Vent Questions

[PreserveFreedom]

When I put the vent in my barrel I coated the threads with Bore Butter. I like to coat just about every part of a muzzleloader than I can with Bore Butter. Then I got to wondering:

1) Do you remove the vent during cleaning like one would remove the nipple while cleaning a percussion gun?

2) Should I take the vent out and put anti-seize on the threads like one would do on a breech plug, or will the Bore Butter be fine to keep it from seizing up?

All opinions are welcomed on both questions.

 

[rabjr]

I ain't takin any of my guns vents out...

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

First off, congratulations on using a removal liner. It'll save you much grief in the long run. Secondly, yes, always lube the liner threads when you have it out. Doesn't really matter what with. I only take my liner out when doing a full blown clean job, such as to put the gun away for awhile, more than a week or so. Otherwise, i just swab out the barrel, then lube and use it again, within a few days, such as hunting or repetitive target matches over a week or so time period.

 

[PreserveFreedom]

First off, congratulations on using a removal liner.

I wasn't always a Southerner. I grew up in the Chicago area and did a bit of automotive repair while I was there. Everything up there rusts so whenever I put a new part on a customer's car I always put grease on any threaded part so if I ever had to remove it again I wouldn't have to pull out the torch. I think this is where I got the habit of doing so on my guns, except that I use Bore Butter on the BP stuff instead of grease. One thing I do not want to take a torch to is one of my guns.

 

[Semisane]

My vent liners come out for cleaning after every range session. When I reinstall them I put a small drop of whatever oil I have handy on the threads.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I don't remove the liners. My current flintlock it's filed smooth to the barrel. The last flintock I had didn't have a liner - just a drilled vent.

 

[redwing]

I don't know why anyone would remove a vent linner while cleaning a flinter? I use only Chambers permant linners. Match rifles with removable linners are very rare. The thing to watch for is the vent hole getting out of round this will ruin a good group with flyers. The Chambers vent is set up to give a very progressive burn in the chamber. They are removed at end of life with an easy out. :thumbsup:

 

[tiger955]

My flinter is a TC with a Green Mountain barrel that came with a removable liner. I usually remove it as it makes it easier to flush the barrel out in a bucket of water. I used to use patch lube to keep fouling from seizing the liner in, lately I have been using TC's Gorilla Grease anti seize, works good. I would expect bore butter would be fine also. Just a tiny bit on the threads, don't over do it.

 

[rich pierce]

Removable vent liners are unknown on originals, and are generally avoided like the plague by contemporary builders of traditional rifles. In my opinion the removable vent liner is a carryover from 1970's production percussion guns, something TC and others who first only made percussion guns, invented when they moved to flintlocks. They reasoned, "we remove nipples, don't we?" If I had such a rifle, I'd either never remove it, replace it with one that could not be removed, or, if I had to remove it, apply a thin film of light oil, wiped off, to the threads in the barrel and liner.

 

[Mickc01]

This is a very interesting thread! Like most that have commented, the guns I have with vent liners are all non-removable but I have a question....

I'm thinking of having a rifle built that is convertible between flint and percussion. The reason is that I have an old original that I'd like copied as close as possible but the lock has been missing a long time. My best guess is it was percussion but I more enjoy shooting flint. By it being convertible with removable liner, it would meet all my needs. Do you'all not think I should do that?

Thanks....Mick

 

[tg]

"First off, congratulations on using a removal liner'

What in Gods name is there to be congratuated on about useing a removable liner? the fact that one has taken one more step away from the traditional method of doing someything, BTW kudos on chooseing the maxi ball over the PRB...jeeeeesh!
no flame at the original poster but this k-rap is kind of deep at times

Rich is right and if there were not scores of guns re-converted from flint back to cap in the 20th century we would probably not even have vent liners now,look to how it was done in the past if there is any question about removing them to clean the gun....they were not there so they would not be removed and the ones installed were not meant to be,the top builders, guns buffs generaly do not remove them, the best type are not even removable.some will say liners were around in the past and after a lot of humm hawwing will admit they were very rare on colonial guns and as a repair typicaly

 

[paulvallandigham]

I have only once removed a liner from a barrel- on a .62 caliber rifle, where the owner had "dry-balled" the gun. The Liner was slotted for a screwdriver, and after removing the lock from the stock to get clear access to the liner, we used my screwdriver to take the liner out. Then I used a thinner shanked and bladed screwdrive to go through the TH to pry(leverl) the PRB forward enough to allow access to the bore behind the PRB. We poured some few grains of 4Fg priming powder behind the ball, screwed the TH liner back in, put the lock back on the stock, and shot the PRB out of the barrel. NO one owned a CO2 discharger, as they were not available back then. If that Liner could not have been removed as we did it, He would have had to pull the Breechplug to gain access to the barrel to remove the Dry Ball.

