What do you use for a pick?

[rdstrain49]

Finally after over 50 years of muzzleloaders I saw the light and got my first flintlock. The learning process is going reasonably well but I do have one question for you flint veterans. What precisely do you use for a flash hole pick? I've tried many different things but none seem to work really well. First shot or two are fast ignition then things begin to slow down leading me to believe I'm getting progressively more fouling in the flash hole even though I'm picking between each shot.

So, what do you use?

 

[Spikebuck]

If you are picking the vent hole, whatever is causing poor ignition probably isn't there. If you have a patent breech, could be that fouling is plugging that causing powder to not get down into it when you load. Or if no patent breech, and you are wiping between shots, maybe fowling is getting pushed down to the breech. So picking is just part of the process, and many don't do it at all.

But, to answer your question, my most functional picks are just a thin piece of sharpened wire. I've used 14 ga copper electrical wire with the diameter filed to fit the touch hole and the end sharpened down to a point. Have also used steel wire.

 

[Eric Krewson]

A drill bit to enlarge my touchholes to 1/16" to start with and then to 5/64" if I am still getting slow ignition.

To answer your question, I have several forged nipple picks made out of nails, all work equally well.

Some of my rifles shoot better if I pick the nipple, with some it doesn't seem to matter.

 

[rdstrain49]

Patent breech yes, however when cleaning the rifle there seems to be very little fouling in that area. The issue seems to be constant whether I wipe the bore between shots or not. I've been using picks that are smaller than the vent, perhaps that is the problem. I'll try snug wire and see what happens.

Thanks

 

[Larry Akers]

I use a flight feather from a small bird. The one I have now is from a bluejay. It's held in two small staples under the cheekpiece.

 

[rdstrain49]

EK;
Already opened the vent to 1/16", it was very small. Seems like the picks you guys are using are much harder material than I am using. I'll try copper and steel wire.

Thanks

 

[rdstrain49]

LJA, is the feather able to push the fouling out of the hole?

 

[Black Hand]

EK;
Already opened the vent to 1/16", it was very small. Seems like the picks you guys are using are much harder material than I am using. I'll try copper and steel wire.

Thanks

As counterintuitive as this sounds, you may wish to work on your lube/patch thickness/powder load/ball size combination. With my load combination, I rarely need a pick, nor do I need to swab after every shot. On the rare occasions I use a pick (once in 50-100 shots, maybe), it is usually because a small particle of gunk has lodged itself in the touch hole.

Your pick can be made from copper, brass, steel, wood or even a thorn. The ones I use are made from rebar tie wire (I purchased a roll years ago), that has a loop/eye bent in one end and the other end sharpened. It does not need to be hard, just stiff enough to push the end into the hole.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have had mine so long I forget where I got them. Others I made. All use spring (music) wire. Whatever you do, DO NOT USE DRILL ROD. Drill rod is brittle and will break with potential serious problems. I once won a nice looking pick with a scrimmed ivory handle. But the pick was drill rod and broke. Now I have a handle and no pick.

 

[smrkdown]

I installed an RMC touch hole liner , and I use a pick that came on the Flinters Ring of Tools or with the Traditions Flintlock Shooter's Kit. I prefer the former because it's larger and fits the RMC liner well.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I use a piece of brass hat pin.

I also keep a couple of modern safety pins on me. They are steel of course but they are great in a situation if I dropped my brass pin OR if I'm out with a gun other than my standard and didn't remember to bring my pick. Safety pins also work well to fasten the deer tag to the deer's ear, after inserting the tag inside the ear.

LD

 

[rdstrain49]

BH, I don't use a short starter with this rifle. I can only fire about three shots before I can no longer start the ball with my thumb, so I wipe often.

I seem to have isolated the problem. I made a pick from a 1/8" drill bit, broke the edges with emery cloth so I won't enlarge the hole, put a wood handle on it. Using that pick between shots there is very fast ignition. So, problem is flash hole fouling. Best fix will be to eliminate that fouling with load combination. Failing that, at least I can now shoot with fast ignition simply by picking between shots.

Rifleman, point taken about drill rod / bit. That very thought was in the back of my mind, how will remove it when I break it off. Note, I didn't say if.

Thanks for all the help. Now if you guys would stop being a bunch of enablers, forcing me to acquire more flinters, I would be much better off financially.

 

[Gene L]

I violate all kind of PC protocol, but I use a proxy brush, which is a bristle brush used for flossing your teeth. Just don't use your proxy for your teeth once you've used it on your rifle.

Maybe I'll add a rawhide thong to it and dangle it from my shooting pouch.

 

[graybeard]

I find big paper clips work great, you can clip them to your hunting shirt or whatever. Swipe a few from the office so when you drop one it is not a disaster. My fusil de chasse really prefers that I pick every shot. graybeard

 

[Walks with fire]

I also use the big paper clips and always have a couple in my bag. My pan charger has a pick at the end of it that just pulls out as well. I would bet a lot of people don't even know their pan charger has one.

I seldom need to pick and since I have been using Hoppe #9 lube I don't ever need to swab either. I love that stuff. I never have a failure to fire either anymore either.

 

[harleypunk]

I use a safety pin.When not in use,it is clipped around the strap on my shooting bag.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

Fouling has alot to do with patch lubrication and wiping between shots.

Less lube is likely better.

I used hoppes 9 for awhile. I only put 3 drops on the patch.

That yellow goopy patch lube can cause issued if your using it.

I 2nd the 1/16th hole. I get a new gun, I buy a new 1/16th drill bit before I fire it even once.

Reliable fast ignition is worth the loss of 50fps or so. The bigger hole not only get more flame in, had more surface area to contact the charge, but it also blasts more flame out. Which helps to keep it clean.

Far as a pick, I use commercially made ones, but I have good sized safety pins in my hunting bag and clothes just incase.


Wiping the pan and pan roof Sr ton of the frizzen really helps to ensure goof ignition too. The black gunk has moisture and absorbs alot of heat.

A clean pan and frizzen pan roof reflects heat into the hole.

Also, less powder in the pan the better. I put more when I hunt in case part of the charge falls out during handling.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a simple sewing pin glued into a small piece of antler tip. :idunno:

 

[Cruzatte]

Oh no! You've been infected by the flintlock virus. There's no cure. :haha: But lucky for you, we're here to enab....uh....help. Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[Larry Akers]

LJA, is the feather able to push the fouling out of the hole?

Yup. But, to be honest, I rarely have a problem with the vent clogging.

If you are having as much problem as you say, I'd look at the fit of the jag/patch combo. I suspect your jag/patch is too tight and you are pushing crud to the breech. Your jag/patch combo should fit loose enough to go down without really pushing anything, then the patch should bunch up behind the jag on the way out and pull the crud with it.