lock tuning

[skypilot39b]

I got my Lyman rifle all back together but with the new barrel the touch hole is significantly above the bottom of the pan. As I look at the lock it looks like I can adjust the pan up by loosening a screw at the front of the pan, however I am having a TERRIBLE time getting it loose, I've damaged the screw head now :cursing: :td: am I going about the right task? Any suggestions on the screw head?

 

[skypilot39b]

OK, upon further review, I don't think the screw would adjust the pan, it is the frizzen hinge screw. How, therefore, do I get the touch hole to the base of the pan so that it hits that "sunset" position?

 

[excess650]

The touch hole needs to be even with or just above the pan, and not at the bottom.

 

[nhmoose]

The touchhole at the bottom of the pan is WRONG.

The Touch hole should be at the top of the pan in the center of the pan.

The TH being higher than the bottom is best.

 

[skypilot39b]

ok, then I guess I'm about right, the bottom of the touch hole liner is right about at the bottom of the pan. Having a devil of a time getting it to fire. good flashes in the pan, but not touching off the charge more than about one in 5 or 6 attempts, picking the hole. FFF in the pan, because I have some for my .45 rifle and FF in the barrel....HELP

 

[NorthFork]

If the touch hole is basically centered in the pan and basically even with the top of the pan the next thing I would look at is the touch hole diameter. Being a Lyman I assume it has a liner. The hole in the liner should be roughly 1/16". If it is significantly smaller, then drill it out. By the way pictures would help us diagnose the issue.

 

[rich pierce]

Sometimes on these patent breech guns there gets a lot of gunk down in there. Whereas a full diameter flat breech plug is less likely to get completely gooped up. Make sure it is really blowing air out of the touch hole when you load. No bore butter. Bad stuff for patent breeches.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I would look at is the touch hole diameter.

That was my first thought also. If replaceable, get an outside coned liner to try. Or, just enlarge what you now have and try.
hotoSmile:

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

good flashes in the pan, but not touching off the charge

You have been given some good advice by other members already. Another item to help, provided, there is no gunk in the breech plug: after pouring the powder and before the ball, tap the butt at least two times on the ground to get the powder in the breech channel. Powder placement in the pan can also help. For me I like the powder right next to the vent, but not blocking, so the pan powder flashes through the vent. Keep us posted.
Flintlocklar :wink:

 

[skypilot39b]

Thanks, I'll do some more playing when I get to the range again, range time here is extremely limited due limited opening and I don't live in an area where i can shoot in my back yard. Neighbors and such....

 

[Larry Akers]

Make sure you have powder visible at the surface of the touch hole. If you don't, prime the pan and tip the rifle to bank powder against the touch hole and slap the rifle a few times to run powder into the breech. Tip the rifle the other direction to spread some powder across the bottom of the pan but leave some banked against the touch hole. It has been shown by high speed photography that banking powder against the touch hole results in faster ignition and significantly more fire entering the breech--which is what you want. If this doesn't work I'd consider having a Chamber's liner installed or at least modify a standard liner to be internaly like the Chamber's.

 

[Trot]

If it is the stock Lyman touch hole liner, they definitely benefit from a slight enlargement of the hole. I did mine and it made a world of difference.

 

[Maven]

And here's a source for Lyman and other liners: https://www.rmcoxyoke.com/inc/sdetail/rmc_flintlock_touch_hole_liner_replacements/10095/84

 

[M. De Land]

If you are wet swabbing between shots then there is a good chance your pushing damp fouling into the patented breech and plugging the flash hole.
Try charging the next shot before running a patch down bore. This keep you from pushing damp fouling into the flash channel from the bore.
Pushing fouling down on top the fresh charge will keep it out of the patented breech flash channel and provide a barrier between your new powder and the wet patched ball.
Also, I load with a soft iron wire pick in the flash hole. This keeps the vent clear and provides a clear channel for the pan flash to inter the flash channel. If the channel is clear than the freshly loaded barrel powder will still be at the very edge of the vent hole with nothing to impede the flash into the interior.
Also a bit of a chamfer on the exterior of the vent is helpful to ease the travel of the pan flash.
One more thing to try is to bank the pan powder toward the vent hole without covering it up.

 

[skypilot39b]

just received and installed the new liner....now gotta wait until Sunday afternoon before I can get on a range........ :shake:

 

[Zonie]

I hope you checked the length of your new liner before you installed it.

If it was a factory Lyman liner it is probably good to go but, many replacement liners are intentionally made longer than they need to be.

That is so they can be used on various barrels with different barrel wall thicknesses.

If the liner was one of these generic liners, they MUST be shortened so their overall length matches the thickness of the barrel. If they don't, they will be sticking out into the bore where they not only will keep a cleaning jag from reaching to the bottom of the barrel but they will also cause numerous misfires or, flashes in the pan.

If your rifle does have problems with ignition with this new liner, pull it out and check its overall length.

 

[MSW]

good advice from all... once you get your rifle up and running, you should invest in a brush which will reach into the patent breech and clean out the gunk. In addition, if you're using FFg you may be 'bridging, where the powder doesn't get down into the narrower part of the breech (this is why you're advised to tap the rifle butt on the ground and to tap the side of the lock).

Use FFFg and you should be OK … also, if you are using FFFFg to prime, you may want to consider going to 3F for everything - simpler and easier to keep track of all the powder.

good luck with your rifle. Once you get it up and running, all the effort will be worth the trouble.

 

[skypilot39b]

OK, life is GOOD, got the new touch hole liner from RMC Ox-yoke as was recommended checked the length it was perfect. Now when pan flashes it is followed by boom that messes with the M4 crowd down the shooting line. Thanks all!

 

[Road_Clam]

Having a devil of a time getting it to fire. good flashes in the pan, but not touching off the charge more than about one in 5 or 6 attempts, picking the hole. FFF in the pan, because I have some for my .45 rifle and FF in the barrel....HELP

4F for your charge pan is much better suited over 3F. I have the Traditions Penn flinter and it uses the less than ideal "patent breech" design. I'm NO expert flint shooter but I have come a long way in experience with my Penn rifle. I too had a ton of frustrating misfires when I first got my rifle. Now that I understand the breech design, I've developed a reliable system for loading. I prefer 3F as the finer granules seem to fall into the narrow portion of the patent breech more completely. Here's my method :

1) add powder charge and gently thump the rife vertically off the ground (I lay a thick piece of carpet on the ground to protect the end of the buttstock)
2) add patch and ball
3) add a very small amount of 4F in the pan, roll the rifle to the left and thump the buttstock near the lock to allow some pan powder kearnels to flow into the touch hole.
4) add more 4F in the pan and ready to fire.

My post shot cleaning I've learned is also equally critical to ignitions. I was initially using too much liquid, I've realized just a tiny spritz of Murph's mix on a patch is best, then followed by a dry patch. I also ocassionally clean the frizzen and flint with alcohol, and I have a can of computer keyboard cleaner to blow the vent hole clean after post shot cleaning.