After shooting and reviewing photos of this rifle yesterday afternoon I don't think it is nearly as bad as I had originally made it out to be. Yet the delay really bothers me. Compared to how quickly some others I've seen are this one seems like it takes forever to light the main charge. It has a standard screw in vent liner, unmodified. I have a Jim Chambers White Lightning but at 5/16 it'll break into the oblique flat. My best course of action to improve ignition? BTW I'm priming with 3Fg GOEX, same as I'm using for my main charge. Charge level with top of the waterproof feature, maybe I am "overcharging" it.
First off have you shot flint guns much? Its hard to judge a flintgun if you have limited experience.
Second have you actually fired the ones that you have seen that are faster? Watching guns being fired is often not the same as shooting them when judging speed.
You cannot overcharge the pan. This is silliness. More is always better. More heat, better ignition. Under charging is a chronic cause of flashes in the pan.
3f will work OK but is somewhat slower than 4f or Null B Swiss. It is harder to light, it takes longer to generate heat. If you load without powder its far more difficult to get through the vent to shoot the ball out than the finer powder. Priming with the main horn is a PITA too. So I have always used 4 f or lately NullB which is even finer. If the priming horn runs out then I use the main horn.
Flintlocks are not as fast as percussions unless the percussion is REALLY screwed up. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.
The vent you have would make a good boat anchor if it were larger. As a vent it stinks. Not from the speed angle but because then tend to eventually leak and gas cut past the threads. Once its modified, if needed, I would seal it with
low strength loctite.
A removable vent is just more silliness. There is no valid reason for it.
Since its removable pull it out and check to see how long the actual vent is. If its more than .030 from the pan side of the vent to the counterbore then carefully bore it to make the "web" .020-.030 with a drill of at least .100". Open the vent to .062 (1/16) if its under 1/16".
This shows the length of the actual vent this will always put the main charge within .020 or so of the priming.
If this does not solve the problem its someplace else other than the vent. This is a 12x32 thread vent.
The screw slot may cause some ignition problems being a slight fouling trap but its not likely to be a major concern and would not concern myself with it other than brushing if unexplained flashes in the pan crop up.
If you *really* don't like it if you have a friend with a small lathe make a copy of the WL with the 1/4x28 thread from a 5/16 stainless steel bolt from the hardware store. Make it and install as the WL is made (the internal cone can be simply drilled with a 1/8" bit may be microscopically slower but its easier than making a cutter for the cone and will leave a pretty good wall thickness). Install screwed against a slight counter sink in the barrel. Just cut a matching angle on the liner when its made.
I would try the lock with the flint right side up as well.
Dan
