Bought a Flinter, sayin' hello, have a question.

[Fly103]

Good morning Y'all,

Im 30 years young from southern Kansas. Last week was the realization of a childhood dream for me, I purchased my first flintlock, a pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle in .50cal. I know its just an itallian reproduction but I had to start somewhere and some day I still dream of adding a hand made rifle to my collection.

I have been shooting caplocks for the last 15 years so im not exactly new muzzle loading but ive never owned or fired a flintlock before. I am looking foward to the challenge of learning to shoot it well. Right now, the biggest challenge seems to be finding real black powder! I have managed to find ffffg priming powder locally which brings me to my first question.

I have a good ammount of pyrodex RS that ive used in my caplock hawken rifle for years. Until a local source gets the real stuff back in stock (maybe months) is it an acceptable practice to shoot a flintlock using 5-10grns of 4f down the bore first with a main charge of pyrodex on top? Or am I better off just hanging my new rifle on the wall til such time as ffg black powder is available in my area again. I really want to shoot but at the same time i dont want to damage my gun.

 

[nit wit]

Join a club and group buy over the phone.
Nit Wit

 

[forty_caliber]

Howdy and welcome from Texas. I would stay away from BP substitutes entirely in the flinter. The method you described of mixing powder in the breech might work but seems a bit over the top dangerous to me.

Look here and here for your powder.

.40

 

[Thagomizer]

Welcome to the forum. Might want to post your question below in the section on flintlocks. It will get more responses as this is for introductions only. Good luck with your new purchase and welcome to the wonderful world of flintlocks.

 

[Whitworth]

In today's climate if you can swing it dollar wise after purchasing your new rifle go online and buy yourself as much powder as you will need for a while.

 

[Cobra6]

Welcome from Virginia.



Cobra 6

 

[jdesro]

In today's climate if you can swing it dollar wise after purchasing your new rifle go online and buy yourself as much powder as you will need for a while.

Heed this advice right here. I believe Powder, Inc. is expecting to get in a big order, soon. Go there and pre-order as much as you can. Eat ramen for a month if you have to - but buy as much powder as you can.

 

[pilot]

Welcome from Missouri. Let's see that rifle!

 

[deermanok]

Welcome from Oklahoma. Good luck with the new rig

 

[Buck Conner]

Join a club and group buy over the phone.
Nit Wit

.
How do I join Nit Wit, interested in a group purchase. How are you going to handle shipping?


.,

 

[Yewbender]

Welcome from Pa

 

[ord sgt]

Fly103, Hodgen powder company is in Kansas. Are you near that company? They could give you advice on powder purchase.

 

[nit wit]

.
How do I join Nit Wit, interested in a group purchase. How are you going to handle shipping?


.,

I'm sending you a private message.
NW

 

[thomas]

Welcome to the forum.
Thomas

 

[nit wit]

.
How do I join Nit Wit, interested in a group purchase. How are you going to handle shipping?


.,

You can have powder shipped to your home, you don't have to dish out so much money if you share the cost.
NW

 

[kje54]

Good morning Y'all,

Im 30 years young from southern Kansas. Last week was the realization of a childhood dream for me, I purchased my first flintlock, a pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle in .50cal. I know its just an itallian reproduction but I had to start somewhere and some day I still dream of adding a hand made rifle to my collection.

I have been shooting caplocks for the last 15 years so im not exactly new muzzle loading but ive never owned or fired a flintlock before. I am looking foward to the challenge of learning to shoot it well. Right now, the biggest challenge seems to be finding real black powder! I have managed to find ffffg priming powder locally which brings me to my first question.

I have a good ammount of pyrodex RS that ive used in my caplock hawken rifle for years. Until a local source gets the real stuff back in stock (maybe months) is it an acceptable practice to shoot a flintlock using 5-10grns of 4f down the bore first with a main charge of pyrodex on top? Or am I better off just hanging my new rifle on the wall til such time as ffg black powder is available in my area again. I really want to shoot but at the same time i dont want to damage my gun.

Welcome

 

[kje54]

You can have powder shipped to your home, you don't have to dish out so much money if you share the cost.
NW

Four pounds of black powder from Graf and Sons cost me $108 and some change shipped, that included the hazmat fee. I just checked, they're out of Goex 2,3 &4ffg but have the reenactor powder still in stock.

 

[Squatch84]

Welcome! Buffalo Arms has some Swiss 1.5f in stock. Just a thought.

 

[Old Timer 48]

Welcome!

 

[Zonie]

Good morning Y'all,

Im 30 years young from southern Kansas. Last week was the realization of a childhood dream for me, I purchased my first flintlock, a pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle in .50cal. I know its just an itallian reproduction but I had to start somewhere and some day I still dream of adding a hand made rifle to my collection.

I have been shooting caplocks for the last 15 years so im not exactly new muzzle loading but ive never owned or fired a flintlock before. I am looking foward to the challenge of learning to shoot it well. Right now, the biggest challenge seems to be finding real black powder! I have managed to find ffffg priming powder locally which brings me to my first question.

I have a good ammount of pyrodex RS that ive used in my caplock hawken rifle for years. Until a local source gets the real stuff back in stock (maybe months) is it an acceptable practice to shoot a flintlock using 5-10grns of 4f down the bore first with a main charge of pyrodex on top? Or am I better off just hanging my new rifle on the wall til such time as ffg black powder is available in my area again. I really want to shoot but at the same time i dont want to damage my gun.

Welcome to the forum.
To answer your question about using a kick starter of real black powder under your Pyrodex, yes, that is about the only way to get reliable ignition for a main powder charge of a synthetic black powder in a flintlock. Hodgons, even recommends using this method.

Don't use up all of your real black powder though. You will need it for priming the pan.

While with a good black powder pan prime, a Pyrodex maincharge might fire about 1/3 of the time, Pyrodex doesn't work well at all for priming a flintlock pan.