"Platinum" screw-in touch hole availability

[PeterB]

I am making a nice flinter and having been a collector in years past, I always saw such a device on nice English flinters-especially pistols. Is anything like that currently available-I imagine now in stainless?

[Dphariss]

I am making a nice flinter and having been a collector in years past, I always saw such a device on nice English flinters-especially pistols. Is anything like that currently available-I imagine now in stainless?

The originals were iron liners with platinum formed into them at 1200 dollars an ounce for platinum its a pricey project today.
The best alternative is from Jim Chambers Flintlocks. I would use the smaller 1/4" ones in barrels.

Dan

[Acer Saccharum]

Peter, here is Jim's web site. Scroll about halfway down the page to the vent liners.
http://www.flintlocks.com/parts.htm



Here are some pictures in a recent discussion of the 'White Lightning' installed. The big round section on the liner gets cut off after installation, leaving a flush smooth liner on the barrel face with the touch hole ready to fire.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=6793.msg64041#msg64041

[J. Talbert]

Just a word of caution...
I don't know how platinum hardness compares to gold, and I think Dan may be referring to this when he states the, "Platinum formed into them".  The point is that gold liners, and I suspect platinum were swedged into place rather than threaded in.  The metal being too soft for fine threads to hold up to the pressure; not to mention that a gold threaded liner would probably not survive the instillation process

Jeff

[smart dog]

Hi Peter,
Use Chamber's "white lightening" vent liner.  Choose the size that is just smaller than the barrel flat.  If properly installed, it will look very similar to the "platina" liner found on higher-end English flint guns.

dave

[acorn20]

Peter,

I think Jeff's response is dead on.  I can remember a friend of mine with his two English shotguns.  Although both were percussion, they both were equipped with "blow-out" plugs.  The one double bbl had gold plugs and the other had platinum.  When I inquired as to why precious metals were used he replied that the softer metals were swaged into place and would release quicker if the barrel pressure exceeded the norm.

Dan

[smart dog]

Peter,
I suspect the barrels shown below have the look you are trying to achieve.  They have stainless steel white lightning liners installed, which look like platinum.

dave

[T*O*F]

they both were equipped with "blow-out" plugs.  The one double bbl had gold plugs and the other had platinum.  When I inquired as to why precious metals were used he replied that the softer metals were swaged into place and would release quicker if the barrel pressure exceeded the norm.

I wish some of these guys would wise up.  Sometimes friends just regurgitate things thing have been told themselves and don't know any better.  They are not blow out plugs.  They are threaded filler plugs to seal the holes from drilling the channels in the breeches, not unlike what many of you call clean out plugs in modern patent breech guns.  They were made from precious metals because they didn't want them to corrode...remember only iron was available then and not stainless or other steels like we have today.

Regarding flint touch hole liners, I have read a period quotation on "rebouching" a touch hole.  This is for one drilled into the barrel, not a liner.  "Enlarge and tap the touch hole.  Thread a piece of silver wire, thread it into the hole and file flush.  Then drill new touch hole in the wire."    Silver wire drawn thru a draw plate is faily hard and can be threaded.  While no size was given, I'm sure it was smaller than 1/4"

[Acer Saccharum]

Ahhhh, the light goes 'on'........

Dave, opposite the vent in this illustration would be what has been erroneously called the "blowout plug"....... but it's the access hole for coning the vent on the opposite side of the barrel.



Friends don't let friends shoot guns with blowout plugs......

[T*O*F]

Ahhhh, the light goes 'on'........

There must be some dim bulbs in the lot.  I've posted this info at least half a dozen times and it seems like this is the first time the light went on.

Must be the humidity.  My fluorescent lights in the shop won't fire up if it's real humid.

[Acer Saccharum]

Please play nice, Dave. We're here to help, remember?

Tom

[J. Talbert]

Just to clarify...
I was referring to "swedged in" touch hole liners, as used in this fine contemporary gun.

http://www.msilverartisan.com/

[Dennis Glazener]

There must be some dim bulbs in the lot.  I've posted this info at least half a dozen times and it seems like this is the first time the light went on.

Must be the humidity.  My fluorescent lights in the shop won't fire up if it's real humid.

Its a shame but some people just don't listen to you Dave
Dennis