pan placement in relation to the breech plug

[StevenV]

I am curious to see where builders line up the center of the pan in reference to the breech plug. Does anyone line up pan center with the face of the breech plug???
Thanks        Steve

[smallpatch]

Depends on whether you use a liner or a drilled touch hole.
Allow some room for the liner, so it doesn't interfere with the plug.

[B.Habermehl]

It’s normally best practice to have the centerline of the pan just over one half the diameter of your touch hole liner in front of the breech plug face. Many builders nowadays frown on notched breech plug faces. If your using a simple drilled touch hole you can get a bit closer to the breech face. That being said most folks use liners. BJH

[Acer Saccharum]

I place my liners to clear the plug face. Then center the pan on the touchhole.

This most likely means the fence of the lock does NOT line up with the breech face of the barrel. But I've seen antiques, built by those who purportedly knew what they were doing, with lock fence placement ahead of the breech face, at the breech face, and occasionally behind.

I don't line my fences up with the breech face, unless it happens to line up.

[StevenV]

I agree with you Tom, I do not place the  fence at the end of the barrel on purpose first.If you put the center of the pan even with the face of the breech plug I let the fence fall where it falls. Most of the time by placing the pan center even with the plug face the fence falls at or right close to the barrel breech end.     Steve

[Long John]

I am with Acer on this.  I mark the barrel for the touch-hole (vent) so that the threads of the vent liner (I like the White Lightning liners) just barely miss the face of the breech plug. 

Then I build the whole gun around the vent, centering the pan on the vent location, then locating the lock plate, then locating the sear, then locating the trigger, then locating the butt-plate.

Best Regards,

JMC
John Cholin

[Daryl]

Depends - if simple breech, or patent breech.

[Stophel]

It's funny.  Several years ago, when this type of question would come up, there would be SO many people who were absolutely adamant that the pan fence MUST line up with the end of the barrel, otherwise it would be Architectural Disaster!!!   

[Blacksmoke]

I always line the lock fence up with the breech end of the barrel.  I think it gives better esthetics to the lock panel in relation to the wrist. I fashion my own breechplugs/tang with a file and counter bore the plug with my drill press.  See photos.
Hugh Toenjes

[Daryl]

Hugh, that would sure make it easier to shoot out a powderless load.
Lots of room behind the patched ball & looks just like CVA's breeches.

[jerrywh]

 Like Hugh I put mine wherever I want. I just design the breech accordingly.  Se this french pistol below in the photo.
 

[Acer Saccharum]

It's funny.  Several years ago, when this type of question would come up, there would be SO many people who were absolutely adamant that the pan fence MUST line up with the end of the barrel, otherwise it would be Architectural Disaster!!!   

This is one of the  modern assumptions "it's gotta be done this way" or some such.  But if you refer to ANTIQUE rifles,  you'll see lock fence placement all over the map.

Tom