Touch hole on percussion

[Texas by God]

I recently got a T/C .54 Renegade that was "customized" it is drilled &tapped for scope mounts plus on the right upper rear barrel flat there is a messed up plugged 6-48 hole and a 1/16" hole drilled down to the bore. I was told this enhances ignition- why have I never seen this on hundreds of ML rifles I've looked at in my lifetime? Is it a legit modification- or another hole to plug? The gun shoots fine if you don't mind that little flame column at 2 o'clock.....
Curious, Thomas

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[waksupi]

Years ago, some were drilling a small hole in the drum, NOT the barrel! Better in concept than fact, in my opinion. I don't know if it is really safe with it in the barrel, but I would sure never do it. You sure wouldn't want to be one of the people who wrap their hand up around the lock when shooting. May end up with a pierced finger. I suspect the person who did it didn't understand it isn't the barrel to drill for this. The thought behind it was to relieve pressure in the drum for better ignition. Always struck me as a dandy place to let water get into the powder.

[KCSO]

This is an old trick supposedly to relive pressure as the flash penetrates the nipple. It was v=called venting and I have seen it on some high end English guns. I have never found it useful.

[heelerau]

I had a chap on another forum suggest I do the same thing to one of my rifles to enhance ignition, I have a feeling some early English hunting rifles may have had a platinum vented plug located on the outboard side of the Nipple (cone)bolster, but if so certainly not common practice. I do not like the idea of having a fine hole drilled into the bore on any rifle, but that is just my opinion based on intuition.
Funny enough this chap was based in Texas.
cheers

Heelerau

[Mr_Sheesh]

It sounds like a "Popcorn Sutton"ism; He once said something like "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story." Not something I think I want either...

[bob208]

I have shot a lot of muzzle loaders patent breach and flat breach. the only time there was a ignition problem it was cured with a hot shot nipple and getting the hammer to hit it squire.

[Texas by God]

Thank you for your replies. I feel that if it is an advantage it is far outweighed by being an open invitation to water. I will drill and tap and plug it and not think about it again. On my first serious Muzzleloader 40 years ago I replaced the nipple with a Uncle Mike's Hot Shot Style. It was vented and made of stainless steel. Truthfully I didn't notice much difference except the new nipple did not rust easily.

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[bigted]

Granted a blackpowder muzzleloader develops far less pressure however, i would hesitate to tap and plug the hole in a barrel. I don't know how strong threads would be under the sudden pressure spike upon ignition. Some body else will have to chime in with much more knowledge then myself. Just sounds suspicious to me.

[Earlwb]

Drilling and tapping the hole and plugging it with a screw should not be a problem. My flintlock rifles all have a threaded plug with a tiny flash hole in it. The threaded plug stays put and doesn't get blown out.

[Texas by God]

I will plug it down flush with the bore and don't anticipate a problem with pressure. This should prevent a "little fire pit" that just plugging with a short screw would create.
Thanks all!

[oldracer]

I have a custom made 50 caliber patched round ball target rifle made by Roger Johnson who does this and also uses the 209 primer adapter all the time. He mentioned that the vent helps control pressure with the shotgun primer. This seems to be true as the rifle is a winner for me but I do have to plug the small hole when cleaning the barrel. I'd say leave it like it is.

[indian joe]

always some clown wants to take a perfectly round wheel and make it square - so it will run better -

[Bent Ramrod]

Brownell’s sells oversized plug screws that turn in hard and fill the threads fully. Just make sure the bottom of the plug screw doesn’t protrude into the bore. When it’s fully in, peen the top of the plug screw good with a hammer and a small punch and then file the smeared-out lump flat with the barrel and cold blue. Properly done, it’s hard to see the repair and it won’t loosen on firing, ever.

A friend bought a bargain underhammer that had been drilled and tapped for a (missing) scope and mounts. When he fired it, I saw an impressive vertical jet of smoke come out of one of the holes. He didn’t see it, even after I pointed out what was happening, but obviously, Bubba had drilled one of those holes a little too deep. He ordered the oversized screws and we did the repair. It worked fine after that. He wasn’t interested in mounting a scope anyway.

[Earlwb]

Well, as I remember it, many years ago, they were drilling a small hole in the drum part, in order to help let air escape when the percussion cap fired off. There was a possibility that the air being compressed in front of the flame front would keep the ignition fire from getting to the powder to ignite it. Now whether this really happens is up for debate though. Anyway some guys swore by it and that it works great. Others are of course skeptical about it.

[OverMax]

I don't see a need to dill tap & plug a 16th inch hole. A round toothpick has many use's.

[Texas by God]

I don't see a need to dill tap & plug a 16th inch hole. A round toothpick has many use's.

There you go. I'll just add a box of round toothpicks to my possibles bag....

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[OverMax]

Genius thinking here ~~~always.

[Texas by God]

It would be kinda cool to watch the flaming toothpick pinwheel away!

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[Texas by God]

Plugged that sucker. Ignition seems the same to me. More pleasant to shoot for sure.

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