Need help, flash hole liner stuck!

[Road_Clam]

Leave it alone. I'm going to throw caution out about using an impact driver, and from experience typical cheap china hex bits are cheap and brittle and can NOT handle impact driver type applications. When the bits break, they snap it to small pieces that many time jam and gall into your workpiece. If that happens and your vent's touch hole gets plugged now you are REALLY screwed (no pun intended). Im in the machining trade and have removed hundreds of bolts / screws / pins etc and in some circumstances it's better off just leaving things alone.

 

[mechteacher]

Try using nickel antisize
Permatex makes some and you can get it at auto parts stores. You need the nickel NOT aluminum.
Just a little dab ( dot) will do it. Liners and nipples turn out with ease!

 

[Kansas Jake]

If you are bound to take it out, Harbor Freight makes a set of lefthand drill bits.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Harbor also sells the screw extractor set.

Search Results For "Screw Extractor Set" (harborfreight.com)

 

[Zonie]

If you are bound to take it out, Harbor Freight makes a set of lefthand drill bits.

Excellent point.
If a "left hand drill bit" is used, it will try to unscrew the liner as it drills into it. These left hand drill bits are also useful for drilling out stuck nipples for the same reason.

Just remember, if your using an electric drill, you will need to run it "backwards" for the drill to do any drilling.

 

[hanshi]

As has already been mentioned don't routinely take the liner out, it doesn't need to be removed for cleaning. So far I don't recall anyone suggesting penetrating oil, FWIW.

 

[Livbucks]

Remove it. Then get an RMC liner with the allen wrench. Install with antiseize and remove periodically to clean and reaaply antiseize. If you never overtighten it the threads will never wear out. It only has to be snugged down.
(The preceeding was only my opinion)

 

[hawkeye2]

After applying anti-seize to the liner.

 

[Whitworth]

After applying anti-seize to the liner.

That's why I don't let my wife around paint.....

 

[Flinty Scot]

My impact driver that looks exactly like that one is a 3-8" drive.
I'll have to look for one of the 1/4" ones. I like that!

Amazon lists a couple different 1/4" impact drivers. On my "to-get" list, too.

 

[smoothshooter]

I could just leave it as is. I dont care so much of the esthetics. I do feel the actual hole has worn a tad bigger. Is there a point where it MUST be replaced? I generally don't remove it unless I dryball, which isn't often but, ya know, it happens.

It wasn't too hard to get 3-4 gr of 4f in thru it. I guess I could leave it??? I already have a replacement liner.

Went shooting today, shot well! Me and my brother got to talking on the range, and I dryballed it. I take tge lock off, go to take the liner out and its stuck! I didnt push the 8ssue, got 3-4 gr 4f thru the touch hole, shot tge ball out, kept shooting. Im home, getting ready to clean tge gun and replace the liner(which i DID put antiseize on when I last had it out!) and I cant get it out. I stuck a toothpick in the hole and tried penetrating oil, no avail. I already have a replacement. The flat head slot is worn/boogered up, and getting purchase with a screwdriver is just making it worse.

And tricks to this? Any next steps?View attachment 70999

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I have an idea. How about removing it after each session and cleaning it. Lube the threads and reinstall.? Never had a thread or corrosion issue

 

[smoothshooter]

Went shooting today, shot well! Me and my brother got to talking on the range, and I dryballed it. I take tge lock off, go to take the liner out and its stuck! I didnt push the 8ssue, got 3-4 gr 4f thru the touch hole, shot tge ball out, kept shooting. Im home, getting ready to clean tge gun and replace the liner(which i DID put antiseize on when I last had it out!) and I cant get it out. I stuck a toothpick in the hole and tried penetrating oil, no avail. I already have a replacement. The flat head slot is worn/boogered up, and getting purchase with a screwdriver is just making it worse.

And tricks to this? Any next steps?View attachment 70999

There is no reason to remove a liner unless the vent hole has become too large from hot gasses ( less likely ), or excessive picking with an oversized pick ( most likely ). The hand forged picks made out of square stock are the worst. A half straightened out large paper clip works really well.
In your case, I would clean up the boogered up metal around the screwdriver slot and call it good, unless the vent hole is over about .062” which is 1 sixteenth of an inch.

 

[M. De Land]

If the liner is jambed then I would be thinking perhaps of some pressure leakage blowing fouling into the threads and some corrosion going on underneath. Have you ever noticed any blow by (fouling leakage) in the threaded area of the liner?
I believe some folks loc-tite them in place to prevent this. I have always just use RIG grease on the threads and have not had any issue to date. I'm not sure the Anti-size compound is up to the task of thread sealing over the long haul if you plan on leaving them in permanently.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Now that its Easter, save the copper wire dipping tool that comes in the egg dying kits. Its the correct size for a touch hole pick and being copper or steel coated with copper, won't draw a spark.

 

[Ben Meyer]

The pick i use is definitely not oversized. But, I do use it for every shot I take.

Is 1/16" the "excepted max size" for the flash hole? I dont think mine is that big, but can easily check with a drill bit.

There is no reason to remove a liner unless the vent hole has become too large from hot gasses ( less likely ), or excessive picking with an oversized pick ( most likely ). The hand forged picks made out of square stock are the worst. A half straightened out large paper clip works really well.
In your case, I would clean up the boogered up metal around the screwdriver slot and call it good, unless the vent hole is over about .062” which is 1 sixteenth of an inch.

 

[Ben Meyer]

Ive used left handed bits before. One would be my first choice should I decide to remove the liner. Easy out would be 2nd choice.

Excellent point.
If a "left hand drill bit" is used, it will try to unscrew the liner as it drills into it. These left hand drill bits are also useful for drilling out stuck nipples for the same reason.

Just remember, if your using an electric drill, you will need to run it "backwards" for the drill to do any drilling.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Most people use a 1/16" touch hole, in guns I shoot 2F and larger in I like a 5/64" hole, it goes off right now. 3F will self prime in a 5/64" hole so all the guns I shoot 3F in have a 1/16" hole.

 

[smoothshooter]

The pick i use is definitely not oversized. But, I do use it for every shot I take.

Is 1/16" the "excepted max size" for the flash hole? I dont think mine is that big, but can easily check with a drill bit.

1/16” is not the excepted max size but it seems to be the “ accepted “ maximum size.

 

[Pete G]

1/16” is not the excepted max size but it seems to be the “ accepted “ maximum size.

That would be the optimum size.