# What a difference a porcupine quill makes!



## texcl (Oct 6, 2007)

Today I tried sticking a porcupine quill in the vent of my flint lock before pouring the powder to see if it really sped up lock time, boy did it ever. It sort of shocked me,it is darn near, if not as fast as a cap lock when loaded with the quill. I never would have guessed it made that much of a difference. Now all I need is another road kill porcupine.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

It does help alot.

I just pick the vent with a skinny nipple pick before priming, that hole through the main charge really speeds things up. So does not compacting the main charge.


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## texcl (Oct 6, 2007)

Yeah, i've been trying that as well and it does seem to help. I need to try all this on my .62 cal fowler, it's painfully slow.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

A fowler is next on my list. I might build one next year.

I built a lehigh .50 cal flinter. The large siler lock was a bit slow to begin with. I tore it down, polished all internal parts, opened up the flash hole, and if I load and prime right, I see no speed difference between it and my percussion great plains rifle.


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## texcl (Oct 6, 2007)

my fowler has the vent drilled a little low in my opinion and I think that is the culpret, I've thought about installing a liner and moving it up a bit. I sure like the .62 cal for hunting, everyone I talk to who uses one talks about the increased knock down power, the recoil isn't bad either. I think I'm going build an early style long rifle in .62.


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## rogerw (Jan 7, 2008)

Howdy All,

My experience is close to the comments above...I use a ventpick I fashioned from piano wire that is close to the diameter of my touch-hole, but I pick it after loading and push a bit of a hole into the charge, just as BBJack says.

I have an L&R lock on the .58 flinter I was shooting this weekend, most shots nearly as fast ignition as a caplock. The times I most notice some significant hangfire time is when the air is damp and drizzly and I have not freshed the pan powder, or, also when shooting a lot from the bench around the 10th or so shot if I am not being meticulous enough with cleaning the frizzen/flint/touch-hole areas.

Personally, I find flinters the most challenging and most rewarding of all firearms to shoot and hunt with.

YHS,
rogerw


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