A touch hole is a small hole through which the propellant charge of a cannon or muzzleloading gun is ignited. In small arms, the flash from a charge of priming held in the flash pan is enough to ignite the charge within. In artillery, priming powder, a fuse, squib, or friction igniter is inserted into the touch hole to ensure ignition of the charge.
The powder in the touch hole was lit either with a slow match, a linstock or a type of Flintlock mechanism that was known as a gunlock.
Read more about Touch Hole: Spiking The Guns
Famous quotes containing the words touch and/or hole:
“Mean and gentle all
Behold, as may unworthiness define,
A little touch of Harry in the night.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“never dare entrust them to a safe
For fear they burn a hole through two-foot steel.”
—Robert Graves (1895–1985)