Trade gun vent position

[Wawyasto]

I've had my new (to me) trade gun out a few times and I'm getting a lot of flashes in the pan but it either doesn't go off or hang fires. While I was cleaning it yesterday after I had it out I noticed the position of the vent, looks off center and too deep into the pan.

What say you good gentlemen and thoughts on how to fix? I'm a noob at flinters so this is all a learning experience for me.

 

[Cruzatte]

It looks a little low. But that could be the photograph. You might be able to dish out the pan a little, if the photograph angle isn't skewed. Best see what the others say.

 

[Masstg65]

What kind of powder are using. I just finished building a trade gun and have found it prefers 3f over 2f. Hope that will help.

 

[Wawyasto]

What kind of powder are using. I just finished building a trade gun and have found it prefers 3f over 2f. Hope that will help.

2F. Never used 3F for anything larger than .50 before.

 

[tenngun]

Tad low but shouldn’t give you no fire. Might be a tad slow, but a lot of us prime from the horn and 2f is a tad slow, but not so you notice much, and this should be like that.
How big is the hole. I find 1/16 too small. A 5/ 64 or 3/32 should cure it

 

[Wawyasto]

Tad low but shouldn’t give you no fire. Might be a tad slow, but a lot of us prime from the horn and 2f is a tad slow, but not so you notice much, and this should be like that.
How big is the hole. I find 1/16 too small. A 5/ 64 or 3/32 should cure it

If my micrometer is correct, having tried it about 6 times, shows it to be right at .060.

I'm going to run by the hardware store tomorrow and grab some bits, Would a brass shim or 2 under the barrel and tang help move that vent up a little more?

 

[rich pierce]

If my micrometer is correct, having tried it about 6 times, shows it to be right at .060.

I'm going to run by the hardware store tomorrow and grab some bits, Would a brass shim or 2 under the barrel and tang help move that vent up a little more?

You can easily deepen the pan. I would not want to lift the barrel it higher as the part of the frizzen that covers the pan can mash the powder next to the vent if the underside of the frizzen pan cover part is not arched a bit. It’s hard for me to explain clearly. But lifting the barrel is not something I’ve heard of.

 

[deerstalkert]

do you pick the vent every shot? i have a GM .50 that the vent is almost buried to the rear of the pan. if i pick it every shot it never fails. forget to pick and flash in the pan. going after bear with it tomorrow.

 

[R Ellis]

do you pick the vent every shot? i have a GM .50 that the vent is almost buried to the rear of the pan. if i pick it every shot it never fails. forget to pick and flash in the pan. going after bear with it tomorrow.

Good Luck with the Bear Hunt

 

[oldwood]

Put your r/r down the muzzle , and mark the exact position of the breach plug face at the touch hole on the outside of the barrel. If the touch hole is very close to the breech face , and the hole is in the powder pan ,make sure you pick the touch hole , especially just after loading. When picking , if you can feel the powder in the barrel , and you prime w/ ffffg , she should go off. This is flash -in-the-pan 101. Also , when the gun lock is primed , and if you are right handed , tilt the gun to the left , and bump the powder towards the touch hole. I shot targets for many years , and the bump was part of my before shot routine. .......oldwood

 

[PathfinderNC]

If my micrometer is correct, having tried it about 6 times, shows it to be right at .060.

I'm going to run by the hardware store tomorrow and grab some bits, Would a brass shim or 2 under the barrel and tang help move that vent up a little more?

N0- If you want to adjust the touch hole/pan configuration Use a Dremmel tool with a grinding stone tip and dish out the pan. (I have done this with an L&R Lock for my Fusil)

 

[oldwood]

No shims , do as Pathfinder says w/a dremel tool , and a rotary stone bit. This is standard procedure to make a priming pan adjustment. Have done this many times to perfection , w/ no problems.

 

[Kansas Kid]

Are you swabbing between shots?

 

[Wawyasto]

Are you swabbing between shots?

No

 

[Steve Martin]

Do what Pathfinder says - I have actually done it to one of my flintlocks, it works well. DO NOT try shimming up the barrel.

 

[Wawyasto]

I appreciate all the help.

I hit the hardware store today and got some drill bits and a couple of grinding wheels for me Dremel. No shimming will be done.

I went ahead and dished out the pan a bit, now mind you it's been ingrained into my psyche that the use of a Dremel on a firearm is how shadetree 'smiths named Bubba install plastic Tapco stocks to SKS's, so using one on a good gun all but ran afoul of my moral upbringing. While I had the lock removed I disassembled the internals, cleaned everything with gun scrubber, brushed the rust spots, added a drop of oil here and there and put it all back together.

Saturday is my 51st Birthday and the plan is to spend the day at the range tinkering with this and patterning my 10 bore SXS. I'll report back the results.

 

[Kansas Kid]

Drill liner hole to 062 to 067 pick hole before and after shot. I don’t think the pan needs dished out yet.

 

[rich pierce]

Do people read previous posts? Rhetorical question.

You should be fine with ignition now. Good job.

 

[Eric Krewson]

You dished out the pan evenly, I would have fudged to forward a bit to center the touch hole in the pan. I am sure your work will be just fine though.

 

[Kevin Houlihan]

Do people read previous posts? Rhetorical question.

You should be fine with ignition now. Good job.

Rich - no they don’t seem to…
Kevin