touch hole: when to use vent pick

[benco]

Do you clear the touch hole right before you prime to speed up ignition of main charge?

 

[Steve French]

I usually clean mine in between every couple of shots, it never hurts, and it can mean the difference between a little poof of smoke in the pan, or a loud boom coming from the front end. But you do want to clean the hole with an empty pan.

 

[nkbj]

And it works well to push FFFFg down the hole when it goes foof but not bang. It can really bring a smile to your face to see the ball bounce off the target.

 

[Stumpkiller]

You should pick the vent just before you need to.

Knowing when that is, unfortunately, is a trick. I poke it before priming the first shot just to be sure it's clear of oil or dust (though setting the ball blows air through that helps clear the vent). After that I have a pick on the same cord as my powder measure (hanging from my powder horn) so I poke each time before priming unless I'm hurrying. Humidity will cause some days to be gunkier than others.

I also usually have a bit of cleaning cotton to wipe the pan occasionally. Some days not often and others every other shot.

 

[Robby]

I always have one,but rarely need it. The fellows that wipe between shots seem to need them often, just an observation. :idunno:
Robby

 

[2172]

after each shot,I put the pick into the hole, and leave it there while I return to the loading bench.Hank

 

[Dphar]

Do you clear the touch hole right before you prime to speed up ignition of main charge?

I don't have one with my pouch anymore.

Dan

 

[Dphar]

But vent design can be a factor.

Dan

 

[paulvallandigham]

My vent pick is more of a Paddle, than a spear point. I filed two flats on the end of my vent picks, so that I can move powder in the barrel by turning the pick 90-180 degrees, to create a hole in the powder charge to allow the heat from my priming powder's flame to enter and ignite more than one granule of powder at a time. If I did not tell you about the flats, you might not notice them, but they are there. And, the pick does narrow down to a rounded "point".

Poking a hole in the powder with a pointed pick does nothing but Temporarily move the powder aside. It does not leave anything close to a "permanent" hole in the charge to let multiple ignition sources occur. :hmm:

 

[hanshi]

I rarely have to use one. I just shoot and unless I have a FITP I never bother.

 

[ebiggs1]

Another unnecessary habit not to get into. Put a .070 or 5/64th touch hole in and just go ahead and shoot. :grin:

 

[Tumblernotch]

Do you clear the touch hole right before you prime to speed up ignition of main charge?

Every time. I wipe between every shot and you never know when you have pushed some fouling in front of the hole. Plus, I want an open hole for my flash to go through. Don't want nary fuze there to make my gun go SSSHHH BANG. I just want it to go BANG.

 

[Dphar]

Do you clear the touch hole right before you prime to speed up ignition of main charge?

Every time. I wipe between every shot and you never know when you have pushed some fouling in front of the hole. Plus, I want an open hole for my flash to go through. Don't want nary fuze there to make my gun go SSSHHH BANG. I just want it to go BANG.

In my experience it also tends to break the grains and pack the resulting powder.

Here we can see a powder granule in the vent there is no reason to pick and it does not go "foosh bang" either.

This is a pistol no need to pic here either.

If it EVER "foosh bangs" its either wet or there is some other problem. Like too little prime.
Dan

 

[paulvallandigham]

Dan: IN some parts of this country, "Wet" is a chronic problem, in all but sub-freezing temperatures, and then it can still be a problem if its snowing or sleeting out! :shocked2:

My flintlocks can give me fits in the high relative humidity we have here every summer. The other day, for instance, it was 93 Degrees, but we had 89% humidity, that created a Heat Index of 105 degrees! You might think I live in a tropical Rain forest with such high humidity, instead of in the cornfields of Illinois. :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup:

I envy members on this forum who shoot in places where they can fire many shots in a row, without cleaning, or wiping their pans, and bores dry between shots. :idunno: :surrender: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I always have one,but rarely need it. The fellows that wipe between shots seem to need them often, just an observation. :idunno:
Robby

I swab between shots and rarely need a vent pick. There is one somewhere in my box. I think.
Only time I might need is on a very humid day and when there is a long wait to shoot after loading.

 

[tg]

I typicaly prick the vent after the loading process is finished. I have not done ths from time to time and noticed no change in reliability/speed I suspect it is another thing that is subject to all the variables we usually talk about when the pros and cons of wiping after each shot, types of powder, combos and such the answer will be found by each shooter as he learns to know his gun, no "one fits all answere for this one" I suspect,

The above reply does not represent the opinion of this forum and should not be used as an issue of a fact or used as a legal factor in defense or prosecution of any liability issue envoling the process of loading and disharging ML's, any manufactures recommendations must take presedence over this or any statements reguarding the correct methods of using such devices. :idunno:

 

[hanshi]

I'm gonna sue! :grin:

 

[Macon Due]

Lets do a 'class action' on him hanshi [not sure exactly what he said but I reckon it's "sue-able"] :grin:
Macon

 

[hanshi]

Everything is sue-a-ble. :rotf:

 

[tg]

"Lets do a 'class action' on him hanshi "

Lots of luck, 'cause I ain't got no class..