Possible RMC vent issues

[Mr.D123]

I was @ the range today and noticed an issue to occur. I'm not sure if it's because of the dry lubed patch or bigger ball. I rammed the ball home and each time I did so, I lost maybe 3-5 grains out the vent. It made a mess of things and wasn't to my liking. I wasn't rushing the ball down quickly or anything silly. I don't remember that happening last week I was out, but I could've been wrong. I know it's because of pressure, but why would it have changed? Thoughts?

 

[Zonie]

Assuming you are using the same powder for the main charge there wouldn't be a change.

Most likely you just didn't notice the loss last week.

I am surprised your loosing that much powder if you are talking about a volume measurement of 3-5 grains loss.

If you are saying that three to 5 little individual grains of powder is being lost that's normal with a flintlock.

If you are speaking about a volume measurement, what is the size of the touch hole?
I don't think I've ever lost that much powder even with the .078 diameter vent's I use in most of my rifles and those have 42 inch long barrels on them so there is a lot of air being blown out when I ram the ball.
On the other hand, I usually don't pay attention to how much powder gets blown out of the touch hole while I'm ramming the ball.

After all, the pan is open while I'm doing this so any powder that might have blown out would land on the concrete slab at the shooting range.
With the dust on that slab I don't think it would be very noticeable. At least not to my old eyes. :grin:

 

[pa woods roamer]

Just wondering, did You happen to buy the RMC Liner off of E-Bay?? I did and I had the same problem. The RMC Ventliner worked great. I went to a shoot and loaded up and the first shot resulted in a big Whoosh from the T`Hole. A couple of the fellow Shooters came over and We finally figured out the Touchole was so big that when the Load, I was using 3F Powder, was pushed Home a lot of it was ejected. Just thinking it might be a bad batch of Liners????

 

[M. De Land]

I've been loading with by soft black wire flash hole pick in place. It plugs the vent completely and when withdrawn leaves a cavity in the charge for the flash to have better access and a larger area to ignite. It also acts as a safety.
The end of the pick is filed into a hemisphere so it pushed the vent hole clean and will not damage the far barrel wall. Mike D.

 

[Mr.D123]

:redface:
Yes. It was an RMC vent from eBay.

@ zonie, No, not individual grains, I'm talking about estimated measure. The only reason I noticed it was because it was humid and it stuck to the pan wall and underneath the flint.

I guess after "excessive" usage it becomes larger?

 

[rfdr]

toothpick the touch hole 'fore loading the tube.

 

[LRB]

No mystery, the vent hole is too large.

 

[pa woods roamer]

I really didn`t use mine that much before it went bad. A few Years back,I had one in a T/C Hawken and shot the heck out of it. Never gave Me a problem. I might order one from RMC, if You can?,just to see if the E-Bay seller got a hold of some bad ones??

 

[Lonegun1894]

Or maybe the seller "improved" them by drilling them out?

 

[Billnpatti]

You should not be getting that much powder coming out of your vent. It is obvious that your vent hole is too large. I have no idea why it would change from one week to another but it is obviously too large. If you want to see for yourself if it is too large, get a 1/16 inch drill bit and use it like a gauge to see if the hole is too large. If the bit is very loose in the hole, your hole is too large. It should be no larger than 1/16 inch. Having a vent hole that is too large is a pain and can easily effect your accuracy. If it is too large, replace it. I prefer using Jim Chambers "White Lightnin'" vent liners (http://www.flintlocks.com/parts.htm) but if you want to use his, you will have to order one of his vent liner drill bits and tap because his liners are not a standard thread that will allow you to simply screw one of his liners into your existing vent liner hole. They are, in my opinion, the best liner you can get and are worth the trouble of re-drilling and re-tapping the hole. You will need to drill out the flash hole when you get his liners because they are too small. Just use a 1/16 inch bit and carefully open the hole up. Quick and simple.

 

[Mr.D123]

It didn't appear tampered with, it was in RMC packaging.

I don't have a drill set to install a chamber's liner. A toothpick might work, but it looks like one would be to small. I might use something thicker or reinstall the Lyman default liner.

I understand it's too big of a hole. I don't understand why it have happened after use. Did the hole get blown bigger and does that happen often?

I've sent the seller a question asking if they were rejects and told him/her of my issue.

:td:

 

[majg1234]

If one tooth pick won't fill the hole then something is amiss here :shocked2:

 

[pa woods roamer]

I still have the RMC Vent Liner and a 7/64 Drill Bit will pass throught it. Looks to Me as if there is/was a partition where the outside met the inside of the Vent Liner?? Curious to know what the seller`s answer is and if there were more complaints........

 

[Walks with fire]

The RMC vents are .070 Dia. I think. You could go down in size a little if you want but more than likely your powder contains a little more fines. A tighter load would push a few more grains out the vent on loading as well since no air pressure is escaping out the grooves.

My rifles have the same vent and they do get some grains in the pan on loading. It's not a problem with me and the larger vent probably helps ignition speed a little but a smaller vent is suppossed to be a little more accurate. I don't sweat the details and as long as it goes bang and hits what I am aiming at everytime all is good with me.

 

[Walks with fire]

The new owners of RMC are the old owners relatives and my bets are that they will have you a new one in the mail quickly with no problem. The original RMC owner was great to deal with and I hear he is still involed. Pretty sure his daughter is a member on this site. Glad to see RMC is doing well.

 

[Mr.D123]

Via the seller:

Hi,
I'm sorry you are having a problem. No they are new product from RMC so they are first quality. I only recently started shooting a flintlock myself but my understanding is that with time or number of shots the hole will gradually enlarge just as a nipple will but the nipple is slower to erode. What granulation of powder are you using and just curious what load? I just called RMC and they said they are not having any complaints. Please let me know what you would like me to do, I do sell a Treso liner which is popular but not as much as the RMC.
Sincerely,
Bob

I've asked him to send a replacement. So we'll see. :idunno:

 

[Zonie]

Because I see the Chambers White Lightning vent liner mentioned I should point out that none of the Chambers White Lightning liners will fit guns with the threads commonly used for liners.

All White Lightning liners use a uncommon 32 thread per inch pitch.

It also isn't as easy as buying the correct tap to rethread the hole. All of the existing threads must be removed and the larger diameter liners 32 thread per inch threads must then be created.

 

[Mr.D123]

I almost bought one when I bought the RMC liner. Then I realized there was alot more involved than unscrewing the old liner and inputting new one.

Update: the seller has agreed to send me a replacement liner.

 

[rfdr]

just get a touch hole liner made for yer rifle and drill out as need be. most are $5-$10. almost all i've seen are s/s and have holes much smaller than .060" to start with. drill out before installing (i screw it into a board and use a drill press, but hand drilling works just fine, too) so the inside of the hole can be inspected after drilling and dressed if need be.

 

[Pioneer flinter]

hey D123 I usually put my touch hole pick in the touch hole before loading. then after loading, before priming pick the powder in the bbl. a little so it is not so compacted at the touch hole I seem to get better ignition this way. anyway this seems to help me.