Vent Liner Issue

[Krispy_Duck]

I have a flintlock pistol purchased for a fairly minimal price several years ago second-hand. It was a kind of mediocre build someone did: good barrel, good bore, properly breeched, nice piece of maple, but some of the details were off.

I've fixed some of those things since, but one of the issues remaining is that the vent liner protrudes into the bore enough to grab a patch and make cleaning difficult. This is a White Lightning liner. The face was done reasonably well - filed and finished smooth with the outer surface of the barrel flat. But the builder did not trim the inside of the liner.

I see two options - one is to remove the liner (probably ruining it in the process with an EZ-Out) and replace with another White Lightning liner (and with that comes the fitting, cutting, filing etc). The second is to remove the barrel, remove the breech and try filing down the inside of the liner in situ.

Any suggestions on which is the better route?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I would remove the breech plug and use a Dremel rotary tool with a ball end stone or rotary file to dress the liner off flush with the bore.  Hold the barrel securely in a vise, not in your free hand, and use two hands on the tool to keep control.  Use gentle touches on the liner until it is smooth with the bore.

[Fyrstyk]

As I am not very good using power tools.  I tend to over do things.  I would remove the existing white lightning touch hole line, and replace it with a RMC liner with the proper thread & size.

[Robert Wolfe]

Me, I'd do what Taylor suggests. That's how it should have been done in the first place.

[Stoner creek]

I would remove the breech plug and use a Dremel rotary tool with a ball end stone or rotary file to dress the liner off flush with the bore.  Hold the barrel securely in a vise, not in your free hand, and use two hands on the tool to keep control.  Use gentle touches on the liner until it is smooth with the bore.

Agree with Taylor!
 One other thing, measure with a ramrod the exact location of the breech plug. If the liner is threaded into the breech plug you won’t be able to unscrew the plug. If this is the case, you will need to remove and replace the liner.

[bluenoser]

I too would do as Taylor recommended, but would like to add a suggestion.
Mount the barrel as Taylor recommended.  In addition, set up a solid rest for your hands such that your hands are solidly anchored to the rest as you are cutting.  All movement is now at the wrist, which will substantially increase control. You should be able to shine a light through the muzzle to aid seeing what you are doing.

[rich pierce]

A half round needle file will work also if you have the patience.

[Ian Pratt]

Using Rich or Taylor's methods you might also follow up by polishing a bit. If you're using a ball stone in drill or dremel you can follow with a fine rubberized polishing point

[Ken G]

I've done a couple the way Rich suggested. Just make sure it isn't protruding into the breech plug before trying to unscrew the tang. 

Ken

[Eric Krewson]

I did my first protruding vent liner correction with needle files, took a long time, I did my second with a small diamond bit in a Dremel, took a couple of minutes. I wised up on the rest by screwing the liner in seeing how much was in the bore if any, unscrewing the liner and grinding off the excess, then do a normal instillation of cutting off the lug and drawfiling what was left to be flush with the outside of the barrel. These were all white lightning liners.

On a completed gun I would go with the inside the barrel route if it is a white lightning.   

[rich pierce]

. I wised up on the rest by screwing the liner in seeing how much was in the bore if any, unscrewing the liner and grinding off the excess, then do a normal instillation of cutting off the lug and drawfiling what was left to be flush with the outside of the barrel. These were all white lightning liners.

I’m with you Eric. With it screwed in but not cut off I use a marker on the exterior to indicate bore axis. Unscrew and file with a half round file about bore radius on the bore axis. Maybe gilding the lily.

[Mule Brain]

I do as Taylor does

[Jim Filipski]

Me, I'd do what Taylor suggests. That's how it should have been done in the first place.

Exactly what I would do!

[Birddog6]

Many years ago a good friend gave me a very small halfround carbide dremel bit. I use it & I cut the vent liner
off the exact contour of the bore, and even cut down even with the rifling groove. Then check it with a tight
patch on a jag to insure no fibres of the patch hang up.

[mikeyfirelock]

I have done this using a small fine cut round file.    Wrap the front if the file with tape to control the area ( length) of cut to keep it only on the protruding vent and off the barrel interior.

[David Price]

I have done dozens of them the way Taylor suggests.  I don't have a Dremel tool so I just use a very small hand held elect drill.  I have a course round grinding ball that was made for a Dremel tool which I use to grind the liner down to match the bore.  I finish  it off with a little fine diamond ball, leaving just a very small concave in the liner and barrel.

David Price

[smylee grouch]

This procedure also has to be done when making a perc. with a drum. A very slight cone in the side of the barrel will help when pulling a patch past the hole for the vent or drum hole.

[smallpatch]

Definitely don’t replace it with an RMC liner. White lightning liners are far superior.
Pull the breechplug, make sure it’s not notched first.

[BJH]

If you remove the liner be certain of the number of threads to the inch. Preserve the old liner to compare the threads with the new liner. If it’s a 1/4 inch liner. Track of the wolf has a copy of the white lightning liner but it is threaded 1/4 28  instead of 1/4 32 that Chambers uses. Just one more complication. BJH

[flehto]

The only TH liner I've used outside of my "home mades" is the White Lightning and w/ both, the bore end of the liner is recessed back from the bore.....this is the trouble free way to prevent protrusion into the bore.  My well used squirrel LR has this done and a swab run down the bore hits no obstructions. To me trying to make the bore end of the liner conform to the bore  by different methods is a waste of time.....a couple of threads  exposed on the bore side of the liner does no harm so why complicate things? Also, if a removeable liner is used that has the bore contour , when reinserted, it's possible  a slight length could  protrude into the bore......Fred   

[BarryE]

I have done it like Taylor, and like Rich.  Either will work well.  In truth, I use the Dremel tool when I forget to file it before installation of the vent.

[Krispy_Duck]

Some good information here. Thanks - will have to give this a try when I get a little time to work on this gun.