Rifleman1776 said:ebiggs said:Rifleman1776 said:But on the matter of prime the larger the “footprint” it has the greater chance the spark will hit a good spot for “reliable” ignition.
Covering the touch does not slow ignition. Even some trickling in is a good thing.
Use enough and don't skimp om it. It's cheap!
Here we go again.
Completely disagree. A good lock will give all the spark contact with powder you need.
Less primer powder the quicker the ignition. Too much powder will require time for it to burn down before the heat reaches the touchhole.
The actual barrel ignition is not causes so much by the primer burning into the barrel as a sort of venturi effect bringing the heat to the main charge.
Unfortunately for you, this time anyway, is modern testing, cameras and computers prove you are mistaken. As are all the rest that think less is more and against the touch hole is bad.
Also the position of the touch hole has a best placement spot for sure, but it is not a deal breaker if it is not exactly located. Another old wives tale blow away with modern testing equipment.
Mr. Phariss is absolutely correct and I agree totally with him on this subject. :thumbsup:
Now you guys are free to use whatever you like but the facts are what they are. :shake:
I guess this could go on forever. I respect Dan's testing.
But, I also recognize a "Ph-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-boom" and an instant "boom".
My favorite rifle (the one that likes sawn flints) is as quick (by my ears) as my bolt action 30-06 with a tiny trickly of prime along the bottom of the pan and not near the touch hole.
Piled up there is a noticable burn/lag time, not quick at all.
“My favorite rifle (the one that likes sawn flints) is as quick (by my ears) as my bolt action 30-06 ...”
Zonie said:The " FFSSSTTBOOM" does happen.
It has happened to me on several occasions, all with the same gun.
The main charge was dry 3Fg powder.
The prime was dry 3Fg powder.
The flint was sharp and the lock threw enough sparks that the prime would ignite easily.
The rifle did not have a replaceable vent in it. Rather, it had a fairly small vent hole drilled thru the barrel wall.
When priming this gun, being new to the world of flintlocks I had filled the pan and at least partially filled the vent hole.
When the trigger was pulled I could hear the flint hit the frizzen and almost immediately the prime in the pan lit.
There was a noticable audio sound of a FSSSSSSS before the main powder charge fired. It sounded exactly like a very short fuse on a firecracker.
Of course I wasn't timing it but it had to last well over a few tenths of a second for it to register on my brain.
Yes, I've read and watched the results of Pletch's great research but his not noting this delayed ignition does not prove it doesn't happen.
It only proves it didn't happen to him during his tests.
ebiggs said:. . . .
The human eyes and ears are profoundly poor sensors for producing the true facts.
I will point out one issue that I caught on to very early in reading Mr. Pletcher's experiments. He uses a hot wire to ignite the prime. He did so to make each test just a timing of the prime.
But in common use by all of us the is an actual flint involved.
Enter your email address to join: