Touch Hole

[bads1buell]

Just bought this rifle new from Tip Curtis at Dixons on Friday and the touch hole is probably 1/16" in size or less. I am not an expert but do these come small like this so you can drill it to your favorite size, or is this correct. The last one I had was probably 1/8" in size. I can see where it was installed and then filed smooth to match the contour of the barrel. The lock is a Chambers Late Ketland.

 

[david50]

it should be fine as it is,but if you do decide to enlarge it i would'nt go any bigger than 1/16th

 

[Stumpkiller]

The smallest you can get reliable ignition with is the best. 1/16" is fine if the rifle shoots consistantly. Smaller means less loss of pressure and cives more consistancy (which equals better potential accuracy).

Only if you don't get good ignition would I mess with the vent.

 

[Dausener]

Best I could say is try it. If you need to go bigger you can later. That's a nice looking rifle. What cal. is it? Basset

 

[bads1buell]

50 cal with a swamped Isaac Haines B weight GM barrel.

 

[Larry Pletcher]

Jim Chambers sells his vent liners drilled to .055". I like 1/16" or bigger. My reason for a larger vent is to allow a pipe cleaner for cleaning. I've run too many tests where fouling becomes an issue.

That said - I bought a rifle in the white from Jim at Friendship. I drilled the vent to 1/16" and it performed beautifully. A pipe cleaner won't fit but as long as the rifle shoots as it does, I'll ignore my "pipe cleaner rule" and shoot it as is. This is all MHO; your mileage may vary.

Regards,
PLetch

 

[Birddog6]

I would start at .070", then if needed proceed to .078 if needed to where it is consistent. I like to clean my vent with a pipe cleaner & a large gem clip makes a good vent pick & will go in it as well. Also I put a small cone on the outside of the vent liner. Just be sure you keep a minimum of .025" straight wall thickness in the vent liner, so it won't burn thru & the vent hole start enlarging prematurely..

That is a nice looking rifle. :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

I use a vent pikc between each shot, to not only clean the vent hole, but to make a hole in the main powder charge in the barrel, so that the HEAT from the burning priming powder will ignite multiple granules in the barrel quickly.

I make my vent picks- long handled so they are easier for me to control. The "point" are not truly round- but have a flat on one or more sides. This makes it more of a " spoon"- albeit a very tiny one--to not only scrape powder debris off the side of the vent hole, but to move the powder out of the way to make that hole.

Insert the vent pick, give it a turn back and forth with your wrist a couple of times, pull the pick out, and prime the pan. You are ready to fire- the vent is clear, and ignition is faster.

 

[sniper68]

I've found that, for me a 1/16"(.0625) vent hole is the optimum all around size, at least for 3fff. If not satisfied with performance at that size, I would start checking for other problems "before going any larger". Just remember you can go bigger, but not smaller... :v
PS; Pretty rifle. :hmm: No, beautiful rifle... :thumbsup:

 

[bads1buell]

Here is a couple more pics of my new rifle.

 

[sniper68]

:shocked2:Wow!!

 

[texcl]

That is a nice rifle, I like the lines and it has one of the more advanced, faster locks on it. That's going to make a great deer rifle. Let us know how she preforms.I wouldn't enlarge the hole unless you have ignition problems.

 

[roundball]

All mine have removeable vent liners with .073" holes...never have ignition problems, accuracy is better than I can shoot them

 

[hanshi]

That is certainly a beautiful rifle and that stock is something else! Vent liners I dealt with have all come with very small vent holes that would sometimes cause problems. I prefer to drill mine out to 1/16 and have no problem using that size hole. I shy away from larger holes due to possible loss of pressure. As long as they are coned well, 1/16 vents are, in my experience, completely reliable. I can use pipe cleaners in mine albeit with much protest. They are difficult to twist in but not impossible.

 

[tg]

I have found that I like a 5/64 hole with .50 cal. and up, preferably just a plain hole cone a bit on the inside with no liner, the way most originals were done, just another little thing one can do to duplicate the experience of how it was done in the past.

 

[roundball]

"...the way most originals were done, just another little thing one can do to duplicate the experience of how it was done in the past..."

Heck TG, my removeable liner is coned on the inside...its right there on the other side of the stainless steel wall from the large hex wrench opening on the outside
:grin:

 

[Stophel]

I don't see a liner on the barrel (as it should be! :wink: ) 1/16" is too small. As TG said, 5/64" is usually about right. I cone them on the inside with the little nail coning tool. I'm not sure it makes THAT much difference, but it's so easy, why not? Test fire it several times and see how it does. I have found that when the hole is still too small, I don't get the "fuse effect" at all, but I do get unreliable ignition. Sometimes it will go off, sometimes it won't. Enlarge it by tiny increments until it goes boom every time. Use numbered drill bits.

I have one smoothbore gun I built years ago that I just went ahead and drilled it 3/32". Fires fast. That may be "too big" but it shoots just fine.

 

[jmac]

That is a FINE rifle. I very much like the wood grain and the color. What school is you rifle? Bucks county?

John

 

[dbiggers]

Just bought this rifle new from Tip Curtis at Dixons on Friday and the touch hole is probably 1/16" in size or less. I am not an expert but do these come small like this so you can drill it to your favorite size, or is this correct. The last one I had was probably 1/8" in size. I can see where it was installed and then filed smooth to match the contour of the barrel. The lock is a Chambers Late Ketland.

Is that "Tip Curtis" from Orlinda, Tennessee?? I'am just curious, because i'am orginally from Portland, Tn. which is right next to Orlinda and i've heard his name mentioned more than once when it came to talking about muzzleloaders and such. They say he's a super nice fella. I moved away from there just about the same time i got heavily involved in muzzleloaders and never got a chance to meet him...(if we're talking abvout the same fella)

Anyway nice rifle you've got there and i don't think i'd touch a thing, concerning that vent hole...MHO... :thumbsup:

Watch yer top knot... :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Tip Curtis is located in Cross Plaines, Tenn.

4445 Jernigan Rd.,
P.O. Box 203
Cross Plaines, Tenn.
37049

Phone:
Business: 615-654-4445
Home: 615-654-4944

E-mail: [email protected]

I have that from his business card. :thumbsup: