Kentuckywindage
62 Cal.
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- Aug 25, 2006
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I have a .69cal Tower flintlock smooth bore pistol. What size of ball does this take? Also, what charges are ok to use?
.69cal smoothbore ball size?
- Thread starter Kentuckywindage
- Start date
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A .69 cal bore would take a .680 dia ball patched with a .010-.015 thick patch.
Dixie's 2008 catalog shows that they have these at $22.50/100 but I have several thoughts on this.
First off, Dixie seems to have gotten out of paying someone to cast some of the special sizes they used to have so they may not actually have them on hand.
Another thought about your pistol is it looks similar to many that were sold back in the '70'-80's that were intended more for hanging on a wall than actually shooting.
If it were mine, the first thing I would check is the hardness of the frizzen. To do this, try to file the frizzens face (the part the flint would hit). If a flat metal file makes a mark on it, it has not been hardened properly so it would produce few if any sparks when struck by a flint.
If the gun was made in Italy or Spain there should be proof marks on the barrel. If these exist on your gun it will be safe to shoot.
Some of these pistols were made in Japan and may not have proof marks. If this is the case with your gun it may be shootable but just how safe it would be might be a question.
If the frizzen is hard and there is a touch hole in the side of the barrel in line with the pan the gun should work but even so, I would keep my powder charges on the light side such as 15-25 grains of powder.
Dixie recommends a 30 grain FFFg charge for the .69 cal Pedersoli French AN XII pistol they sell and their "original load" data says that 35 grains was used in the original .69 cal pistols but unless your guns shows proof marks I would hesitate to use those loads.
Being a Flintlock, your gun must use real Black Powder. None of the new synthetic powders will work well in it.
Dixie's 2008 catalog shows that they have these at $22.50/100 but I have several thoughts on this.
First off, Dixie seems to have gotten out of paying someone to cast some of the special sizes they used to have so they may not actually have them on hand.
Another thought about your pistol is it looks similar to many that were sold back in the '70'-80's that were intended more for hanging on a wall than actually shooting.
If it were mine, the first thing I would check is the hardness of the frizzen. To do this, try to file the frizzens face (the part the flint would hit). If a flat metal file makes a mark on it, it has not been hardened properly so it would produce few if any sparks when struck by a flint.
If the gun was made in Italy or Spain there should be proof marks on the barrel. If these exist on your gun it will be safe to shoot.
Some of these pistols were made in Japan and may not have proof marks. If this is the case with your gun it may be shootable but just how safe it would be might be a question.
If the frizzen is hard and there is a touch hole in the side of the barrel in line with the pan the gun should work but even so, I would keep my powder charges on the light side such as 15-25 grains of powder.
Dixie recommends a 30 grain FFFg charge for the .69 cal Pedersoli French AN XII pistol they sell and their "original load" data says that 35 grains was used in the original .69 cal pistols but unless your guns shows proof marks I would hesitate to use those loads.
Being a Flintlock, your gun must use real Black Powder. None of the new synthetic powders will work well in it.
Through google I see you bought this gun from gunsamerica and supposedly the seller there said it was never fired by him or the orginal owner. I agree with the poster above, be careful.
Sure the gun may be fine but it may be a wall hanger. Do you have a qualified gunsmith? ie familar with black powder guns? Take it to him and get his opinion.
Aside form that, I would shoot with low charge. 30 grains FFFg is pretty low for that big of a gun and should be okay. A .680 diameter ball with .010 plus patch is sage advice. You should be able to use the same FFFg Black Powder as pan powder too... and Yes you should use GOEX or Swiss or some other real Black Powder and not triple seven or other substitute because they probably will not work.
(Note: I have a little .45 deringer and it shoots 25 grains powder and .440 round ball all day)
Sure the gun may be fine but it may be a wall hanger. Do you have a qualified gunsmith? ie familar with black powder guns? Take it to him and get his opinion.
Aside form that, I would shoot with low charge. 30 grains FFFg is pretty low for that big of a gun and should be okay. A .680 diameter ball with .010 plus patch is sage advice. You should be able to use the same FFFg Black Powder as pan powder too... and Yes you should use GOEX or Swiss or some other real Black Powder and not triple seven or other substitute because they probably will not work.
(Note: I have a little .45 deringer and it shoots 25 grains powder and .440 round ball all day)
I know some of you other members have "Tower pistols" similar to this one.
Any comments about Kentuckywindage's gun?
Any comments about Kentuckywindage's gun?
