advice sought on ignition issues

[RobD]

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

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?





here she is, finally going off after i picked in some 4f down into the vent ...

(click the image below to see the vid) ...

[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.

[RobD]

yep, taking down the plug was a thought ... either straight across or angled.

[rollingb]

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.  

[Bigsmoke]

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.  You will loose part of the seal.
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

[prairie dog]

 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.

[RobD]

 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.

that's a critically crucial point!  ain't doin' that!

[MacRob46]

First, as has been said here, do NOT file the breech plug face down two threads or any more for that matter, if the face of the plug has reached the beginning of the bore, i.e., bottomed out. Next, open up the notch a little bit with a file but, and I am pretty sure this is going to happen, unless you open it enough and pay constant attention to the fouling build up at the touch hole, you will have more problems after firing it very much. Next, check the size of the touch hole and whether or not there are burrs in it. If it appears too small then open it up a bit or if there are burrs, just clean them out. You might consider coning the outside of the touch hole as well. If all else fails, can you get your money back? By the way, who built your gun?

[RobD]

upshot ....

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.



anyhoo, i think it did the trick.  i just now assembled it (finally got a good breech wrench) ...



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!

[rollingb]

That should solve your problem, I've had to do the same a few times.  

[Loyalist Dave]

I agree that looks like the answer, and it looks like some original breeches that I have seen from the very early 1800's.

LD

[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.

[RobD]

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.

[blackpowderbill]

Oh I hate those that measure long!!  I had to cut my one plug back now it cleans and fires every time.