Flintlock touch hole liner removal

[XVIIc Wheelock]

How do you remove this liner? I let it soak with PB Blaster. Mine is somehow wedged or stuck...even tried a reverse screw remover tool. The slot for a flathead screwdriver is now buggered up. I am making matters worse every time I try a different method. Help!

 

[Phil Coffins]

Stop, remove the liner only to replace it with a new one. If you have your new one destroying the current one isn’t a issue.

 

[Art Caputo]

I went through this a couple of years ago with my TVM Fowler. The 1/4” slotted flash hole liner burned through taking with it a portion of the screw slots. The liner would not budge with either a screwdriver or an easy-out. I did have clearance in the barrel flat for the next size up, flash liner so I ended up purchasing a 5/16” White Lightning liner, matching drill bit, tap, and counter sink from TOTW. I drilled out the old liner while creating a new 5/16”
Hole which I tapped and countersunk to fit the new liner. It did require using a Dremel cutter to remove a small amount of the Breach Plug area nearest the flash hole so I could have clearance to cut the née threads. I was able to easily do this through the flash-hole without removing the Breach Plug from the barrel. Looks and functions perfectly. I did use anti-seize, in the liner should replacement/removal ever be required but I suspect this new liner will outlive me.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Drill out old liner using a drill bit that is just under the size of the liner, taking care to note about where you think the threads are, as in how thick of a ring of liner material will be left.. In other words, use a bit that is large enough to remove most of the inner part of the liner, but not so big that it takes the threads with it. Now, take a jewelers file or any tiny file, and score a line top to bottom of the liner material that's left. In essence creating a split ring out of the remaining liner. Be careful not to damage the threads. After this is done, carefully take a tiny flathead screwdriver and try to bend the liner inward at this line. In effect making the ring of liner material still in the hole smaller than the original tapped hole. At this point you should be able to work this scrap material up and out of the hole. Then if all is well, install a new liner.

 

[troy2000]

I'd think you could use progressively larger drill bits until most of the liner was gone, then use a cold chisel against the edge of the drilled hole to get the remnants moving. I've removed large bolts with snapped-off heads, by going after them with the corner of a cold chisel.

add: I see Sidney posted some good advice while I was typing this...

 

[Jakeytoo]

I ditched the stainless slotted liner soon after I got Dixie. I wanted to be able to switch between cap and flint and those liners didn’t want to cooperate.

This is what I use. I caused many to step back from the firing line thinking my touch hole is massive

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Yes to answer Phil...I do have a replacement. These are great ideas that have worked before and I thank you one and all!

 

[Griz44Mag]

When shopping for a new liner - take a look at the OXYOKE liners with the hex drive option instead of that dang slot.
Even if you are in the don't remove it crowd (which I am not) someday you will want to remove and replace it.
These make it easy.
https://rmcoxyoke.com/product/rmc-flintlock-touch-hole-liner-replacements/

 

[mooman76]

You could try a reverse drill bit. While drilling it might even loosen it enough to back it out.

 

[M. De Land]

How do you remove this liner? I let it soak with PB Blaster. Mine is somehow wedged or stuck...even tried a reverse screw remover tool. The slot for a flathead screwdriver is now buggered up. I am making matters worse every time I try a different method. Help!

I would take it out of the stock soak in rust buster over night then apply some heat from a propane hand held torch. Don't worry you cannot put enough heat on it with a propane hand torch to change the heat treat of the barrel. It should now easy out of the hole.

 

[flntlokr]

I ditched the stainless slotted liner soon after I got Dixie. I wanted to be able to switch between cap and flint and those liners didn’t want to cooperate.

This is what I use. I caused many to step back from the firing line thinking my touch hole is massive

I have made liners like that for years. Easily removed. I drill a 1/16 hole for the flash, and counter-sink the inner end to leave only a very narrow 'neck'. I usually put a wrap of teflon tape on them to make a better thread seal, but it's not necessary if you remove them to clean the gun. It IS fun watching the eyes of down stream shooters as they back away from the giant flash they expect.

 

[Jakeytoo]

I have made liners like that for years. Easily removed. I drill a 1/16 hole for the flash,

Yup

 

[Griz44Mag]

I have made liners like that for years. Easily removed. I drill a 1/16 hole for the flash, and counter-sink the inner end to leave only a very narrow 'neck'. I usually put a wrap of teflon tape on them to make a better thread seal, but it's not necessary if you remove them to clean the gun. It IS fun watching the eyes of down stream shooters as they back away from the giant flash they expect.

I have only made one liner using an Allen set screw. I converted a very nice maple stocked older gun from percussion to flint.
When I removed the bolster - the thread underneath is 3/8 x 16 thread.
Nobody makes a liner with that threading.
I wound up drilling a 1/16 hole for a vent and grinding material off the top and bottom, and coned the back.
Hint - I made three of them before I got it the way I wanted it.
The course threads (and the lack of a high thread count) made me cautious. But it all worked out OK. I have hundreds of rounds through it with the conversion and absolutely love the gun. It's a 45 caliber round ball barrel and a tack driver.

 

[Sidney Smith]

My TVM Lancaster County rifle has the hex style liner. They work well in that you basically have a double cone design. The hex allows the flash to enter the channel easily.

 

[M. De Land]

I have made liners like that for years. Easily removed. I drill a 1/16 hole for the flash, and counter-sink the inner end to leave only a very narrow 'neck'. I usually put a wrap of teflon tape on them to make a better thread seal, but it's not necessary if you remove them to clean the gun. It IS fun watching the eyes of down stream shooters as they back away from the giant flash they expect.

I've been experimenting with making flash hole liners of annealed A-2 tool steel with the cone on the exterior , none on the interior. So far so good with the .0625 hole. I don't care for interior cones at all as they funnel chamber pressure outward and most likely increase flash hole erosion.

 

[toot]

when you get the old liner out remember to coat the threads of the new one with NEVER SEIZE, or ANTI SEIZE, it will always come out after that.

 

[hanshi]

And remember there's no need to routinely remove a liner for cleaning.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Agreed. I used to believe that lie about having to remove the liner to clean. I don't anymore, and haven't removed one from my builds and have not had any problems. I used the liners that have the wrench head top that once seated you cut off with a hack saw. These liners don't even have a hex or slot so removal is not an option on these. If I had to, I could remove them with an easy out, or something similar, however I doubt I'll ever shoot these guns enough to burn out the flash hole. At least to the point where I'd need to replace one. .

 

[beardedhorse]

Don't know if I read anymore suggesting using an easy out. I made some from 1/4 x 28 and 5/16 x 24 threaded stainless steel set screws with an allen wrench hole. Had to drill and cone touch hole from opposite side or use with allen wrench hole inside and file a flat head screwdriver slot to install and remove. Had same problem with gas cutting on ampco and non stainless steel touch hole liners to where the erosion didn't allow for a screw driver removal. That's where the easy out was required. The White Lightning is a different thread than 1/4 x 28 or 5/16 by 24 and uses different drill bit and tap. Counter sink on the should is different too. Bit of a hassle and most folks enlarge the size of the hole in the liner once installed.

 

[Tasbay]

I have always used an impact driver for stuck vent liners, they work even when the screwdriver slot is somewhat buggered.