DIY touch hole plug for cleaning

Moleman · Tuesday at 3:27 PM

After shooting it was time for cleaning and there I was plugging the touch hole with a toothpick again in able to pour water down the barrel.
This works ok if you have perfectly round toothpick but generally you always get some leakage.
As I was doing this I noticed a pair of small c- grip vice grips on my bench and new I had some 1/8 " roofing rubber in the barn and made this.
I glued rubber roofing to the jaws and WALA a leak proof way to seal the touch hole that don't leak. No drip, dribble or seep whatsoever.
It may have been done before by others but if not it works great and it's adjustable to all sizes.

EC121 · Tuesday at 3:29 PM

Nice gadget.
I usually just put some grease on the toothpick to seal it better..

Flint62Smoothie · Tuesday at 3:33 PM

EC121 said:
I usually just put some grease on the toothpick to seal it better..

Me too, but I use @Eric Krewson 's great tips 1st. I coat the end of the toothpick that'll go into the TH with Super Glue, as that makes it stronger and less likely to break off in there. Then 'paint' the other end with a red Sharpie marker, where that just makes it easier to find on the ... errr, sometimes cluttered work bench, LOL!

wiscoaster · Tuesday at 4:01 PM

The round toothpick plug works better if you nip off the very tip and then coat the toothpick with beeswax-based black powder lube before sticking it in the touch hole. The lube makes for a better seal and nipping off the nip avoids having it break off and ending up in the chamber.

EC121 · Tuesday at 5:46 PM

Once I broke a toothpick off trying to prime. I don’t prime til I’m ready to shoot. It was in too tight and I was wiggling it. I just shoved the broken end into the powder with my pick and primed. Then I shot the deer at about 30 yds. You can get away with a lot of movement in a ground blind.

Taevers · Tuesday at 6:13 PM

EC121 said:
Nice gadget.
I usually just put some grease on the toothpick to seal it better..

Me too. Toilet bowl wax, actually

BoomStick · Tuesday at 7:41 PM

I whittle the end of a 6-inch cotton swab so about 1/4 inch or so fits through the vent. The wood is soft enough and the shaft large enough diameter that a bit of pressure creates a shoulder and a good seal. I break it off about even with the pan. I'm using the swabs when cleaning the lock, so something I already have in the cleaning supplies, and cheap when bought in quantity (500 were around $6 dollars and last me a couple years). I rarely have a leak but I've made a note to try some grease or wax next time as that's also something I have at hand when cleaning.

Eric Krewson · Tuesday at 7:45 PM

I have changed from standard toothpicks to cheap bamboo skewers, they are just about unbreakable because of the way the fibers run. They are also larger in diameter than a toothpick and provide a better seal.

Grenadier1758 · Tuesday at 8:06 PM

I use the bamboo skewers to block the touch hole for my bess.

I use a rate-earth magnet with a strip of electrical tape on one face to act as a gasket.

Both methods work well.

.

stubshaft · Wednesday at 12:50 AM

Add me to the Skewer Gang!

Rebel bull · Wednesday at 10:04 AM

I'm in the clamp group if it's impossible to remove the pins to remove the barrel.

Nothing is impossible it is just a measure of how difficult something is to do--------- Flying was impossible 100 plus years ago!

fjrdoc · Wednesday at 11:25 AM

Here's my homemade cleaning gizmo. I took a small C-clamp and drilled through the end. JB Welded a "gutted" zerk fitting and glued a rubber washer to the inside. I clamp the device over the touch hole and run the hose into a jug of hot soapy water + Dawn. Push a wet patch on a jag back and forth to pump water in and out..
This makes clean up easy peasy.

bpd303 · Wednesday at 10:53 PM

I don't plug the touch hole. Made a rack to hold the guns muzzle down and upside down to pressure wash the barrel and breech with plain room temperature water and it also cleans the touch hole or nipple which ever the case may be.

Works like a charm on patent breeches too. No water/crud gets on the stock.

DIY touch hole plug for cleaning

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