Vent-Hole Picking????

[pathfinder]

I pick only when I get a flash. A Buddy of mine drilled out the touch hole of a Northwest Trade Gun so when he loads with 2f,it automatically primes the pan,I swear you could put yer pinky in the hole! You'd need a ram rod as a vent pick!

[wwpete52]

Would you rather pick a vent hole or a guitar?

[Swamp]

Good question Wally! I like it!  

[mark davidson]

I do always pick and I can often tell a big difference when I forget to pick. As for drilling out the touch hole....I tried that and my accuracy went to crap.  I was shooting some very tight one inch to one and a half inch groups at 100 yards from the bench. I drilled out the hole and my groups opened up to rediculous. I replaced the drilled out liner with another stock one and the rifle went right back to shooting tight near MOA groups.

[Captchee]

I do always pick and I can often tell a big difference when I forget to pick. As for drilling out the touch hole....I tried that and my accuracy went to crap.  I was shooting some very tight one inch to one and a half inch groups at 100 yards from the bench. I drilled out the hole and my groups opened up to rediculous. I replaced the drilled out liner with another stock one and the rifle went right back to shooting tight near MOA groups.

 the reason for that  mark is that on a flintlock when you drill out a flashole to a larger size , you reduce bore pressure as the vent now event more pressure .
 in order to bring that back you have to then re  work your load .

[mark davidson]

Thanks Cap. For some reason I never thought about tweaking the load. I was getting stellar performance from the load and patch/ball combo I had so I just put a new vent liner in and went on with business as usual. I think I fixed a problem that did not exist to begin with by messing with the first vent liner. It shoots so well right now, I am very hesitant to mess with anything else about my setup.

[PJC]

I pick for the following reason. When you pick you can feel the pick crushing some of the tightly packed powder at the bottom of the load. Breaking it up just a little bit. I feel this prepares the powder to accept the flash and ignition from the priming powder in the pan.
Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

PJC

[Riley/MN]

IT IS MY VENT-HOLE. I WILL PICK IT IF AND WHEN I WANT TO....

[2 Locks]

:rotf  :rotf  :rotf  

[Quartermaster James]

Would you rather pick a vent hole or a guitar?

[Mustang]

I load the gun, shoot, repeat. I don't pick, wipe, swipe, swab or any of that stuff. Just load the gun and shoot.

[FlintSteel]

I never pick before or after or during. I have a pick and a brush and a rag. The only time I use any of these is when (rarely) when it gets too dirty to fire. Only at the range.

The main and best reason I carry a pick is for the off chance that I dry ball a load, (it can happen to anyone) trickle a little powder in the pan and poke it through the touch hole, a couple of pan loads, Ram the ball down tite, fire it off downrange (POP) that's the sound it'll make, and you're clear (check with the rammer to assure the ball did leave the weapon) to reload correctly, next time. Don't ask me how I know this!

[wwpete52]

Pick your vent often! Pick before and after.  Pick in the morning, noon and night! Everyone needs at least a dozen vent picks! I know a guy that makes awesome vent picks!

[FlintSteel]

I don't usually pick. Only when it is starting to misfire.

But I always carry a pick. If or when you dryball a load, you can put some powder in the pan and with the pick force powder through the touch hole (it's surprisingly quick). After a pan or two are in there ram the ball all the way in and touch her off, DOWNRANGE. If that doesn't clear the ball do it again with a little more powder. Guaranteed to work.  

[Caddo]

I always pick after loading. Never had a misfire after picking. Had a few when I didn't pick though