percussion drum venting

[paulvallandigham]

Thanks for the story, Walrus. I didn't need the warning, as I told the guy with the vented drum to watch where he put his fingers around that forestock BEFORE he burned his finger. I told that story because it was : 1. true !, and 2. Because I don't look at venting a drum that way as a very safe solution to the problem.

I drilled that 1/64" hole through the cleanout screw, because it was an almost 1/2 inch long screw, leaving lots of metal so I was not likely to see the heat burn out or enlarge the hole very soon, if at all. If I drilled a hole in the nipple--- at the base was my idea, and not up at the top--- I was afraid that the hole would enlarge in a few shots, and then my groups would begin to open up. I never tested this thesis, and I see someone else has asked the same question here. Perhaps someone( MM) who has drilled a vent hole in a solid nipple can comment on the longevity of that nipple.

I think the reason the folks who designed Uncle Mike's Hot Shot nipple drilled two hole above the constriction in the hole through the nipple was to retain the advantage of the constriction to keeping the chamber pressure constant, for a lower SDV, while using the gases, that blow back anyway, to break loose the skirts on the primer caps. It works.

I would prefer it if there was some way to always make sure that the hole in the nipple is aimed towards the muzzle of my gun, where I have a " hairlip " cut in the skirt of my Percussion hammer. That way they are working together to loosen the percussion cap on the nipple after the cap has fired. Its not that Uncle Mike's doesn't thread the nipples consistently. Its that with most of these guns, no attempt is made by the gunmakers to align the threads of the breech with the thread of standard nipples, so that the nipples are oriented in one direction on every gun.

 

[Mad Monk]

Paul,

I used a standard nipple. Screwed it in and used a magic marker to mark the front of the nipple to line up with the notch in the hammer and you suggest. Then drilled the hole in the nipple up where it would be covered by the cap until firing the gun.

So far no problem with the hole at the bottom of the nipple eroding.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I suspected that is what you may have done, MM. I think it would let the interior designed constriction in the nipple do its job, if you didn't drill the hole below the constriction. Its obvious to me that you reached the same conclusion, and drilled your hole above it. A much better designed " Hot shot". And, you only need one hole to break the seal of the cap skirt on the nipple after firing. :hatsoff: