vent pics

[smylee grouch]

Of the shooters who use a vent pic, what is your pic made of and how long is it?

[wattlebuster]

Mine are just wire thats glued into a piece of deer antler an hangs from my pouch till I want to use it. Simple easy to make an then out of the way. Length is bout inch or little over

[Mike Brooks]

1/16" brass.

[Elnathan]

I use a bit of copper wire off a construction site, about three inches long and just under 1/16" thick. The end is twisted around to form a loop so I can hang it off the powderhorn strap.

I've tried a number of different designs, including a handforged fancy variant I bought off of some vendor and a long, needlelike pick I made myself out of piano wire, and the copper wire works best of all. The copper is soft, so it won't wallow out the touch hole, long enough to reach everything without difficulty, and close enough to touch hole size that it will clean it out easily. It also won't stab me and cost me nothing but the time to strip the insulation off, straighten it, and twist the end into a loop.

[L. Akers]

I currently have a flight feather from a bluejay that I picked up off the ground but I use it VERY seldom--never have a reason to.

[OldMtnMan]

I shoot caplocks now, because that's what a half stock Hawken was. When I did shoot flintlocks I used a torch tip cleaner. They were long enough to reach the back of the breech channel. The edge was a little rough like a mild file. It cleaned the hole better than a straight wire without taking any metal off.

[Mike Brooks]

I currently have a flight feather from a bluejay that I picked up off the ground but I use it VERY seldom--never have a reason to.

ILLEGAL!

[Daryl]

I have forged vent picks - bought from Track or at rendezvous.  One of my picks is a 1/16" piece of fairly stiff wire, with a bent loop for attaching to the bag.

[hanshi]

I have two wire pics held in place on the stock just under the cheek piece on two of my rifles.  I have some sort of wire in all three of my shooting bags.  I rarely use them because It's very seldom the vents need to be picked.  So mostly I'll use a paperclip if needed at the range.

[rich pierce]

Copper wire seems best to me. I'd like to use a feather but few are just right and they seem easy to lose.

[Natureboy]

  Here's one of mine:  1/16 brass wire, bought at a hobby shop.

[Dennis Glazener]

I guess I am either  too lazy or don't need the vent pick very often. I rarely use a pick unless I have a flash in the pan which is very rare. Is this correct? Does it help to use the pick more often?
Dennis

[bob in the woods]

I carry a piece of copper wire , and also have a partridge feather in my patch box . Don't need them very often , unless shooting in a match with multiple shots on a humid day. What I find very useful in a situation like that is a small pice of wool cloth tied to a cord that I use to wipe the pan and underside of the cover . It's that soupy gunk that ends up giving me trouble. If I clean the pan and wipe the underside of the flint, the vent seems to look after itself.

[OldMtnMan]

I guess I am either  too lazy or don't need the vent pick very often. I rarely use a pick unless I have a flash in the pan which is very rare. Is this correct? Does it help to use the pick more often?
Dennis

I hunt for bear on the ground face to face. I want to make sure the load goes off 100% of the time. So, you could say when I was shooting a flinter I was picky.

[Mike Brooks]

I guess I am either  too lazy or don't need the vent pick very often. I rarely use a pick unless I have a flash in the pan which is very rare. Is this correct? Does it help to use the pick more often?
Dennis

I have had guns that liked to be picked every shot and others that it it didn't make any difference.

[Natureboy]

  I actually don't pick very often.  My flinter has a Chambers' "white lightning" vent liner, so I have almost 100% ignition.  After a rare FITP, after re-priming and firing successfully, I'll take another pick I have, which has a slight bend at the end, in case the internally-coned liner has picked up some crud from firing.  I long ago became a convert to Daryl's tight-load-no-cleaning-necessary method, so I haven't had much of a problem with a clogged vent.  I carry the pick just in case.

[mark esterly]

chicken feather when i need to.   there are so many different size feathers on a chicken there's got to be one to fit your need. 

[OldMtnMan]

How does the chicken feel about that? 

[Marcruger]

My pick is .06" brass tapered to a point.  The brass is 1.6" long.  Ron Hess graciously turned for me the wood handle, and I finished it and put in the pick.  See photo below......

The length allows me to clear the pan.  The turned wood gives me a fumble-free grip. 

I was taught that the reason for using a pick is twofold: 1) To make sure the touch hole is open and clear; and 2) To make a channel into the main charge to insure the flame reaches the center of the charge quickly.

The second point is why I always pick AFTER the charge is compressed, and BEFORE I am ready to prime the pan. 

I bought a gorgeous forged steel pick that was very artistic.  I don't use it.  My brass pick doesn't spark, and it doesn't wear a steel touch hole liner. 

