When to install touch hole liner?

[Justin]

So I finally got my barrel inlet to a point where I am satisfied (my touch hole location is marked and lines up nicely). My plan was to install the breach plug next and then inlet the tang. However, it may be more convenient to install the touch hole liner before putting the breach plug back in.

Should I wait to do the touch hole until after I have inlet the tang just in case something gets messed up and I need to move the barrel back?

[Goo]

I like to wait until the gun is pretty much finished to drill the touch hole then if the charge doesn't ignite well I will install a touch hole liner.

[Dennis Glazener]

Yes, I would.
Dennis

[Mike Brooks]

Vent liner is the last thing I put in. I do it just before final assembly before the customer gets it.

[ltdann]

What Mr. brooks said. +1.  Things can go wrong and it's hard to move a hole in steel once it's drilled.

[BJH]

I install mine at the end of the project just before I dove tail for sights. Or immediately after the sights. The gun is essentially finished in the white ready to draw file, blue, brown etc.

[n stephenson]

I`m in the Brooks club also. When laying out the rifle , I locate the touch hole. I don`t drill it till last.  Nate

[David Rase]

I`m in the Brooks club also. Nate

I did not know there was a "Brooks" club.  Is it a secret society or can anybody join? 
David

[n stephenson]

David, Not a secret society , a society of secrets. Membership has it`s privledges!!!

[Eric Krewson]

If you get your barrel in and pinned, your lock completely inletted and installed with lock bolts in it is OK to drill for your touch hole, not before.

[SingleMalt]

I`m in the Brooks club also. Nate

I did not know there was a "Brooks" club.  Is it a secret society or can anybody join? 
David

I wonder if there's a secret handshake?

[Mr. Bubbles]

I would wait till the very end as well. Get your top 5 barrel flats all nice and smooth, and then drill it an install it.  With some guns, like Lehighs and Bucks, the TH is located pretty high on the barrel flat (as is the lock).  If you are bumping up against the smallest of extra steel margin on the flat for the TH liner, and then you file the upper quarter flat  flat some more, you may expose the edge of the liner on on the upper quarter flat.  It's probably not a safety issue, but it would certainly look like a building error. 

If you're planning on engraving the top 3 flats, you may wish to even wait till you have smoothed down that engraving.  I've yet to see a gun with engraving on the side flat(s), but I suppose some might be done, but certainly away from the lock area.

[David Rase]

If you get your barrel in and pinned, your lock completely inletted and installed with lock bolts in it is OK to drill for your touch hole, not before.

I am of the same mind as Eric.  I also like to test fire my guns before final finish to make sure everything functions properly and get the sights adjusted some what close.  It is way easier to make minor adjusts "in the white" vs. a finished gun. 
David 

[Mike Brooks]

I`m in the Brooks club also. Nate

I did not know there was a "Brooks" club.  Is it a secret society or can anybody join? 
David

I wonder if there's a secret handshake?

No, but you have to be able to do the "fish slap dance".

[Mike Brooks]

I would wait till the very end as well. Get your top 5 barrel flats all nice and smooth, and then drill it an install it.  With some guns, like Lehighs and Bucks, the TH is located pretty high on the barrel flat (as is the lock).  If you are bumping up against the smallest of extra steel margin on the flat for the TH liner, and then you file the upper quarter flat  flat some more, you may expose the edge of the liner on on the upper quarter flat.  It's probably not a safety issue, but it would certainly look like a building error. 

If you're planning on engraving the top 3 flats, you may wish to even wait till you have smoothed down that engraving.  I've yet to see a gun with engraving on the side flat(s), but I suppose some might be done, but certainly away from the lock area.

MR. BUBBLES? Is there a reason for a name like that? What's wrong with Joe or Bill?

[Bob Roller]

Be sure to drill the flash hole before loading the gun.Works better that way.

Bob Roller

[54ball]

 Justin,
 You do know that you do not have to have a liner? What I do with my personal rifles is layout as if I was going to use a liner but drill a simple vent. That way I can add a liner in the future if so desired. So far I have been more than satisfied with just a simple drilled vent.
 A good sparking lock has just as much or more to do with reliability as the vent.

[t.caster]

I mark the target location early on, but don't drill for liner until near the end of the build. You need to get your barrel pinned, breech plug inletted, lock installed and bolted in...then the trigger and tang bolt through the tang & into the trigger plate...before drilling vent hole. Otherwise that hole can move in relation to the pan. I know
Guess that puts me in the "Brooks club"

[Justin]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've marked it with a light center punch for now.