Arizona flinter shooting help

[ballandcap]

I am hoping to find a flinter that shoots frequently and that I could shoot with hopefully this weekend sometime, I also have Monday off. I am the only B.P. shooter out of all of my friends so this has been a big learning curve on my own just jumping in.

I called a local club listed on NMLRA a week and half or so ago and spoke to a gentleman, to get some help. He said they shoot every 3rd Sunday of the month. He stated there was 1 gentleman that shoots flinters exclusively. I just hate to wait another week and a half and show up to find he's not there or unable to help, especially with being the weekend before Christmas.

I am self sufficent at this point and shouldn't be a burden. I have everything I need and can get my gun to fire about every time. I was just hoping to shoot with someome who can give me some tips and pointers about flinters and their nature. Maybe someone to check out my gun, shoot it some and let me know what they think and what to do to improve it or the loads. How to care for it and clean the gun and lock. What all I should do and shouldn't do.

I would appreciate someones time if they plan on shooting anyways. I am confident with my percussions and they always go off and am accurate enough with them, but being new to flinters this is a whole new ball game.

If someone is able to, I was hoping to talk to them on the phone a day or two before heading out to make sure I have everything they reccomend.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Leonredbeard]

I have a friend up in Wickenburg, but it is about an hour's drive. He has a Chamber's flinter I put together for him from the kit.
volatpluvia

 

[ballandcap]

I actually live in Surprise, Az and I am only about 35 min or so to Wickenburg, so it's pretty close.

 

[ian45662]

What kind of gun do you have and what kind of equipment do you have?

 

[Curt LaManna]

I sent you a PT.
I'm in Scottsdale and know the Flints well.
My number is in the message.
Feel free to call me or come on over to the shop.
Curt
"AZ Longrifle"

 

[ballandcap]

I have a .45 custom flinter full stock w/ large deluxe siler,42" g.m. barrel, davis double triggers, and a thompson renegade flinter. I have the basics as far as accessories.

 

[ballandcap]

thank you Azlr, I will give you a call later this afternoon when I get out of work.

 

[ian45662]

AZ Longrifle will be more help than I but i have a small siler next to a 42 inch green mountain 45 cal barrel. You will have to do your own testing to see what it likes but mine LOVES a .445 round ball wrapped in the pillow ticking fabric they sell at wal-mart with 40 grains of 3f and spit as lube. When you go sight your rifle in dont file off the front sight or move it until you have found its favorite load. Do you have all the stuff to clean the rifle after the trip to the range? Do you know how to clean it? I hope you are not offended by my questions but I dont know your skill level. I will remove the lock and then puch a small toothpick through the touch hole. I will take a small funnel and fill most of the bore with just plane old cold tap water. Let that soak for a couple minuets then pour it out. Then I will fill it about half way again with water. Then I will cover the muzzle with my thumb and turn the gun up and down a couple times and then pour the water out. Repeat that process until the water comes out clean at which point I start running patches down the barrel until they come out clean. Once that happens run an oily patch down the barrel and move onto the lock. Take the frizzen and frizzen spring off and give everything a good cleaning. Wipe the hole lock with oil and put a drop or 2 where metal meets metal and put it back on the gun. Thats the way I do it and if you talk to 10 people you will get 11 different ways to clean your rifle. You will just have to figure out what works best for you. You MUST clean your rifle almost as soon as you get home as black powder is corrosive. Things you will need to shoot the rifle are as follows: Extra flints, round balls, powder measure, patch material,cleaning patches, patch knife, ball starter, vent pick (tooth pick will work), A knaping hammer (Not needed but it will prolong the life of your flint), Flat head screw driver to replace flints as needed, a small punch and small hammer to adjust sights for windage and a small file to adjust sights for elevation. You will need powder and you can use 3F for main charge and priming but I use 4f to prime. My loading process is as follows: I will put some patch material in my mouth and let it soak while I measure my powder charge, pour charge down the barrel and then I will place the spit soaked fabric on muzzle. I place ball over that then with the short end of the ball starter get the ball started. Then I cut the fabric at the muzzle with the patch knife. With the long end of the starter I push the ball down a little more and then I will ram the ball home. I bring the rifle up and gently push my vent pick through the touch hole to ensure that it is clear. I fill the pan with priming powder close the frizzen and I am ready to go. You may find that after 10 shots maybe more maybe less that the gun starts to get hard to load. Once that happens just dapen a cleaning patch with spit or water and run both sides down the barrel. Then use a dry cleaning patch to soak up all the moisture using both sides and you are ready to go. There are alot of other guys on here that know alot more than I do and they will chime in. This forum is the best place in my opinion to learn about shooting flintlocks and muzzleloaders. I was in your shoes about 14 years ago as no one I knew wanted anything to do with muzzleloaders but you will learn and apply different things that work best for you

 

[Leonredbeard]

B and C.
Go with AZ longrifle. My friend has not been doing much with his flinter lately.
volatpluvia

 

[ballandcap]

Ian, no offense whatsoever. Very logical questions for a newbee. I do have about everything except for a Knapping hammer and Range rod as of yet. I do clean between shots, usually don't go more than 3 shots. I will clean between with Hoppes #9 B.P cleaner or Moose Juice. I pick the vent after every shot and then again once I load the powder and ball. I took the lock off a couple of times and kind of did how you said but was pretty stingy with the oil, was afraid to oil too much and not sure exactly what. Will oil metal-2-metal from here out though.

I did get some ticking from Wally-world in a few different thicknesses (prewashed they meausured .012, .015-016, and .018) found some .018 for $1.50 a yard and I thought that was a great price compared to the other around $4.50. Especially because my first batch was from Cabelas and it was around $6.00 for a 1/2 yard in a package....... Ouchy!

So far I have just been lubing my own and haven't tried a spit patch yet or cutting at the muzzle. I haved just precut my patches at home and pre-lubed them. I will have to try those tecniques though, probably save me a lot of prep time! Great advise and tips, thank you Ian.

I spoke to AZLR and will head out with him to a shoot on Sunday and hope to learn a lot from some real experienced flinters. He said there are plenty of flinters there and that is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for your time today Curt.

Volup, thank you for checking with him anyways.

 

[ian45662]

Sounds to me like your well on your way you will probably pick up some good tips over the weekend. Nothing like getting advice in person. I soak my patch in oil before I run it down the bore but the thing is you must clean it again when you go to shoot it so that you remove all the oil. Just a patch or 2 has worked for me. Ya that spit patch works best in my barrel and its the same as yours BUT that doesnt mean yours wont like something else but its worth a try. On a good day I can shoot into the same hole at 25 yards so GM makes a really good barrel and chambers makes a really good lock so you have some good components.