Just my 2 cents worth.  I am sure there are those who will disagree, and that's their right.  It works for me, and it makes sense to my engineering mind. 

Best wishes,   Marc



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[OldMtnMan]

I won't be one of them. That's why my pick was long enough to reach into the breech channel. I wanted to make the channel in the powder. It seemed more reliable and faster ignition.

It may do nothing, but it only took 5 seconds to do it.

[Darkhorse]

I carry steel picks I bought from TOW, then I reduced the diameter on the ends so I could get them deeper. I can't remember the last time I had to use one.
Way back we picked because a klinger, that's what it was called, had slid down and was blocking the flash hole. The klinger was a thick slab of fouling. For some reason, maybe the patch thickness or the lube, it seems most shooters don't have the klinger problem anymore. Including me.
Does anybody remember the days of the klinger?

[oldtravler61]

  I remember Klingons. As for picks I use copper wire. As for Blue Jay feathers it's ok if your Native American. Well here in Michigan anyways.  Oldtravler

[Daryl]

I guess I am either  too lazy or don't need the vent pick very often. I rarely use a pick unless I have a flash in the pan which is very rare. Is this correct? Does it help to use the pick more often?
Dennis

I do the same Dennis - If I was hunting with flinter, I would ALWAYS look to see if there was powder at the vent, before priming, then clsoe the frizzen, then open it to make sure the vent was available to the pan's flash. 

That way I would not have flash in the pan - which seems to happen sometimes after a number of shots, say 16 or 20 or more while shooting the trail-walk.  The blockage is generally a piece of carbon wiped off the side of the barrel blocking the vent as the frizzen is closed.

 

[L. Akers]

I currently have a flight feather from a bluejay that I picked up off the ground but I use it VERY seldom--never have a reason to.

ILLEGAL!

You are right, Mike.  I looked up the law and in Illinois, if you are over 16, you can't have any type bird feather without a license or permit --so I went and checked the rifle that had the feather and the feather was gone.  I pick so seldom I hadn't noticed the staples were empty.  The last time I had a flash in the pan was years ago when I was experimenting with tiny flash holes.  My rifles go BANG if the pan powder ignites.

[Marcruger]

Thank you Daryl. Thoughtful advice as always. 

I think what no one has mentioned is that there can be different procedures for different circumstances. 

How I'd load on a target range is way different than I'd load when a bear is chasing me intent on doing ugly things to my hide. 

For instance, for hunting a deer I'd load a clean barrel with a non-wet lubed patch, with a very tight fitting patch/ball combo.  Maximum accuracy for shot #1.  I'd have some wet lubed patches in the pouch that are thinner and easily run down with the wood ramrod.  The follow-up shot hopefully will not need such a fine level of accuracy. 

When I am plinking or target shooting, I follow a lengthy process that has proven useful to me.  It was taught to me by a great muzzleloader friend who shoots matches often.  Of course you can skip steps and have a gun go off, but in the long run, when I have time, it works for me reliably. 

From a clean and wiped dry bore......
1) Half cock
2) Wipe pan and frizzen with a patch, as well as tip of flint. Removes oils or fouling that collects moisture. 
3) Pour powder from horn or flask into measure.  Replace stopper in horn.
4) Pour measure contents into bore.  Make sure all is out of measure.  Never pour from horn.  No "BOOMs!"
5) Place patching over bore, and roundball on patching.
6) Seat ball below muzzle with short starter.
7) Cut patching with patch knife.  Seat ball down further with short starter's long peg.   
Run ball/patch down bore with ramrod/rangerod.  I load tight so it takes several shorter strokes. 
9) Add standard consistent pressure to rod to insure load is seated.  I don't bang or drop rod. 
10) Use pick to clear touch hole and make channel in powder charge. 
11) Use priming (I use Null B Swiss) in pan and close frizzen from front of frizzen (to avoid cutting myself on flint)
12) Full cock
13) Fire
14) Damp patch down bore
15) Dry patch down bore
16) Back to #1

I am sure some will say that some of these steps are silly or not needed, but they have a reason behind them and they work for me when time is not of the essence.  Bear chasing me.....a LOT fewer steps!

I try never to ridicule someone's loading, cleaning or shooting process.  If I see something that is unsafe, I'll take them aside and mention it.  Just because someone doesn't do things my way, that's no reason to belittle them or their way of loading. 

As my boss once said, "Advice is like a waiter offering hors d-oeuvres at a party.  If someone says 'no thanks', the waiter doesn't get offended or start an argument. It was just offered."

Best wishes, and God Bless,   Marc