Emet Huntsman
40 Cal.
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Have never bothered with it -- and have had no problems either
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Plugging The Touch Hole
- Thread starter bads1buell
- Start date
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I don't plug the vent when loading but I have noticed that picking the vent before priming does seem to create faster ignitions than not picking the vent.
I believe picking the vent does several things.
First, it removes any fouling that may have found its way into the vent hole.
Second, it loosens the powder granules to expose more of their surfaces to the flash.
Now, this is speaking of flintlocks which have a direct vent that is in the side of the barrel.
With flintlocks that have a powder chamber with a smaller flame hole connecting it directly to the vent I believe that plugging the vent while loading could actually cause mis-fires.
With guns of this type it is very important to provide a clear unplugged path to allow the powder charge to be blown back to the vent so that it is exposed to the direct flash from the pan.
I believe picking the vent does several things.
First, it removes any fouling that may have found its way into the vent hole.
Second, it loosens the powder granules to expose more of their surfaces to the flash.
Now, this is speaking of flintlocks which have a direct vent that is in the side of the barrel.
With flintlocks that have a powder chamber with a smaller flame hole connecting it directly to the vent I believe that plugging the vent while loading could actually cause mis-fires.
With guns of this type it is very important to provide a clear unplugged path to allow the powder charge to be blown back to the vent so that it is exposed to the direct flash from the pan.
JackAubrey
45 Cal.
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I have done it and it works well and for good reason.I have gotten away from it these last few years and that is because the flintlocks I have don't seem to require it.Should I be hunting ,I would be inclined to pick the vent just because making the shot would be rather critical.Murphy,being the optimist that he is,would invariably strike at precisely the moment I had a 400 point buck in my sights...or a Susquach! :wink: Best regards,J.A.
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Don't shoot ol` Sasquach, Jack. He's a friend of mine, and shoots a real nice .54 Southern rifle. :wink:
"If you or someone else thinks I am wrong, get a chronograph, and do proper experiments, changing only one factor at a time. I really don't want to argue with anyone about this stuff."
A term comes to mind that I cannot quite remembers, it is something like a "pontoon glass".. no, a "pronghorns grass" no..
a" pompus mass"... no I guess it may come to me someday but I just cannot recall it today.
A term comes to mind that I cannot quite remembers, it is something like a "pontoon glass".. no, a "pronghorns grass" no..
a" pompus mass"... no I guess it may come to me someday but I just cannot recall it today.
paulvallandigham
Passed On
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You will probably find the answer you are looking for in your mirror.
Boys! Boys! Play nice.
Don't own a chronograph myself and have no plans towards one. Too Techie. I don't think it would fit in my shooting pouch and I'm not shagging along a pack basket just to go shoot. ;-)
I'm sure I may be surprised but I'm sure it don't matter if I know where it's hitting at various ranges and that it leaves entry and exit holes. That's good enough. Efficiency I don't much care about.
Like Zonie, I pick the vent as part of my pre-load. This area is big on humidity and the last "dross" out of the prior shot often hangs up with the moisture it draws out of the air.
I have a pick on my powder measure hanger and I wipe the frizzen with a spare piece of cotton tick and pick the vent as a matter of course when I'm loading leisurely.
Don't own a chronograph myself and have no plans towards one. Too Techie. I don't think it would fit in my shooting pouch and I'm not shagging along a pack basket just to go shoot. ;-)
I'm sure I may be surprised but I'm sure it don't matter if I know where it's hitting at various ranges and that it leaves entry and exit holes. That's good enough. Efficiency I don't much care about.
Like Zonie, I pick the vent as part of my pre-load. This area is big on humidity and the last "dross" out of the prior shot often hangs up with the moisture it draws out of the air.
I have a pick on my powder measure hanger and I wipe the frizzen with a spare piece of cotton tick and pick the vent as a matter of course when I'm loading leisurely.
"Boys! Boys! Play nice."
I have been so far...
Paul, I really expected a bit more from an educated professional, that sounded like something one of my grandaughters would come up with.
