slow ignition

[ffffg]

i have four flintlocks, one is a chambers 16 guage with a 5/16 white lightning that is very fast,, a pedersoli mortimer that is fast with some fudgeing, and a traditions 50 call that is very fast, .. now the problem a new chambers 62 cal rifle, swamped barrel, 3/8 inch white lightning flash hole.. touch hole placement just a slight tad above the pan of a english round faced lock.. i drilled the touch hole one number bit over (1/16) larger and it sped it up quite a bit.. but still a little touchy especially when dirty.. of the next possibilities which would you choose..a. drill out the flashhole larger for the 2f goex im using.. b.cone the outside of the flashole,, c.fiddle with it for the next 5 monthes to figure out what will make it work best. d.or learn how to shoot.. .. it could be be due to heavy compression on the powder that im using to get the tight ball thru the crud ring in this heavy fouling gun.. it could be a non problem as im still learning its little funky ways, but id like your input.. thanks dave..

 

[more powder]

Dave I see you live in MT too, like spring time here in DeerLodge today.I most of the time end up with 5/64 hole,i don't know if coneing the outside would do any good might think about going bigger. Ron

 

[LRB]

If you have enough fire channel in the liner, Coning the outside may help. I try to leave at least .030 in the liners I use. When loaded, I can look in the vent and see the powder.

 

[MikeChapin]

I always run a vent pick in the touch hole. It seems to help especially when the gun has been fired a few times. I have a .58 that will crud up after a few shots but using the vent pick before priming will let it cruise along all day.

 

[Mike Brooks]

3fff GOOOOOOD 2ff BAAAAAD. The fouling problem you mention makes me believe you have a "crapped up breach". Give that thing a good soaking, and pump/blast a bunch of hot water thru the vent with a tight patch/jag combo. Also check to see where the vent liner is in relation to the face of the breech plug. The face of the breech plug may need to be notched, and the notch polished out.
If you're having fouling problems you have a bad load. Switch to 3fff or try a different load of 2ff or switch lubes or switch patch thickeness (thicker is better) You've got something wrong somewhere with your load on this one.
Don't under any circumstances drill your liner out any bigger. I usually find anything bigger than 1/16" gives inconsitant accuracy and change them out at that point. Your liner at this point is NOT the problem, you have a little "flash channel" due to caked up fouling in the breech of your barrel.
Of course I could be completly full of crapola to...... :winking:

 

[sniper68]

touch hole placement just a slight tad above the pan of a english round faced lock.. i drilled the touch hole one number bit over (1/16) larger and it sped it up quite a bit.. but still a little touchy especially when dirty.

If you mean your touch hole is just a tad above the BOTTOM of the pan, it might be a little low. If thats the case, try using less priming(2-3 grns). Also see if you can tell a deffirence betweem 3f and 4f. If touch hole too low, 4f should be a little faster.. You'll have to wipe pan after each shot.
You can carefully grind the pan deeper to get it further from the touch hole.

 

[Birddog6]

I have only had fouling problems with the .62 cals. when the ball/patch combo is too loose. Keep in mind that you are starting a .62 cal you have twice the area to start as of a .50 cal when you consider the land width, number of them & etc. You are squeezing ALLOT more resisting surface area in the bore, more lead, more patch, etc. So if you are loading with a normal swat on a ball starter & ramming it home, it is gonna foul like no tomorrow........ (Or this has been my experience anyway)

On both of the .62 cals. we have here we are shooting a really tight ball/patch combo & we want the ball within .010 of the bore size & about a .016 - .017 patch, on a .62 cal. Lubed with a liquid Lube or a grease lube, it has to be tight of they foul like crazy for us.

The second thing that comes to mind is the powder. If it is Elephant 2F I suggest fertilizing the back yard with it as that is what I have found it is best for. Get ya some Goex or Scheutzen & try that & you will have Much better results. 3F will foul less if you want to use that but I suggest not using excessively large charges of the 3F because of the pressures involved & continued use of such pressures could possibly gas cut the barrel. (again IMHO)

I have also found out the best ball for your rifle is to try them all....... Try a .600, .605, .0610 etc. We have two identical barrels (? :hmm: ) on 2 dif rifles, same manufacturer, same length, style, caliber, etc. The rifles were made a year apart. One barrel uses a .610 ball & shoots it great. The other barrel you cannot even start the .610 ball with a hammer. It uses a .600 ball & we use a .016 patch on both. So just is a .62 cal & another is means absolutely nothing except that is a Caliber they are close to....... you need to try several ball/patch/lube/charge combos.

:thumbsup:

 

[tg]

I use 3f in my Chambers .62 smoothrifle and make all my vents 5/64 and have excellant accuracy, you will find many opinions on what to do some may or may not solve your problem...it is the nature of the sport.

 

[tg]

"Of course I could be completly full of crapola to...... "

No, just up to the bottum of the vent...(VBG)

 

[ffffg]

thanks for the info.. as i put all your posts together and started shooting today, it became apparent as to what probably was happineing, basicly crud in the flashhole that needed to be cleaned with a drill bit after three rounds while it is unloaded, and toothpick when loaded, got very good ignition.. i also tapped barrel thourouly when powder was loose, to get it well out into vent area.. id like to think that ive helped others with my suggestions as much as youve helped me at least once in a while.... the value of an open forum is not all answeres work for everyone, some answeres dont work for anyone but the one posting it. but the point is all guns, and people, and loads are different, and we need different solutions to different problems, and with differeing opinions it opens up problem solving teckiniques to those that will listen and apply the knowledge that comes from this fine group of polite knowledgable bp shooters.. :bow: dave..

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here's a handy suggestion of something that has worked for me. I keep a vent pick, with the loop bent at a right angle, on the leather lace that my powder measure hangs on. The bend allows it to hang close beside the measure.

After a shot I wipe the frizzen and pan with a little 2" x 4" piece of patching material I keep tucked in a button-hole on my shot pouch and then pick the vent, then load. Adds three seconds to the reloading process but sure helps the bottom line.