Socket Head Cap Screw as touch hole liner?

[Luke MacGillie]

Picked up a great little 45 cal Southern Mountain rifle over the weekend.  GM Barrel, L&R lock, walnut stock for less than 600 bucks.  It was an impulse buy.

Only thing that I am concerned with is that the touch hole liner is made from a socket head cap screw that was drilled out.  Ive already ordered a conventional liner to install, but is this a common practice?  I will say at least that it does not have that stainless steel shine that I hate to see contrasting with a browned barrel....

[Bob Roller]

I don't know about a capscrew for such an arrangement but I have seen
Allen socket set screws.A liner from Jim Chambers will probably be a lot
better as well as better looking.

Bob Roller

[Luke MacGillie]

Bob,

Yes, a Socket head cap screw is an screw that uses an allen type wrench to install and remove.  Sorry, got all technical there for a second.  Given the thread pitch, Im guessing this particular one might have been manufactured to hold the gas key on the top of an AR type bolt carrier group

[Hungry Horse]

 Its not likely to be a socket head cap screw. They are almost alway grade 8, and not anything your average nimrid is going to be able to drill with a small number drill. Years ago there was a company that made touchhole liners that used an Allen wrench instead of a simple slot for a screwdriver. They had some issues with ignition as I recall.

                  Hungry Horse

[okawbow]

I made a couple flintlocks in the 70's and used a 1/4" x 28 x 1/4" long allen set screw for the vent. I drilled from the inside end with an 1/8" center drill with a 1/16" center, until it broke through the socket recess. Worked great, and it was easy to make several for replacement. I ended up replacing them later with conventional stainless liners.

[Bernard]

There were some liners made with Allen wrench recesses for installation and removal. The biggest problem with them was that they had to be set low so the frizzen could cover the opening. If it didn't powder could and would sift out and water could and would seep in if you tried to use the gun in the rain. If you don't like the Stainless look make yourself a liner from carbon steel.