Post by: RobD on September 17, 2015, 08:19:08 AM
a month or so ago when i first loaded and fired the new 24g musket i had maybe a few issues with getting it to go off, using 3f down the tube and either 3f or 4f in the pan. i'm not a newbie to ml's and always clean the tube (and dry it), touch hole, pan, frizzen and rock before loading and firing. then i dry balled it and had to pull the breech to clear the patched ball as outlined in this past thread ....
the dreaded stuck ball (http://http)
yesterday we had an ml get-together and it was hell to get her to fire.
when shooting with a clear, clean and dry bore, i drop 65 grains of goex 3f down, settle it in, a .010 linen patched .562 ball gets pushed down to sit on the powder column. then poke a pick into the touch hole to feel the powder, re-clean the pan, frizzen and rock, put fill the pan about 1/2 way to the outside with 4f (3f would not work at all), drop the frizzen, cock the hammer, pull the trigger and .... most of yesterday morning was just a flash in the pan. what i had to do to get it to go off was force some 4f into the vent, and then it would go off, most of the time but not always. the last load i made would not go off no matter what and required pulling the breech plug.
brought it home and pulled the breech - all looked good. perhaps its touch hole diameter or that 'v' notch in the breech plug just isn't large enuf or not long enuf? maybe opening the 'v' a bit wider or longer would help?
(http://i.imgur.com/2WIKb0U.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/5PPlLHm.jpg)
here she is, finally going off after i picked in some 4f down into the vent ...
(click the image below to see the vid) ...
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FVPk-aDNqx0/default.jpg?v=55f9eec2) (http://https)
Post by: prairie dog on September 17, 2015, 09:17:05 AM
Post by: RobD on September 17, 2015, 10:09:26 AM
Post by: rollingb on September 17, 2015, 10:21:30 AM
Quote from: "prairie dog"
Wow. I don't like that breech face. It wouldn't take much fouling to bridge over that little notch. I believe I would have the breach face filed down past that notch. Looks like you would need to remove two threads off of it to get it below that notch.I agree,..... however, I wouldn't file the entire breech face down 2 threads, because that would leave exposed threads for fouling to accumulate in the barrel, plus doing so would weaken the strength of the plug/barrel bond by (approximately) 25%.
I think you are on the right track with just enlarging the "notch" a bit (maybe file the "notch" 2 or 3 times as big as it is now),... and that would still allow the rest of the plug threads to fit the breech with 96%-98% engagement.
Post by: Bigsmoke on September 17, 2015, 10:27:31 AM
Instead, I would be more inclined to open up the little notch and give the powder a chance to be seen from the touch hole. That should get you shooting instead of messing around trying to get it to go off.
Of course, this is only one person's opinion, and this person is neither a gunsmith or a flintlock aficionado. YMMV.
John
Post by: prairie dog on September 17, 2015, 11:50:36 AM
Quote
Assuming the breach plug locks down tight against the end of the threads in the barrel, that doesn't sound like a very good idea.
That's a good point.
Post by: RobD on September 17, 2015, 12:16:28 PM
Quote from: "prairie dog"
QuoteAssuming the breach plug locks down tight against the end of the threads in the barrel, that doesn't sound like a very good idea.
That's a good point.
that's a critically crucial point! ain't doin' that!
Post by: MacRob46 on September 17, 2015, 04:03:28 PM
Post by: RobD on September 18, 2015, 04:56:59 PM
in the image below i blacked the breech face to better see the cut. i just deepened the shallow 'v' and extended it and ramped it up to about the middle of the plug face.
(http://i.imgur.com/GAxKpZC.jpg)
anyhoo, i think it did the trick. i just now assembled it (finally got a good breech wrench) ...
(http://i.imgur.com/4hvkbtf.jpg)
cleaned out the tube and vent of any oil, loaded with 20 grains of 3f, a bit of 3f in the pan and off she went "shroom", not "ka-boom", so that was a good sign. cleaned the tube - 1 damp patch with 5% ballistol/water, 1 dry patch, quick dry wipe of the pan/frizzen/rock, pushed a .035 wound guitar string into the vent, reloaded as before, "shroom". did that six more times. no issues, really good ignition every time. i think she's good, but the acid test will be with the fouling that 65 grains of 3f and ball or shot creates. i think she'll be ok. i love this musket.
thanx for all yer good input!
Post by: rollingb on September 18, 2015, 10:43:53 PM
Post by: Loyalist Dave on September 19, 2015, 12:14:04 PM
LD
Post by: Geezer in NH on September 19, 2015, 08:09:18 PM
Post by: RobD on September 20, 2015, 05:45:27 AM
Quote from: "Geezer in NH"
A 1/4 inch round face end mill would cut a sweet grove into the face and keep the rest sealed if it was already sealed.
yep, i was thinking of going that route (expand the plug face channel) should what i done so far fail and cause me continued ignition problems.
but so far, i think it's fixed, amen.
Post by: blackpowderbill on September 20, 2015, 10:24:15 AM