Installing a White Lightning T.H. liner?

[mtech]

My gun  is a .54 cal 15/16" barrelled rifle which currently has a 1/4 X28 T.H. liner.

I ordered the Chambers 5/16 X 32 White Lightning Touch Hole Liner Kit from TOTW for it.

Does anyone have a step by step insatllation procedure (maybe with pics) of the installation process?
Thanks!

[Bob Roller]

Does the new liner come with a proper drill sized for that fine thread tap?
That is an extra fine thread for that size tap.

Bob Roller

[smallpatch]

mtech,

email Barbie or Jim, they have a little instruction sheet with the right drill sizes, and procedure to install their liners.  Basically, its as follows. 
Remove breechplug and make sure your new touchhole will not interfere with the breechplug.

Remove the old breechplug, and re drill with the appropriate size bit, for a 5/16" its a 9/32 or letter L bit.
Counter sink that hole slightly.  Maybe 1/64??  I'm guessing.  This will determine how thick the remaining wall is between the main charge and primer.
Tap the hole with the appropriate tap.
Install new liner till it bottoms out.
Cut off exterior of liner and file to the barrel flat.
Check the inside of the barrel, touch up any areas where the liner may have come through or burrs.

Reinstall breechplug.  I usually open the touch hole slightly. 
I won't use any thing but a White lightning.!!

[Hungry Horse]

 Smallpatch, forgot to tell you to prepare yourself, for the wrath of the dyed in the wool cap gun shooters, that will get lock jaw, when they see how fast your flinter shoots. It just don't get any better then that. TTYL.

               Hungry Horse

[billd]

I would recommend this be done on a drill press or a milling machine with the barrel in a vice.

Bill

[duca]

mtech,

email Barbie or Jim, they have a little instruction sheet with the right drill sizes, and procedure to install their liners.  Basically, its as follows. 
Remove breechplug and make sure your new touchhole will not interfere with the breechplug.

Remove the old breechplug, and re drill with the appropriate size bit, for a 5/16" its a 9/32 or letter L bit.
Counter sink that hole slightly.  Maybe 1/64??  I'm guessing.  This will determine how thick the remaining wall is between the main charge and primer.
Tap the hole with the appropriate tap.
Install new liner till it bottoms out.
Cut off exterior of liner and file to the barrel flat.
Check the inside of the barrel, touch up any areas where the liner may have come through or burrs.

Reinstall breechplug.  I usually open the touch hole slightly. 
I won't use any thing but a White lightning.!!

Thats how you do it.

[Jerry V Lape]

If you order the liner directly from Chambers it comes with a drill, tap and the instruction sheet.  Or it did the last time I ordered some.

[rsells]

Another thing to consider when installing the White Lightening liner is the angle of the counter sink cutter you use to seat the liner.  I believe that Jim has a 90 degree on the liners and most the 1/4 x 28 I was using had an 82 degree.    I used the wrong degree cutter on the first go around.  I ping the edges of the liner before draw filing the excess off to be flush with the barrel.  In my example, I had a small gap around the edge of the liner when the liner and barrel were filed flush, which formed a small rust line around the liner when used.  I reworked the installation with the correct cutter and everything is normal.  The liners are first class and has threads all the way up to the bevel on the liner.
                                                                                          Roger

[PPatch]

Thanks for the tip Roger, I will be putting one of those in this week.

dave

[Jim Kibler]

In my experience, the amount of countersink is generally so small that either 82 or 90 degree coutersinks work fine.  With that said, I sometimes file it almost flush and then tap the edges a bit with a hammer to make sure the countersink is filed out.  Probably not necesary, but an insurance policy. 

[smallpatch]

Just to add.....I do use a mill, just because I have one.  It's a little more difficult with a swamped barrel, as you have to keep the barrel squared up with the bit, and that's a little tougher with a swamped barrel.  I then chuck my tap into my mill as well so everything stays squared up all the way through.
No reason why a drill press wouldn't work just as well, just make sure it's clamped down once you get it squared up.

Hungry Horse..... they ARE FAST!!!!

