Touch Hole Picks!

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Next thing you know you'll be driving to the local grocery store without wearing your seat belt o_O
:thumb:
Does driving a mower to the liquor store count?
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Does driving a mower to the liquor store count?
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Now that's a bold maneuver there. Being on a highway and all.
But back when gas got to $4.xx here a few years back, then dropped and went back up to present day, I encounter a lot of mower riders (or those geriatric scooters) going to the local small town store on the four-lane. They've even taken up attaching those orange triangles on the back as if they are farm equipment.
Kind of like people trying to get there "service animals" onto planes and other places they shouldn't be.

But I don't mean to derail ;)
 
I started thinking about picks and remembered this horn a friend made for me several years ago. It is a pretty small horn but big enough for 4-5 shots when deer hunting and fits in a pocket, I do not hunt anymore so I had forgot about it but the pick is ready when needed.

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I have a small flat priming horn set up like that works very well as you pick the vent before priming then prime and re-place the stopper, kind of like a Swiss army knife everything you need in one small package.
 
I use a little wrought iron one that works fine. Amazing how many people I saw at the rendezvous I was at recently with lips wrapped around the muzzle blowing smoke out after shooting....not something I'd ever consider. Just seems bad practice. Mostly young guys, a few called them out for it but they didn't seem to care. Maybe some on this forum do it, you're a daisy if you do.... :)

Anyhow, the little pick works fine.
Pretty much everyone in our club blows down the barrel. It's seen as a safety measure, which it is. I went to Pacifics, and didn't shoot because of the no blowing down the barrel rule. Then a couple weeks later a couple guys who were there showed up at a local rendezvous. They gave people the stink eye for blowing down the barrel, but were wise enough to not say anything. However, I did notice multiple times the same guys were terribly careless on gun handling, and found their rifles pointed at me numerous times. Misplaced concern on other's part. There has never been a recorded case of anyone blowing their head off when blowing down a barrel. However, those "unloaded" guns swinging around have killed a pile of people.
 
I use a section of copper wire. Taper one end, bend a circle on the other. Touch hole liners are so thin I don't want any wear on them. Copper is easier on them than steel or iron.
 
How do you clear a touch hole in a Pedersoli flintlock or similar...with the anti chamber? The tool needs to not only clear the hole, but turn into the small chamber to clear to powder....Thanks
 
How do you clear a touch hole in a Pedersoli flintlock or similar...with the anti chamber? The tool needs to not only clear the hole, but turn into the small chamber to clear to powder....Thanks

A vent pick need only clear the touch hole from any crud that might interfere with igniting the main charge.
It doesn't need to pick a patent breech anymore than picking a "normal" breech.
 
I use a section of copper wire. Taper one end, bend a circle on the other. Touch hole liners are so thin I don't want any wear on them. Copper is easier on them than steel or iron.
I did the same thing in '83 been using it since then.
 
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