FFF or FFFF?

[theoldsow]

For priming the pan, what is better, 3F or 4F powder? Cheers, Foxtail

 

[mushka]

I have two .62-20 smoothbore guns and a .54 cal rifle, all flintlocks. I use 3F for the load as well as the pan. The one powder granulation works well for both for me.

 

[Carbon 6]

"Better" is a qualitative term set forth by a set of criteria. What criteria are you using ?

 

[Crow-Feather]

I can see the headlines now. "GOEX 3f determined better for flintlocks than their 4f powder". I would imagine that powder companies have some sort of proof to back up their claim that 4f produces faster ignition time.

 

[Carbon 6]

My vent hole is now self priming, so it's 3fff for me, but I think 4ffff is faster.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My personal preference is FFFFg. But, in reality, anything in a smoothie is fine. Do yer own thang.

 

[Tom Compton]

FFg main charge FFFFg in the pan.

 

[Cruzatte]

The only reason I use 4fg at all is because some one gave me a pound of the stuff. Being a percussion shooter, he had no use for the stuff. So I use it. And when it's gone, I'll prime with 2fg from my powder horn.

 

[Griz44Mag]

For priming the pan, what is better, 3F or 4F powder? Cheers, Foxtail

3F in the pan. 2f or 3F in the bore depending on caliber.....

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I have used 3F, 4F and Null B (about 7F) Swiss. All work. If in a serious competition, I use the Null B. In really damp conditions, a clean, dry pan is absolutely necessary or the fine powders go to soup. That is one instance where I have found the 3F to be a better option. But since I clean my pan after every shot, it is not a huge issue.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[tenngun]

High speed slo-mo photography has shown four to be faster then three, but not at speed human senses can notice. The touch hole and how you fill you pan is more important.

 

[Yewbender]

I use 2, 3, and 4F in the pan depending on weather and humidity. Target/plinking i use 3 or 4F. Hunting is 2 or 3F depending on which flinter as it’s easier to prime from the powder horn.

 

[hanshi]

I've always used 4F for priming, mostly out of habit. I'll likely continue to do so. There have been times I had to prime with 3F and couldn't detect any difference.

 

[Roughneck]

I use 4F or Null B

 

[NorthFork]

ffffg. But fffg or ffg works too. I THINK I can tell the difference between ffffg and fffg. Definitely can tell a difference between ffffg and ffg in my flintlocks.

 

[rusty]

I prime with fffg seems to work well for me

 

[Blaze]

ffffg

 

[garypl]

I keep my priming horn filled with Null B or 4F mixed with a little 3F. Seems to work better in the high humidity in Georgia.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Zonie has posted a link to Larry Pletcher's study of lock timing. As @tenngun stated earlier, 4f is faster that 3f, but it takes sophisticated instrumentation to detect the difference in timing.

If your interested, those high speed camera tests were done by one of our members. Check out the posts on the forum made by a man called Larry Pletcher.
He ran the tests and wrote the articles.

Here's a link to his home directory where you can find a list of posts he's made.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/members/larry-pletcher.6506/

I know that when I shoot my flintlocks I think that I can detect a slight delay. If I let someone else shoot my flint lock rifle, I don't hear any delay.

 

[Art Caputo]

I use FFFG, but, when hunting, if time is a factor, or in wet conditions, I’ll prime FFFG from my horn.