"I'm sure I may be surprised but I'm sure it don't matter if I know where it's hitting at various ranges and that it leaves entry and exit holes. That's good enough. Efficiency I don't much care about."
That sounds pretty primitive and low tech Stumpy, it may not fit to well on this forum.
I have been so far...
Paul, I really expected a bit more from an educated professional, that sounded like something one of my grandaughters would come up with.
"I'm sure I may be surprised but I'm sure it don't matter if I know where it's hitting at various ranges and that it leaves entry and exit holes. That's good enough. Efficiency I don't much care about."
That sounds pretty primitive and low tech Stumpy, it may not fit to well on this forum.
T.C.Albert
40 Cal.
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I keep a feather handy to plug the barrel if a load is kept over night...the frizzen is tipped and the priming dumped and the touch hole securly plugged with the feather....a blue jay feather is traditional I think for its toughness or some such reason...but game laws may prohibit that depending on where you live....
Also, plugging the vent was a quick and common way to strike a fire in the old fire place in stead of messing with a flint and steel...but bullet holes in many an old mantle piece seem to indicate that this wasnt always the safest way to light a fire...
And the presence of a little "feather hole" behind the trigger guard is often pointed to as a way to identify an old converted flinter...many of these holes had a fancy engraved brass or silver plate like an escutcheon with the hole bored into the middle of it...so it seems if feather holes really were for feathers that some of the old timers might have thought feathers were useful at times?
T.C.Albert
Also, plugging the vent was a quick and common way to strike a fire in the old fire place in stead of messing with a flint and steel...but bullet holes in many an old mantle piece seem to indicate that this wasnt always the safest way to light a fire...
And the presence of a little "feather hole" behind the trigger guard is often pointed to as a way to identify an old converted flinter...many of these holes had a fancy engraved brass or silver plate like an escutcheon with the hole bored into the middle of it...so it seems if feather holes really were for feathers that some of the old timers might have thought feathers were useful at times?
T.C.Albert
buells1 said:
I tend leave the touch hole unplugged when loading because (in my opinion) the trapped air inside the barrel has to have an escape route as the projectile is being rammed down the barrel, otherwise you can feel the added resistance of compressed air as you ram down a tighly patched roundball.
Russ T Frizzen
70 Cal.
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Me too and for the same reasons. I do poke my vent pick into the vent and open things up a bit before I prime.
Now, I will preface what I about to say with the observation that my flinter seems to enjoy defying the advice of those more experienced than I.
I had started with picking the vent before each shot. Having forgotten my pick at home one day, I neglected to do it that entire range session. I will swear that leaving the hole alone sped my lock time a bit. It never seemed to clog in the least (perhaps a jet of hot gases at ~1500 fps blows it clean a bit). For whatever the reason (and recognizing that my gun has a very unique streak in her), this one seems to like the powder piled up right against the flash channel. I really do get nearly instantaneous ignition and firing with negligible lock time for what that's worth. My only recommendation is to try it both ways for 1-2 dozen shots and see what your gun likes. Perhaps you have an "alternative" girl like I have...
I had started with picking the vent before each shot. Having forgotten my pick at home one day, I neglected to do it that entire range session. I will swear that leaving the hole alone sped my lock time a bit. It never seemed to clog in the least (perhaps a jet of hot gases at ~1500 fps blows it clean a bit). For whatever the reason (and recognizing that my gun has a very unique streak in her), this one seems to like the powder piled up right against the flash channel. I really do get nearly instantaneous ignition and firing with negligible lock time for what that's worth. My only recommendation is to try it both ways for 1-2 dozen shots and see what your gun likes. Perhaps you have an "alternative" girl like I have...
Larry Pletcher
50 Cal.
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feyx0006 said:
In timing tests I completed this spring and summer, placing the prime as close to the vent as possible resulted in times 15% faster than placed farther away. This was done with an L&R pan fastened to a barrel stub. I know this is heresy, but the difference is measurable.
Regards,
Pletch
