Lock tuning

[bob in the woods]

Many people tell me that my touch holes are too big, however I never have ignition problems due to the touchhole. I open all of mine up to  5/64. It is a little bigger than 1/16, but the difference in ignition is noticeable .

[Dphariss]

Many people tell me that my touch holes are too big, however I never have ignition problems due to the touchhole. I open all of mine up to  5/64. It is a little bigger than 1/16, but the difference in ignition is noticeable .

If the vent is properly designed I have never seen any significant difference. 1/16" will pass some FFG Swiss if the 1/16" section is as short as it should be. Thus I consider a anything over 1/16" too big.
I have used them down the .055" with no problems.
But I make the vent liners so the powder is very close to the pan.
Your mileage may vary.
"Plain" drilled vents are not all that reliable at 3/32" in my experience.
Dan

[Darkhorse]

Billd,
A number of years ago I talked to the good folks at Chambers about Liners and speed. Trying to be short about, this is what the fella told me:
The standard size hole is meant to be drilled out. Get yourself a set of number drills and drill it out one # at a time until you start getting faster ignition. Usually one or two #'s above that will end up being just right. (This can be done in the field  with a battery powered drill)
Also some like a little chamfer on the outside. I do, and chamfer all mine to some degree.
You must take care here and not chamfer so deep you run into the inner radiused chamfer (powder chamber). You chamfer depth depends on how deep the initial chamfer was when the liner was installed. A deep initial chamfer will leave a longer channel and require a deeper outside chamfer. A shallow initial chamfer leaves a shorter channel so it requires just a touch outside or none at all.
Another thing is the size of the touchhole itself. To my thinking a 1/4 dia. liner is too small for anything except small calibers and little barrels. The larger the diameter of the liner the more powder is in the powder chamber of the liner waiting to be kissed by the flame.
Work with these things and your rifle should fire instantaneous, when its right its hard to tell the difference between a flint and a caplock.
Now, tuning a lock is horse of another color............

[billd]

Thank you everyone for all the great replies.   I am going to work on the touch hole. Chamfer it first and go from there. That may help but it still seems like the problem is in the lock. It takes too long for the hammer to fall.  It seems like the delay is between the trigger pull and the hammer fall.  Like I said in the original post, the hammer pull seems very light compared to my other guns which is why my original idea was for a stronger spring.  I did polish the contact surfaces and oil them. They weren't too bad to begin with.  I did not touch the spring.  When the flash happens, the gun goes off pretty well.   I am used to smaller locks, maybe it's just on of those things that can't be changed.

Thanks again,
Bill

[Sam Everly]

Just one more thing to look for . Make sure nothing is rubbing on the wood inside the lock mortice. Look at the sear arm/ trigger hole , the main spring , the tumbler and sear. Could look at the frizzen and barrel . But i would look inside first. Let the lock off out of the gun and see if it is faster !