I have one liner that is slotted, and one that is not. I don't remove either. I do feel guilty for not having removed both of them when the guns were new, and put anti-seize on the threads. I suspect that if they need to be removed in the future, machinery is going to be involved. :shocked2: :redface: :surrender: :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

For those of us who actually hunt with our weapons, getting caught in the woods with a wet liner, being able to sit down under a tree and remove the liner, pick out the mud, add a bit of dry powder and fire off the charge can be a lifesaver!

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've pulled balls in flint smoothbores without removing the breech. If it's loose enough to turn inside the patch under a ball-puller try hooking the patch with a tow worm.

 

[ohio ramrod]

As you have noticed there are differing opinions on removing vent liners. Myself as a long time farmer, machinist,black powder shooter. I learned long ago, " If you put it together, you will some day want to take it apart!" Therefore I use antisize or grease or lock tight for specific situations , on any thing I screw together metal to metal.It may be next week or in twenty years but you will not regret using antisize. You may well regret not using it ! :hmm: :hmm:

 

[roundball]

When I put the vent in my barrel I coated the threads with Bore Butter. I like to coat just about every part of a muzzleloader than I can with Bore Butter. Then I got to wondering:

1) Do you remove the vent during cleaning like one would remove the nipple while cleaning a percussion gun?

2) Should I take the vent out and put anti-seize on the threads like one would do on a breech plug, or will the Bore Butter be fine to keep it from seizing up?

All opinions are welcomed on both questions.

I work pretty hard at not "telling" people they should or shouldn't do anything...but I will tell what I do / have done / the results so they can draw their own conclusions.
And not being a self-proclaimed historian I'll not talk down to you about using vent liners as that's a personal choice, I'll simply respond to your question.

As part of my normal cleaning regimen I removed and replaced the nipples on a few T/C Hawken caplocks every time for almost 10 years, and I shot them a lot...always dabbed the nipple seat threads with a Q-tip of TC's NL1000, and packed the nipple threads with it as well, tightened them back only finger tight snug.
Never had the first problem.

Then did the same thing for about the next 10 years on a variety of TC and GM Flint barrels...same 1/4x28 threads, same steel breechplug, just a different location than the nipple.
Never had the first problem.

I've continued to do the same thing to the vent liners in Rice and GM barrels used in some longrifles I now use...and based on my track record of a careful detailed maintenance approach to my muzzleloaders, there will be zero problems with these quality components either

 

[Stumpkiller]

Anti-seize is a good idea, I would think. Or Locktite blue. The vent liner threads are the same as glow-plugs in R/C methanol engines. And every season we have a few guys at the field who strip out the threads in the engine heads from taking glow-plugs in and out. Granted, the heads are aluminum, but the steel in vent liners is a lot stronger then the barrels. I'm sure there is some kind of desired torque.

But I note the guys who blow plugs are the same ones that strip servo arms and bugger Allen bolt heads because they constantly futz with their equipment rather than troubleshooting things like engine flooding at the source.

 

[leslie]

I never assemble any removeable mechanical device without using anti sieze grease,however I don't remove touch hole liners either.I hope I live long enough to fire enough shots so I can wear out the liner in a flinter and have the pleasure of watching the gunsmith remove it with an ez-out.Perhaps I am missing something but how does removing a liner make a flinter easier to clean?I plug the liner with a match stick,pour solvent of choice into the barrel and let it soak a while,pour it out,swab with a patch wrapped around a bore brush till clean,dry and oil.

 

[roundball]

I never assemble any removeable mechanical device without using anti sieze grease,however I don't remove touch hole liners either.I hope I live long enough to fire enough shots so I can wear out the liner in a flinter and have the pleasure of watching the gunsmith remove it with an ez-out.Perhaps I am missing something but how does removing a liner make a flinter easier to clean?I plug the liner with a match stick,pour solvent of choice into the barrel and let it soak a while,pour it out,swab with a patch wrapped around a bore brush till clean,dry and oil.

Whatever the rationale is to remove/clean/lube/reinstall a nipple applies to a vent liner...same identical situation. We have no way of knowing if and how much corrosion is possibly beginning to take place being forced into the threads under gas pressure, to then start eating away up along side the nipple or vent liner threads. And unscrewing a vent liner with an easy out is a simpl2 15 second activity at the house, doesn't require a 'gunsmith'
:wink:

Just my .02 cents on the matter...carry on

 

[rabjr]

And unscrewing a vent liner with an easy out is a simpl2 15 second activity at the house, doesn't require a 'gunsmith'

Are you saying those of us with White lightnings should do this?