Touch hole position

[büchsenmacher64]

Can some of you experienced builders help me? I built my first rifle and after installing my touch hole I noticed it’s 1/32nd forward of the center of the pan. It’s perfectly at the sunrise position just a Bit forward. Still well over the pan. I haven’t gotten the opportunity to shoot it yet. I was wondering if that’s going to have an effect on ignition?
Thanks

 

[SDSmlf]

Can some of you experienced builders help me? I built my first rifle and after installing my touch hole I noticed it’s 1/32nd forward of the center of the pan. It’s perfectly at the sunrise position just a Bit forward. Still well over the pan. I haven’t gotten the opportunity to shoot it yet. I was wondering if that’s going to have an effect on ignition?
Thanks

You may want to post a photograph, but a 1/32” forward of center will be fine and not cause any issue. Shoot your gun and enjoy it.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

I figured as much. Here it is. Thanks again.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

The front of the pan is actually milled with a curve back towards the touch hole.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

I was just wondering if I should file out the front line and make it straight? I’d rather not if this won’t affect ignition.

 

[tenngun]

It shouldn’t, the sunrise postion is chosen to keep the fuse effect from happening. A touch low won’t effect, I suspect the same a touch forward or aft won’t make a differnce.
Give it a try, but I bet it will be fine

 

[satwel]

IMHO it should be fine.

 

[springfield art]

I recall as a kid, when we'd play that we had flintlocks, which were sometimes sticks or such, I'd heard or seen somewhere that once you closed the pan after priming, you'd gently tilt and maybe tap the side so that powder would flow into the touch hole! Where I'd heard or seen this I forget, as it was back in the 1950's! Anyone else heard of this practice? I now believe it's better to allow the spark to jump into the hole from the priming charge, but it's all kind of moving around in there anyway. I used to watch Crockett, Boone, all the old TV shows, so maybe I picked it up there.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

It shouldn’t, the sunrise postion is chosen to keep the fuse effect from happening. A touch low won’t effect, I suspect the same a touch forward or aft won’t make a differnce.
Give it a try, but I bet it will be fine

Thanks

 

[büchsenmacher64]

IMHO it should be fine.

Thanks

 

[deerstalkert]

here is a Green mountain barrel i got used that the seller had installed the liner/touch hole incorrectly.
i considered re breeching it but tried it out first as was. with the correct flint/frizzen relationship it is the most reliable of the 6 flintlocks i have! i am at 600 shots with it now and have had maybe, 5 flash in the pans.
if you have good priming powder you should be golden.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

here is a Green mountain barrel i got used that the seller had installed the liner/touch hole incorrectly.
i considered re breeching it but tried it out first as was. with the correct flint/frizzen relationship it is the most reliable of the 6 flintlocks i have! i am at 600 shots with it now and have had maybe, 5 flash in the pans.
if you have good priming powder you should be golden.View attachment 149734

Oh wow! I feel much better now. Thanks deerstalkert! I have Swiss 4f for priming. I could only find 2f for the charge. It’s Swiss as well. Should I anticipate issues with 2f in a 45.

 

[SDSmlf]

Should I anticipate issues with 2f in a 45.

No. Only actual range time will tell you what powder works ‘best’ with your gun. Might be 2F, might be 3F. Or maybe no real difference between the two, other than your POI may change a bit if you don’t vary the powder charge slightly (usually a little less with 3F compared to 2F). Different brands of powder may change the POI also. Take it to the range and shoot it. The gun will tell you what it likes. Start with 40 grains or so and work up and down until in 5 grain increments until you find the most accurate load(s) with the powder you have. You will likely find two different powder charges that give you the best accuracy, one light or target load and one heavier or hunting load. Start at 25 yards take your time. Don’t worry about where it hits, just group size. Sight adjustments will come once you have an accurate load.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

No. Only actual range time will tell you what powder works ‘best’ with your gun. Might be 2F, might be 3F. Or maybe no real difference between the two, other than your POI may change a bit if you don’t vary the powder charge slightly (usually a little less with 3F compared to 2F). Different brands of powder may change the POI also. Take it to the range and shoot it. The gun will tell you what it likes. Start with 40 grains or so and work up and down until in 5 grain increments until you find the most accurate load(s) with the powder you have. You will likely find two different powder charges that give you the best accuracy, one light or target load and one heavier or hunting load. Start at 25 yards take your time. Don’t worry about where it hits, just group size. Sight adjustments will come once you have an accurate load.

Thank you sir, I’m waiting on balls and flints in the mail. Like a kid at Christmas.

 

[SOLANCO]

A couple of days at the range will likely do you more good than all of our opinions.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

A couple of days at the range will likely do you more good than all of our opinions.

Lol, I’m sure but 57 years has taught me to seek wise counsel. It’s in a book I read some where one time.
Thank you sir.

 

[SDSmlf]

Thank you sir, I’m waiting on balls and flints in the mail. Like a kid at Christmas.

Christmas in July. If you want get some ‘dry fire’ practice in with your new flintlock, use a small piece of wood in place of the flint. Below is a photograph of an example I believe using a couple of piece of a paint stirring sticks glued together. It will get you used to the flintlock action if you are new to them. You would be surprised how many ‘shots’ that piece of wood will take. If you have a double set trigger you could practice in the cock all the way forward, but I don’t recommend it for repeated practice. Do not dry fire from the half cock position, as that will beat up your sear bar and tumbler notches for no good reason.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

Christmas in July. If you want get some ‘dry fire’ practice in with your new flintlock, use a small piece of wood in place of the flint. Below is a photograph of an example I believe using a couple of piece of a paint stirring sticks glued together. It will get you used to the flintlock action if you are new to them. You would be surprised how many ‘shots’ that piece of wood will take. If you have a double set trigger you could practice in the cock all the way forward, but I don’t recommend it for repeated practice. Do not dry fire from the half cock position, as that will beat up your sear bar and tumbler notches for no good reason.
View attachment 149755

Thank you sir for the advice.

 

[Celt5494]

While I am no builder at all and have no knowledge or the skill many of these craftsman have your post inspired a lot of thought. I'm only a shooter and that's all. I can say that in my field-educated "opinion" for what it's worth I would be more concerned with the depth of the touch hole than is fore or aft positioning. Once the flint strikes and sparks properly that powder is going to go off in the pan. You don't want it too deep for a fuse type delayed ignition. We are not shooting cannons but I'm sure you are well aware of this. All that needs happen is a little bit of hot burning gas (flame) to enter into the touch hole. If it's not obstructed it is going to ignite that powder. I'm used to having the touch holes drilled to be in the sunset position and bisecting with the dropped flint's point just right above it. I don't think it's 100% necessary and is more for people being picky of the how's and where's.

Solanco made a very insightful post: "A couple of days at the range will likely do you more good than all of our opinions."

 

[Rudyard]

While Ime sure this post interests many its hardly Pre flintlock ? Rudyard Who likes pre flintlocks . & Flintlocks in their proper place.