Drilling a flash hole.

[JakobinWisconsin]

I have been wanting to purchase a Fusil de Chasse of the cheap and Hindu variety and have come to understand that that will require the drilling of a flash hole. I do have access to a metal shop for a not insignificant fee so would prefer to just use my drill press. How should I go about this? And if you have any further advice that would be much appreciated.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Find where the breech plug ends, the flash hole must be in front of it. The other important thing is the flash hole needs the be centered in the pan and about level with the top of the pan. If these things are right then a center punch can mark the spot to drill even with a hand drill. 1/16” is customary.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I have been wanting to purchase a Fusil de Chasse of the cheap and Hindu variety and have come to understand that that will require the drilling of a flash hole. I do have access to a metal shop for a not insignificant fee so would prefer to just use my drill press. How should I go about this? And if you have any further advice that would be much appreciated.

Phill has good advice. I don't know the profile of your barrel, but if it is tapered, you need to compensate for that. Shim the barrel so the drill bit is perpendicular to the bore. I personally would not use my hand drill especially when I have a drill press.
Larry

 

[Steve Martin]

How do you know where the breech plug "face" is without removing it, you may ask? Put a wood dowel down your barrel and make a mark where it lines up flush with the end of the muzzle. Take the marked rod and lay along the top of your barrel with the mark you just made even with the muzzle and the other end of the rod should be where the face of your breech plug is. make a straight vertical mark down towards the pan and (if you are lucky), that line will just about hit the center of your pan. The last one of these I drilled my vertical mark was slightly forward of the center of my pan but once drilled it worked just fine.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Mark your location like this using the liner size to make sure you are in front of the breechplug. If you are not using a liner mark your hole location off the pan of you lock.

Liner position marked , the precarve inlet is a little off he says tongue in cheek.

The same gun after gluing wood in the messed up lock inlet and getting the lock inletted where it needed to be.

Your lock location on a finished gun will dictate where you drill the vent, sunset and centered on the pan will be your best option.

Marking the hole position with a punch.

 

[user 34300]

Give consideration to locating it so that you can install a liner later.

 

[3Setters]

Great little tutorial, bookmarked for reference this summer.