Touchhole location trouble need help!

[ricklandes]

I have scribed the lightening touchhole location for a Jim Chambers Lancaster. The centering of the touch hole on the vertical of the pan and the horizontal of the pan top (the classic "sunset") will put the edge of the touch hole countersink BELOW the flat egde!

I had thought the complete touchhole circumference would be above the edge of the flat.
To make the lower edge even with the flat edge I need to raise the touchhole by about 3/32"

 

[J.D.]

I suspect that you have a too large diameter liner for the barrel.

What size barrel do you have, across the flats? What is the width of a single flat at the location of the TH? What diameter of liner do you have?

A smaller diameter liner may be in order.

IMHO, you don't really need a liner anyway. Check the "Swamped barrel inlet question" thread (Topic#217233)[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum...524974/hl/swamped+barrel/fromsearch/1/#524974[/url]
and scroll down to Stophels link to his photbucket page. The first photo is of a tool to cone the inside of a TH drilled into the barrel. No liner needed.
J.D.

 

[Mountainman56]

Perhaps you need to inlet the barrel down another 3/32 of an inch?

 

[ricklandes]

I was foruntate to get to talk with Jim Chambers. He told me the touchhole is fine and that some do set lower in the barrel flat than others. The countersink will not be a problem either as the threads are not below the horizontal flat of the barrel, but above in the side flats of the barrel. A small part of the countersink will be below the horizontal flat but it will as noted above be just enough to be contacting the barrel.

Thanks to all for your quick help!

 

[rich pierce]

The above post is a good one. That young fella is thinking.

I'd not worry about having some of the countersink below the edge of the bottom flat if you want to keep the barrel up higher and "show a lot of barrel". The suggestion for a 1/4" vent liner is also good.

My latest rifle has no liner and I can't tell the difference in reliability or speed.

 

[ricklandes]

Mr. Mountainman56...

At this point to drop the barrel would require a very extensive refit to the lock bolts holes thru the barrel plug, and the difficulty of having a good fit to the stock barrel channel for the newly formed taper..
Also, the tang and barrel plug are glass formed in to the stock. I would hate to have to remove the bedding material.
I appreciate your help, am very glad I do not have to go that direction

 

[ricklandes]

Update...
I finally got to work on the touchhole again. I put it into the Brown and Sharps (it is an old one so it still might be HC!), drilled a small 1/16 hole, pulled the plug, filed a groove into the center from the drill mark, drilled the barrel hole with a I drill, that SNAPPED (!), I swore, removed it with a scribe by pushing on the underside, drilled with new drill, hand tapped hole, turned in touchhole liner, turned in plug, plug hit touchhole, remove touchhole liner, file shorter, try again, repeat, repeat, repeat, saw off plug top, draw file flat, sand with 150 girt block, admire handiwork, begin breathing again ![]

Another flinter is born!!!

Thanks to all again!