Question on sidelock muzzleloader flash path and ignition
Howdy Ya’ll. This stuff that you load from the front is fairly new to me. The rest of it is not. Been at it about 50 years.
I was given a decent sidelock muzzle loader that was missing the “side pipe” and the nipple for lack of better descriptors. The ‘side pipe’ is the one that goes into the barrel at 90 degrees, extends out, the nipple threads into it. Cap goes on the nipple. You get the idea.
Missing parts….and they appear to have been pressed in. Hmmmmm…if a press was good a thread should hold too. So I made up a side pipe, threaded to smallest thread I could find. I think 7/16-20. Then I bought a pack of nipples that were ¼-28 thread, threaded one into the end of the side pipe, lined it up just right with the hammer. Groovy. Tapped a ¼-28 plug into the outside of the pipe.
Makes sense so far. But gents, I have a “stupid” sophomoric, paltry mortal question. How the heck does that little spark get down the nipple, right hand turn to the side pipe, down the side pipe to the bore? That seems like a long ways to go for an impetus that’s only carrying a couple of joules. And for a stupid human trick, if I make extra, extra, extra sure that the bore is clear, stand in front of my milling machine window wearing goggles and a welding helmet, cock the hammer and pull the trigger with NO MORE THAN A CAP IN PLAY…..I can’t see a flash looking down the barrel.
Will this ignite powder reliabily? On inlines, break barrels, etc……I can see a spark LOUD AND CLEAR during the same well controlled, carefully triple checked stunt.
Should I give up? I don’t want to drill holes bigger for fear of losing sidewall strength. It’s about 1/4ID down the side pipe, and I did chamfer it into the bore, so it’s not just a dead end.
Holla back, thanks in advance.
PS: side pipe is likely the wrong term, but you get what I’m saying.
Howdy Ya’ll. This stuff that you load from the front is fairly new to me. The rest of it is not. Been at it about 50 years.
I was given a decent sidelock muzzle loader that was missing the “side pipe” and the nipple for lack of better descriptors. The ‘side pipe’ is the one that goes into the barrel at 90 degrees, extends out, the nipple threads into it. Cap goes on the nipple. You get the idea.
Missing parts….and they appear to have been pressed in. Hmmmmm…if a press was good a thread should hold too. So I made up a side pipe, threaded to smallest thread I could find. I think 7/16-20. Then I bought a pack of nipples that were ¼-28 thread, threaded one into the end of the side pipe, lined it up just right with the hammer. Groovy. Tapped a ¼-28 plug into the outside of the pipe.
Makes sense so far. But gents, I have a “stupid” sophomoric, paltry mortal question. How the heck does that little spark get down the nipple, right hand turn to the side pipe, down the side pipe to the bore? That seems like a long ways to go for an impetus that’s only carrying a couple of joules. And for a stupid human trick, if I make extra, extra, extra sure that the bore is clear, stand in front of my milling machine window wearing goggles and a welding helmet, cock the hammer and pull the trigger with NO MORE THAN A CAP IN PLAY…..I can’t see a flash looking down the barrel.
Will this ignite powder reliabily? On inlines, break barrels, etc……I can see a spark LOUD AND CLEAR during the same well controlled, carefully triple checked stunt.
Should I give up? I don’t want to drill holes bigger for fear of losing sidewall strength. It’s about 1/4ID down the side pipe, and I did chamfer it into the bore, so it’s not just a dead end.
Holla back, thanks in advance.
PS: side pipe is likely the wrong term, but you get what I’m saying.
