Which vent liner is best?

[mark davidson]

My first custom flinter had a standard vent liner with a narrow screwdriver slot for installation and removal. A new rifle I have now has a liner with a deep allen head hole in it for installation and removal with the actual hole into the charge at the bottom of the allen head hole. Thirdly, I have read much about the white lightening coned liner. Which of the three is best, fastest, most reliable???  The allen head one seems a little slower but I am too new at this to really tell. I have never shot a white lightening but I am not opposed to putting one in the two new guns that I have being built.  I know to keep the pan clean and dry and not to use too much powder and to pick the vent hole ....etc...  I just want to know which of the three liners you guys think is best, fastest, and most reliable.    Thanks in advance for your input. :-)

[mark davidson]

I have no idea what brand the ones I have on my guns are. Obviously, I want no part of the platinum ones! :-)  The main difference I can see is that the one with the screwdriver slot has the hole flush with the outside of the barrel while the allen head one has the small hole recessed back at the bottom of the allen head hole. I figured one was likely more desirable than the other so I thought I would ask which is faster and more reliable.

[Uncle Russ]

I have had several Chambers liners. "White Lightening" I believe they are called, and they are just fine.

I have also drilled the standard vent liner, from the back, with a #1 Countersink, and that seems to work quite well, and cost a bit less.

On the other hand, I have an old .69 cal that has no liner, just a plain ol' hole, and that seems to work okay too.
However, it has taken it from the late 1960's until a few years back to become large enough to work really well!

Typically speaking, the size of the hole makes all the difference and there is no real agreement on the best size.
Others may argue it's the location of that vent hole in relation to the pan, and If I were an arguing man this is the side I would take.

Not much help, I suspect. But the two factors mentioned, size and location, is something that needs to be worked out each individual rifle......that would be my best guess.

Uncle Russ...

[Bigsmoke]

The Treso liner that looks like brass, has a screwdriver slot etc. is a pretty good liner, but IMHO, the hole is WAY small.  I think they offer another style that is installed proud with a nipple wrench, then filed off to offer a flat surface.  Good liner, but still needs the hole enlarged.
The stainless liner with the Allen head is pretty good, but kind of glares at you in a custom rifle.
White Lightning?  Never tried it, but have heard lots of praises for it.  I would probably try that one first.

[jbullard1]

Mark
I'm using the standard liner Jack sells, the ones I have are coned on the inside and have a screwdriver slot. I did take a countersink and lightly cone the outside without changing the hole size
I can't tell any difference in the ignition of my flintlocks vs caplocks

[Indiana]

I've had 100% reliability with my Chambers White Lightening liner so far.  Easy to install and barely noticeable.

[mark davidson]

Thanks for the information. So what size do you guys think is a standard good size for the touch hole? I mean, venture an opinion here or two or three! Then I can measure mine and see how close it is to what you guys already know works.  
   Jerry, do you feel that coneing the outside of your Garner liner helped a good bit?  That is sure an easy and inexpensive way to improve ignition?  Also if the standard Jack Garner liner is already coned on the inside, what is the difference between it and the much touted white lightening?
   Sorry for the thousand questions here but I am going to have three of these darn things before long and I want to use the quickest and best system on them all and I am too inexperienced to know what that is or how big a hole to bore etc.......

[jbullard1]

Mark
I don't know if the small modification helped any
It was an idea I had and it looked good
I do get fast ignition IF I get a Flash in the pan

[mark davidson]

Jerry,
    Thanks for the tip. I may try it on one gun and see if it seems to help.
   By the way, I talked to my gunsmith just a moment ago and he has not got the barrel you want off of the action yet. He is covered up busy and it may be a few days. It is still yours soon as I get it in my hand. Just wanted to let you know I had not forgotten.

[jbullard1]

Thanks Mark
I am in no hurry

[FG1]

1/16" is pretty standard and no larger than 5/64" is the widely accepted norm.

[Uncle Russ]

1/16" is pretty standard and no larger than 5/64" is the widely accepted norm.

Yep, Whut Frank seez....

Uncle Russ...

[Mitch]

the smallest touchhole that will give you the fastest ignition..I start at 1/16th and work up....most of my "good shooters" have a small hole and a fast lock

[tg]

I tried something new and revolutionary on my last gun....i just drilled a 5/64 hole in the barrel coned it from the inside with a flattened finish nail..who would have thought something so simple would have worked, I can't tell the difference between this gun and my Chambers gun, go figure.

[FG1]

tg , I saw in a book somewhere that some of the old timers did similar. They drilled a hole in from left side of barrel and countersunk the inside of touch hole then threaded and plugged the left side hole .