Vent options

[Scota4570]

I picked up a couple of Baker rifle parts sets.  They should keep me busy for a while.  : )

The parts and stock are made to mimic the original guns.  I was told original guns had a plain drilled touchhole with with a notched breech plug and that is the expected way to do these. 

I tend to be allergic to that strategy.  I like the idea of a liner with a flat breech face.  Better for cleaning and reliability??? I do not like the idea of notching a plug.   

I could make new breech plug from scratch with extended threads.  The liner would then go into the plug threads and a short concavity in the plug would communicate the fire to the main charge.

Will making the modifications likely improve the reliability, lock time, and cleanability?  I have no interest in HC if the rifle is not reliable.  One of them will go to a person who wants to hunt elk with it, reliability more important than HC. 

Am I just obsessing over nonsense? 

Thanks,
Scot

[rich pierce]

In colonial times when a persons life may depend on ignition, they used plain drilled touch holes. I think the vent liners allow similar reliability with some increase in ignition speed, while using a tiny touchhole and maximizing velocity.

Human nature being what it is, if you do it with a liner and get ignition failures you’ll tolerate it or search for another reason, and if you get misfires from doing it the traditional way, you’ll be inclined to think it’s the lack of a liner.

[Scota4570]

With a drilled vent liner will I have to push powder in to the vent to get 100% reliable ignition?  I assume I want the liner small enough to not self prime.  I think I have been spoiled by liners.  I never routinely fuss with vent picking.  I'd prefer not not have to. 

[rich pierce]

In my experience liners self-fill with powder. After I pour powder in the barrel I thump the buttplate on the ground to settle the powder. I can readily feel the powder in the vent liner with a pick.

[bluenoser]

Another option would be to stay with the drilled touch hole and cone it from the inside.  I have found that approach to significantly improve reliability and ignition time while maintaining a small diameter TH.

[taterbug]

Scot, with the conical breech face, you're almost creating a version of a "Nock's Breech".  You can search on the interwebs, or here, for descriptions and find a lot of differing opinions and experience with that style of breech. 

I did not do a search for the original Baker style breech and any issues with it.  But you can. 

[Scota4570]

Another option would be to stay with the drilled touch hole and cone it from the inside.  I have found that approach to significantly improve reliability and ignition time while maintaining a small diameter TH.

How is that done? 







Since I am dealing with a precarve stock I have little latitude for moving the touch hole.  A full chambered breech is not something I would consider. 

What I was angling for is the way Hugh Toenjes (Blacksmoke) used to do it.  He made a breech plug that was a little longer.  The face was cupped.  The liner intersected the cup depression.  The liner was screwed into the plug, in the threaded section like CVA. 

You get a liner (nice for reliability).  You get tidy machining with no exposed plug threads to catch fouling.  You get strength.  A liner that has a screwdriver slot is very handy in case of a dry ball. 

You do not have the long  drilled flash hole with a notched plug that can not be cleaned.  The plans specify a drilled touch hole of 0.078 to 0.091".  That is self priming territory with 2F?? 

Another thought, I suppose I loose nothing by being HC.  I can revise the plug later if I am unhappy with reliability. 

[bluenoser]

"How is that done?"
Contact Tom Snyder.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=22292.msg212938#msg212938
I use his coning tools an could not be more pleased with them.

[Craig Wilcox]

You can also cone the inside with a Dremel (or Foredom) and a ball bur.  Any way that you do it, be sure to clean the swarf thoroughly.  It is not that far ahead of the back end of the barrel that you will be unable to reach the inside of the touchhole.

Best of luck, and let us know which way you went.

[Scota4570]

How do I contact Tom Snyder?  The link provided is no available to me.  I did not find a website for him. 
Scot

[rich pierce]

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=72955.0

[smylee grouch]

Years ago I had finished a half stock 50 cal flinter sans the vent which I had to order. I thought I would drill a 1/16 vent and shoot it while waiting for the vent to arrive. The barrel was a 1" ATF at the breech. So disappointing. When the vent came it was a god send.