Crushing FFFG To FFFFG

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

I have been looking for some information on doing this and I thought that I saw it somewhere here on this site, but now I am not sure that it was here.

Normally, I have just used 3fg in my Kentucky flint pistol (for the very few times I have shot it) for both the main charge and for priming the pan; but some people have stated they like to use only 4fg in their priming pans to have a more positive chance for ignition.

Somewhere I read about using the back of a spoon to gently crush 3fg into finer priming powder.

Was it somewhere here on this site in some kind of shooting tips thread?

I would assume you might want to classify the powder through a properly sized fine screen to get a proper granulation to FFFFG.

I would only want enough to fill a small priming flask.

Are there any issues with doing this?

 

[JeffG]

My suggestion would be to find a stone mortar and pestle, like pharmacists use, in an old junk shop. Go slow, do small amounts and use gloves and safety glasses. Closed containers only while working. Sift through a screen. It should be fine. :thumbsup:

 

[necchi]

From what I've heard and read,
It's all pretty much a waste of time,,
I mean there's not that much of a gain.
Fast, Reliable ignition isn't about the grain size of the pan/prime powder,, it's about clean-dry frizzen and vent and a proper fittin flint against a proper tempered frizzen.
I've seen plenty of guy's at the firing line talk about their "special mix" of prime powder but I've never seen anything impressive about their powder,,
Know what I mean?
I'm not sayin not to try it,, what da heck huh?

 

[jamesthomas]

I wouldn't do it, All you would do is turn your 3fff into a fine powder. Besides 3fff has worked as well as 4ffff in my flintlock as prime.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

Alright then, thanks for information everyone.

I think I will probably be okay to use triple fine in the pan as I usually do, but I was just curious about this.

The spillway of the pan is smidge above the bottom of the touchhole. I guess it has been reliable enough, as there is no noticeable delay between pan and muzzle during ignition when using the FFFg.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Crushing will not turn 3Fg into 4Fg. Crushing will only crush the powder and give you powder. I personally prefer 4Fg for primer but, fact is, 3Fg will work fine. Don't screw with it. At one time there was a shortage of primer powder. I bought the gizzmo below to make 4Fg. All it did was grind it up into powder. I kept it as a novelty.

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[BigBoreBLR]

If I wanted something finer than 3f to prime and couldn't buy 4f, this is what I would do if I couldn't get 4f.

I would sift out small quantities of 3f at a time through a window screen. Use plastic screen and not aluminum.

If you need to adjust the size to a touch big, either stretch it over a small roller, or pull it around the the corners to deform the pattern a bit.

Powder inc, graf and sons, and other sells powder. Just buy about 10 cans of FFFg and the 11th make FFFFg.

I use 3f when practicing, and 4f when hunting or competing.

 

[wulf]

I can use single F and it works fine for me but you asked about making 4 F...Here's a good easy
way...use a rolling pin an a plate of glass.
Works perfect...No danger and you can see how you
are doing....

 

[dikman]

I agree. Just figure out what size screen you can use on 3F to get the finer bits out, then dump the rest back in with the normal powder.

 

[ChrisHarris]

I'd go buy a pound of 4F. If you don't like it, there's always somebody at the range who will buy it off ya.

 

[badpenny]

bought a mortar and pestle for just that purpose, was a waste of time and money.buy a pound of 4f or just use 3f.

 

[Dphar]

I have been looking for some information on doing this and I thought that I saw it somewhere here on this site, but now I am not sure that it was here.

Normally, I have just used 3fg in my Kentucky flint pistol (for the very few times I have shot it) for both the main charge and for priming the pan; but some people have stated they like to use only 4fg in their priming pans to have a more positive chance for ignition.

Somewhere I read about using the back of a spoon to gently crush 3fg into finer priming powder.

Was it somewhere here on this site in some kind of shooting tips thread?

I would assume you might want to classify the powder through a properly sized fine screen to get a proper granulation to FFFFG.

