Fired my first flintlock shot

[Hatless_]

Back in February I made a post about getting my first flintlock and asked for advices, thanks for everyone who chimed in and helped. After eight eventful months I finally got my hands on this beauty and fired it down the range, and it was absolutely amazing.

Of course, it wasn't smooth sailing all the way through, there are "technical difficulties" that I didn't know I would be facing. I know that most of the people here won't need to hear all these, but I'll still write them down for record's sake.

• Despite Triple 7 market themselves toward black power firearm users, they are NOT flintlock friendly. I still managed to get my hands on a bottle of genuine black power so I can prime and get the gun going. (before you ask "why not just get real black powder in the first place", the only place I can get it have shipping charge higher than the powder itself)
• Pedersoli only provides a lead jaw pad, which does not hold the flint tightly in the few strikes I attempted. Currently I am using a piece of folded paper, until I can get some scrap leather.
• Striking the frizzen without a flint will cause the upper jaw screw to hit the top of the frizzen and bend and become difficult to loosen/tighten, I had to strike it again on the opposite direction to ''unbend'' it and restore function.
• Flint breaks after only a few strikes, read that it can be due to a tight frizzen/spring. plan is to oil the frizzen screw and manually open and close the frizzen a few hundreds times, hoping that'd help.

Overall, great experience, will definitely go to the range with it again to get better at it.

 

[tenngun]

You can add a booster of five to ten grains of black under your main charge of triple 7
It is a good idea to polish all your berring points. A grinding compound is good for this
I would hazard your flints are breaking due to the paper, you need that leather
You started a fun journey

 

[Phil Coffins]

Often the flint is broken by the frizzen rebounding after the flint strikes the frizzen. To combat this use a piece of leather that extends over the top of the flint to nearly the edge of the flint. When the lock fires and the frizzen rebounds it will hit the leather rather than the flint thus saving the flint.

 

[TDM]

Good advice above, keep at it and the answers will come. Congratulations.

 

[Togo]

Back in February I made a post about getting my first flintlock and asked for advices, thanks for everyone who chimed in and helped. After eight eventful months I finally got my hands on this beauty and fired it down the range, and it was absolutely amazing. View attachment 261754
Of course, it wasn't smooth sailing all the way through, there are "technical difficulties" that I didn't know I would be facing. I know that most of the people here won't need to hear all these, but I'll still write them down for record's sake.

• Despite Triple 7 market themselves toward black power firearm users, they are NOT flintlock friendly. I still managed to get my hands on a bottle of genuine black power so I can prime and get the gun going. (before you ask "why not just get real black powder in the first place", the only place I can get it have shipping charge higher than the powder itself)
• Pedersoli only provides a lead jaw pad, which does not hold the flint tightly in the few strikes I attempted. Currently I am using a piece of folded paper, until I can get some scrap leather.
• Striking the frizzen without a flint will cause the upper jaw screw to hit the top of the frizzen and bend and become difficult to loosen/tighten, I had to strike it again on the opposite direction to ''unbend'' it and restore function.
• Flint breaks after only a few strikes, read that it can be due to a tight frizzen/spring. plan is to oil the frizzen screw and manually open and close the frizzen a few hundreds times, hoping that'd help.

Overall, great experience, will definitely go to the range with it again to get better at it.

Leather should be easy to find, old work gloves, shoes from a second hand store.

 

[Trot]

You're on your way. I'd get rid of that paper and find some leather as soon as possible. The paper could catch fire from the flash.

 

[French Colonial]

If the screw is hitting the frizzen the flint needs to be set out in the jaws further.
Find some leather, old gloves, wife's old purse, get creative and wrap that flint,

 

[rchas]

Welcome to the dark side.....

You may develop selective amnesia regarding percussion caps and unmentionables....whatever they might be.

 

[wiscoaster]

Leather should be easy to find, old work gloves, shoes from a second hand store.

Yes. I make mine from strips cut from old worn-out mocassins. The strips need to be pounded well with hammer on anvil because they're just a little bit thick. Cut a little slot in the middle of the back for the jaw screw so the leather and flint sit a little further back into the jaws.

.... it was absolutely amazing.

Grows on ya, doesn't it?