Winterfest shoot Michigan

[RhinoDave]

Managed to get out and do a little shooting Sunday. Rifle is being finicky to say the least. Started out good but after seven shots, I started to get flash in the pans and some serious hang fires. I need to get something to clean out the flash channel between shots and/or enlarge the touch hole liner diameter. Doesn't do much for the confidence when you start wondering if the dang rifle is actually going to fire. Still had a great time though and did you ever notice that chili and hot dogs taste so much better when cooked over a campfire?

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

Dave, That's a beautiful rifle! I can't tell much about your mechanical details from the photo, but from your verbiage can tell you need a vent pick.
For emergency use I keep a couple of cheap one-sixteenth inch drill bits in the bag, but you should not use those too much or they can enlarge the touch hole into an erratic shape. Get yourself a good vent pick or make one up from scrap brass or soft steel (even a bird quill can work in a pinch).
Regarding deliberately enlarging the size of the vent hole, most often I use 5/64" (just under .080) for the combination of quicker ignition and still having decent velocity.
You might consider have the external surface of the touch hole liner made slightly concave to shorten the flash pathway, but THAT needs careful planning, measurement, and execution.
Hope this helps, and enjoy the smoke!

 

[RhinoDave]

I do have a vent pick and a small vent brush. Didn't help much. If I'm not mistaken the breech on the Traditions is the same as the old CVA breech. There is a smaller dia hole in the breech plug to reach the vent hole. This loads up after a few shots and just swabbing doesn't reach into this recess. I am going to order a CVA breech scraper from deer creek to see if this helps. The vent liner is already 1/16" so I might open it up to 5/64" a small countersink in the vent liner sounds like the next step in addition to the larger dia hole. Thanks for the suggestions and the compliments on the rifle. It's just a reshaped and refinished Traditions Pennsylvania.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

I completely understand that old clogged breech syndrome! Some guys have been using a small steam device to clean out that area, and apparently with good results. You might want to search this forum for the reviews and links to product vendors. (Bissel Steam Shot was one of them)

 

[Renegadehunter]

I shoot a caplock, but do have a question. Are you swabbing between shots?
I ask because I used to have quite a bit of trouble with the main charge not going off about 5-7 shots in. I swab every shot and found that the patch/jag combo was too tight, so I was pushing fouling down the bore ahead of the patch and jag and blocking the flame channel. I chucked my jag into a cordless drill and spun it on a flat file to turn it down a bit and tried to taper it a bit as well, smaller in the front to larger in the back. While doing this I would turn it down a bit and then check the fit in my fouled bore. I stopped when the patch went down the bore smoothly but then the cleaning patch would still bunch up and then pull the fouling OUT of the bore.
My fail to fire's and hang fires all but disappeared after doing this. Just a thought that hopefully helps you.
Another method is to pour in the next powder charge first and then swab to just shy of the charge, but do keep your head away from the bore in case there is an ember still in there.

 

[Hylander]

I got this very thing happening as well with my CVA.
Misfire and hang fire after swabbing.
Renegadehunter:
Sounds like what you describe might be common with this type of breach.

 

[Dennis Olson]

You are on the right track. Experiments usually fixes everything

 

[Greg Brown]

With the exception of my cap and ball revolvers, I swab twice (both sides of a cleaning patch) between all shots.

With Flintlock, I brush the pan and pick the vent, use cleaning swab twice on the barrel. I then swab with a dry swab to eliminate moisture. I do this so I don't have issues with fouling build up or hang fires. I can shoot with friends and students all day with way.