I would only want enough to fill a small priming flask.

Are there any issues with doing this?

FFF should work with a good lock. I like FFFF better. But I dislike the idea trying to remanufacture BP.
I would contact one of the distributors close to you and ask if there is a dealer in your area that sells BP and find out if they have FFFF or Swiss Null B which is a little finer than FFFF.
Dan
http://www.goexpowder.com/distributors.html http://www.schuetzenpowder.com/locations.php

 

[kopfjaeger]

I have done it many times with a wooden mortar and pestle. But I have also used FFFG Goex as priming powder and have not seen much difference between FFFG and FFFFG.

 

[Zonie]

Why do I see a cartoon of a guy standing there with question marks above his head?

In his hand is a printout of this topic.

In front of him is a 4 inch mortar sitting on the ground with a Colt Dragoon pistol laying on top of it.

:grin:

 

[kopfjaeger]

Why do I see a cartoon of a guy standing there with question marks above his head?

In his hand is a printout of this topic.

In front of him is a 4 inch mortar sitting on the ground with a Colt Dragoon pistol laying on top of it.

:grin:

I don't get it ? If I said something funny let me in on the joke.

 

[Zonie]

Mortar, as in a large short barreled cannon used to lob explosive shells with a large pistol resting on top of it?
OK. It wasn't very funny

No. You didn't say anything funny and it really wasn't directed to you or your answer.
For what it's worth I agree with you.
I don't see any difference between the 3Fg and 4F powder I have either.

IMO there isn't enough difference between 3Fg and 4F powder to be worth the work of trying to crush good powder to make it finer grained.

I suspect a lot of the crushed powder from a mortar and pistil would end up being dust that any damp fouling in the pan would rapidly render useless.

 

[courdebois]

I have probably a can an a half of 4f but when guys come over to my place to plink i always tell them whatever you have in your horn works fine,forcing myself to do the same, i initially did this because my supply is limited an i,m a cheap bugger, but what i have learned that it does not really matter,one less thing to lose at a rondie or out hunting,an that 4f i,ve had for years

 

[54ball]

(for the very few times I have shot it)

In my experience every flintlock I have had, factory or custom had some quirk that had to be worked through. Some where better than others and honestly, either the gun improved or I did as I worked through it and the learning curve. Maybe it was a little of both.

Now my requirements are simple. I want it to go boom and I want it to go boom with either 2ffg or 3fffg as prime and main. No priming horn, no brass spring loaded thingy, no keeping up with different size powders.

Simple simple simple.

Heck I may even add 2f to a nearly empty horn of 3f or vise versa, it just what's available. I suppose mine would function just as well with 1 1/2fg or 1fg, albeit with a little delay but they should light.

Contrary to "conventional" wisdom, my stuff does fine on the courser powders and my vents are not oversize.

IMHO if your shootability is not good, you have to look beyond powder grain size.

 

[kopfjaeger]

I have to say no matter what powder you use 2F, 3F, or 4F for priming I would still use a priming horn of some sort. Because if there is an hot ember in your pan or flash hole that you might have missed seeing I would much rather have a small ( smaller the better ) priming horn explode than my main horn which might have 1/2 to 1 pound of powder in it.

You can always refill your small priming horn from your main horn as needed.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

Well today, while surfing the inventory at TOW, I found where this idea came from.

The spoon crushed powder was a small suggestion not for flint priming pan powder, but rather be used as a nipple priming powder for percussion arms.

The suggestion was for igniting a tough charge and to clear built fouling in the ignition channel of a percussion gun.

It did not really say what size powder would result from doing such a thing, only that it would be crushed powder that could be put in a nipple primer the company sells there.

Still, as I said earlier in this thread, I have no real problems getting the pan to ignite with fffg powder used as both primer and main charge, so there would be no real need for me to use any crushed powder as a priming charge. I was just curious about this.

So thank you everyone for suggestions and advice. :thumbsup: