paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
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I must recommend that you make your own vent pick. Wires are okay for clearing percussion nipples, but lousy vent picks. I make mine from coat hanger wire, using a propane torch to heat the wire red hot, and using my bench vise and vise-grips to turn the wire after flattening 4 sides with a hammer, to make a decorative, turned pick. I make a circle at one end to make it look like an old fashioned Key, and give me something to hold onto.
I use hammers, and then files to make a vent hole size rounded point, long enough to extend to the opposite side of the barrel from the vent.
Here's the secret: I file at least ONE FLAT, and usually TWO FLATS on the " point " of the vent pick, so that the flats act like a shovel, pushing the powder aside, and, on occasion, pulling a few granules out through the vent. This leaves a hole in the powder charge, where the heat from my burning prime can reach many more granules of powder, and not just a few granules at the vent hole opening.
My gun has a White Lightning Vent hole liner in it, which has a parabollic curve on the inside of the vent, to focus heat and pressure back into the powder charge. That is the " Secret " of the White Lighting Vent Hole Liner, and the reason the liners speed up ignition in flintlocks.
I have never shot the Elephant powder you are using, but have heard nothing good about it. I would take the advice and get some Goex Brand Black Powder to use in the flintlock.
Sometimes the flash, or vent, hole is too small to allow the heat to enter the barrel. If that is the case, first measure what the diameter is, and then open it up, one drill bit size as a time. Most will fire quite well with a 1/16" diameter vent hole. But some end up having to be opened up to 5/64" to ignite reliably. Check the drill bit size charge under member resources at the top of the index to this forum. Then you will know what size bit to ask for at the hardware store.
Because your gun fired when you cleared a hole in the powder, I am inclined to think the problem is with the powder, and the kind of vent pick you used. Fix those two things first. Then measure that vent.
I use different sized drills to figure out what the diameter of the hole is. If you don't have a good assortment of drill bits, you need to invest in buying them.
My father was kind enough to set me up with a tool box filled with extra tools he had acquired over the years, when I went off to college. He wanted me to be able to repair things with simple hand tools, until I could afford to buy power tools. of course, he also took the time to teach me to use all those tools as I grew up. I took two shop courses in High School, and the other students wanted to know why a guy going to college was taking Shop! Fancy that!
I use hammers, and then files to make a vent hole size rounded point, long enough to extend to the opposite side of the barrel from the vent.
Here's the secret: I file at least ONE FLAT, and usually TWO FLATS on the " point " of the vent pick, so that the flats act like a shovel, pushing the powder aside, and, on occasion, pulling a few granules out through the vent. This leaves a hole in the powder charge, where the heat from my burning prime can reach many more granules of powder, and not just a few granules at the vent hole opening.
My gun has a White Lightning Vent hole liner in it, which has a parabollic curve on the inside of the vent, to focus heat and pressure back into the powder charge. That is the " Secret " of the White Lighting Vent Hole Liner, and the reason the liners speed up ignition in flintlocks.
I have never shot the Elephant powder you are using, but have heard nothing good about it. I would take the advice and get some Goex Brand Black Powder to use in the flintlock.
Sometimes the flash, or vent, hole is too small to allow the heat to enter the barrel. If that is the case, first measure what the diameter is, and then open it up, one drill bit size as a time. Most will fire quite well with a 1/16" diameter vent hole. But some end up having to be opened up to 5/64" to ignite reliably. Check the drill bit size charge under member resources at the top of the index to this forum. Then you will know what size bit to ask for at the hardware store.
Because your gun fired when you cleared a hole in the powder, I am inclined to think the problem is with the powder, and the kind of vent pick you used. Fix those two things first. Then measure that vent.
I use different sized drills to figure out what the diameter of the hole is. If you don't have a good assortment of drill bits, you need to invest in buying them.
My father was kind enough to set me up with a tool box filled with extra tools he had acquired over the years, when I went off to college. He wanted me to be able to repair things with simple hand tools, until I could afford to buy power tools. of course, he also took the time to teach me to use all those tools as I grew up. I took two shop courses in High School, and the other students wanted to know why a guy going to college was taking Shop! Fancy that!