[rsells]

I guess it depends upon how much the edge of the liner is pinged against the barrel.  If an 82 degree counter sink is used on the barrel, the liner will touch the top outside edge of the barrel counter sink area first.  When I draw filed the barrel and excess liner down to be flush, it went below the area where the liner and barrel made contact leaving a small gap.  I didn't notice it when I finished the out side of the metal, but when I shot the rifle in for the customer, I looked at it a month or so after that and I could see a line of rust around the liner in that area.  The  barrel had a French gray finish and the brown corrosion  around the liner was visible.  It might not cause any issues, but I couldn't stand the situation and made the correction.  It has been over a year now without the issue coming back.  No other issues with the four rifles I have made since I made the change on the counter sink tool to match the liner.  If the barrel had been finished in the normal brown finish, I would have not seen the small gap.
                                                                           Roger  Sells
              

[Dennis Glazener]

I then chuck my tap into my mill as well so everything stays squared up all the way through.
No reason why a drill press wouldn't work just as well, just make sure it's clamped down once you get it squared up.

Hungry Horse..... they ARE FAST!!!!

I use my mill/drill press with the drill chuck in place. After drilling the proper hole for the tap I remove the drill bit and place a 5/16" piece of drill rod that I turned to a point (like a dead-center) and put it in the tap. I place the tap in a tap wrench, start the tap in the hole then bring the quill down until the 5/16" inch center goes into the center in the end of the tap. Then I use the downfeed to retain light pressure on the end of the tap (lighten pressure when I reverse to break the chip) until I get far enough down into the hole to insure the tape remains true to the hole. I turn the tap wrench by hand. I find this easier to do than placing the tap in the drill chuck.  Just did one this afternoon.
Dennis

[Jim Chambers]

Last year at Friendship a guy came to our booth complaining about the "White Lightnin" liner he had purchased from Track of the Wolf.  When I looked at it for about two seconds I realized it was not one of our liners.  Then I remembered that Track does not order liners from us.  Apparently, they are making their own, and they are different from the ones we make.

[Hank*in*WV]

What was his complaint?

[Robert Wolfe]

Well Jim, I just checked the Track of the Wolf site and they sell a liner "Known as the White Lightnin' vent, the special 3/8-32 fine threads" so if they are not buying yours they must be having someone make knockoffs and calling them White Lightnin. At least they ought to change the name.

[T*O*F]

Well Jim, I just checked the TOF site

You are mistaken, I don't sell White Lightnin liners on my site.
Perhaps you meant TOTW

[Jim Chambers]

I wish I could remember the complaint the fellow had about Track's liner, but that was nearly a year ago.  I've talked with thousands of people since then, and just can't remember. 
There's no patent on these things or on any other 18th century technology, but I agree it is misleading to use the same name on a product that is clearly different in the way it is manufactured.  But, having said that, I'm not really upset with Track.  After all, they buy more locks from us than all the other dealers put together.

[Robert Wolfe]

Sorry Dave, I edited my typo.

[mtech]

Thanks for the info Jim. I sent back the knock off W.L. liner kit to TOTW.
Unfortunately, it appears my gun has a 5/16 X 28 liner in it. The liner is installed towards the bottom  of the flat which doesn't leave enough room to drill a 3/8" hole to  install a 3/8 X 32 W.L. liner. I might just open up the TH from 1/16" to 5/64".
Jack

[Bennypapa]

Mtech,
What are you hoping to accomplish? OR to put it another way, what problem are you trying to solve with a new TH liner?
Does the gun not fire reliably?
Ben

[Bob Roller]

I use a #50 drill which is .070 and had no problems.I make my own
liners from Byrillium?copper and have a small amount left.

Bob Roller

[mtech]

     Ben,
My new to me Chambers Colonial lock equipped rifle seems slow firing compared to my other rifle which has a large Deluxe Siler lock.
     To be fair, the Colonial lock has about twice the throw distance compared to a large Siler and I haven't tried a fresh flint in it yet. The flint in it sparks good, but maybe I should try a new one anyway. I guess I really need to do some more shooting and experimenting with it.

[Bennypapa]

I think you are right. Do some experimenting. See if something helps.
When the time comes you could take it up to Friendship and get the boys to video it with the high speed camera. That would tell you tons about its speed.

Did you ever come to any conclusion on browning the barrel?
It is easy to do.
Ben

[shanerburg rd]

is it absolutely nessasary to remove the breechplug in order to install a white lightning touch hole liner?
i wanted to do this on my newly finished 50 cal.(my first build). it does seem to hang back just a bit. my concern is that the barrel i used is from a traditions deerhunter which has a hook tang and also i have read on other forums that taking factory installed breach plugs out should be avoided at all costs. with my limited experiance and tools it already is sounding like i should take and have a gunsmith do it for me, what say you'll?

dave

also,am i wrong to jump in here with question, or should i have stared a new topic? if so i apologize.