powder is loaded
3) to feel if the powder is close to the vent or a tad inside the vent.

If the powder charge seems to be a tad inside the vent I charge the prime a bit more for a bigger pan flash.

Salt

 

[rafterob]

I'm one with the vent pickers club. Every barrel is unique, mine just happens to be one that likes its hole picked before going off. Some insert the pick before loading and then remove it just before priming, just another variation.

 

[Zonie]

You are right. Some folks (and many of the original flintlock users) would leave the vent pick (or a feather) in the vent when they were loading their guns.

The following is just my opinion and no, I don't have any tests to prove it.

I see no harm in blocking the vent with a vent pick or feather IF the gun is the old fashioned kind with the vent hole directly into the powder charge thru the side of the barrel.

If, on the other hand the gun has some sort of Chambered or Patent breech where the powder must travel down thru some small restriction to get to the vent hole I strongly suggest that the vent be left open.

Just like the Percussion guns which have these designs and need to have their nipple uncapped and the hammer at half cock to allow the air in the bore to blow the loose powder back thru the flame channel while ramming the ball, the Chambered Breech or Patent breech Flintlock guns need to have the vent open so that the powder will blow back thru the flame channel so that it is sitting right next to the vent.

 

[LRB]

Something I have found on vents, is that I have cured three of my FL's from habitual flashing the pan by a small cone on the outside of the vent. I use a small ball cutter in a Dremel. This seems to catch and direct the fire into the vent. I like a 1/16" vent hole, and very rarely pick my vents. I have had more hang fires, and pan flashes by picking it, than not, and so have the those who shoot with me.

 

[rabjr]

Something I have found on vents, is that I have cured three of my FL's from habitual flashing the pan by a small cone on the outside of the vent. I use a small ball cutter in a Dremel. This seems to catch and direct the fire into the vent. I like a 1/16" vent hole, and very rarely pick my vents. I have had more hang fires, and pan flashes by picking it, than not, and so have the those who shoot with me.

Well I know you have had much more experiance than I do with Flinters but I use a 1/16 hole myself and have a consistant routine I do which consists of picking the vent and I can't remember the last time I got a "flash in the pan". When hunting I don't unload every night and sometimes my gun will remain loaded up to 2 weeks before getting a shot unless I hunt in bad weather, then I'll pop the load and start fresh. When hunting, every time I go out and just before I prime I pick the vent, I reason it can't hurt to move things around inside refreshing the hole. I've never had agun fail to go off when aiming at a deer, not even a delay in ignition. :idunno: What I do works for me.

 

[squib load]

Hi.I like the idea of a small cone on the outside of the vent,I believe I will do that. My thanks to all,squib

 

[dthompson1334]

Zonie said
"If, on the other hand the gun has some sort of Chambered or Patent breech where the powder must travel down thru some small restriction to get to the vent hole I strongly suggest that the vent be left open."

I couldn't agree more. This pass weekend I shot something 50+ rounds through my .36 cal Pedersoli with only once have a "flash in the pan. I changed my loading regeim by cleaning the vent before running a tornado brush down the bore, with the idea that I need to clean out the touch hole and patent chamber before cleaning the bore. After running the tornado brush through, I turn the rifle over and hit the stock a couple of time; you'd be amaized by the amount of crud that comes out of the barrel. Once I started cleaning the vent before the barrel I didn't have any more miss fires. I was shooting 20 and 35 grains of 3fff and the only cleaning between shots was with the tornado brush.

rgds
Booner

 

[LRB]

Hi.I like the idea of a small cone on the outside of the vent,I believe I will do that. My thanks to all,squib

Just be sure the cone will still leave a wall thickness/tunnel of about .030, or a tad more for safety.

 

[squib load]

I took a brass rod and put it down the barrel of the traditions 45 cal.I put a piece of tape on the rod.I took the rod out and layed it beside the outside of the barrel.For the life of me I dont know if this rifle has a patent breach.I cannot find with the brass rod.squib