First Flintlock Experience

[bstarkey]

Greetings all,
I've been lurking here awhile and absorbing lots of information. A few months past I inquired about makers and suggestions for my first flintlock. I ended up getting a Southern Mountain Style, 50 cal 44" swamped rice barrel, with Davis double triggers, made by Nate McKenzie and can be seen on the makers blog. She balances beautifully. http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2009/09/nate-mckenzie-rifle.html Thanks to all for your suggestions and comments.

Well today was the first time I ever shot a flintlock and it was a blast (no pun intended). I do have a few questions though.

Shooting:
Ignition was almost instantaneous, but I did not a few shot there seemed to be some shots that may have ignited a tad quicker than others. I did have two misfires, but after cleaning the touch hole better with a toothpick and adding powder to the pan, shot went off. I was a little pressed for time (Razorback game today) but was able to get close to a hunting load.

The target was 40 yds, 70 gr. FFFG Schuetzen powder, PRB. Rifle was shot as is with no sight adjustments. I did not have a comfortable rest, but good enough or better than what I'll have for hunting. Question is what can I expect for this load at a range up to 75yds? The season starts in a few weeks and I'm pressed for range time. Last target was sitting down with no rest at 40 yds. Will this load be adequate for deer?

Cleaning:
Now for my cleaning experience. What a mess. My rifle got soaked and I just can't seem to get all the light brown residue out no matter how much I cleaned the barrel. The patch is my last with the residue that I'm referring to. Will the water affect the wood?

Any additional comments or suggestions for my next shooting venture. I probably wouldn't have made it this far without the help of the forum.

Thanks again,
Bob

 

[rabjr]

Greetings all,
I've been lurking here awhile and absorbing lots of information. A few months past I inquired about makers and suggestions for my first flintlock. I ended up getting a Southern Mountain Style, 50 cal 44" swamped rice barrel, with Davis double triggers, made by Nate McKenzie and can be seen on the makers blog. She balances beautifully. http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2009/09/nate-mckenzie-rifle.html Thanks to all for your suggestions and comments.

Well today was the first time I ever shot a flintlock and it was a blast (no pun intended). I do have a few questions though.

Shooting:
Ignition was almost instantaneous, but I did not a few shot there seemed to be some shots that may have ignited a tad quicker than others. I did have two misfires, but after cleaning the touch hole better with a toothpick and adding powder to the pan, shot went off. I was a little pressed for time (Razorback game today) but was able to get close to a hunting load.

The target was 40 yds, 70 gr. FFFG Schuetzen powder, PRB. Rifle was shot as is with no sight adjustments. I did not have a comfortable rest, but good enough or better than what I'll have for hunting. Question is what can I expect for this load at a range up to 75yds? The season starts in a few weeks and I'm pressed for range time. Last target was sitting down with no rest at 40 yds. Will this load be adequate for deer?

Cleaning:
Now for my cleaning experience. What a mess. My rifle got soaked and I just can't seem to get all the light brown residue out no matter how much I cleaned the barrel. The patch is my last with the residue that I'm referring to. Will the water affect the wood?

Any additional comments or suggestions for my next shooting venture. I probably wouldn't have made it this far without the help of the forum.

Thanks again,
Bob

Grats on the new gun, looks like a very nice shooter. That load seems reasonable as long you do your part, however I hate to see someone say this, "The season starts in a few weeks and I'm pressed for range time." You should shoot as much as possible but I'm sure you know that already.

Long as you keep the gun within where it's accurate so you can make a clean kill you should be fine.

 

[bstarkey]

Thanks Swampy...the gun will shoot better than me. I've been around firearms most of my life and pretty proficient with modern firearms. I know what you mean about the more shooting the better. I would be pretty upset if I wounded an animal. I do plan to keep my shots under 75 yds. I'll be able to get in another afternoon of shooting next weekend.
Bob

 

[SAJones]

Cleaning: did you clean out the barrel before you shot it? Could be traces of the preservative used by the barrelmaker. Also I've noticed the artificial lubes like bore butter will leave almost uncleanable traces in the bore: I just get all the black out, so my final patches will have a residue before I recoat the bore w/ the lube. Also, water will not hurt the wood. I've been out all day in the rains of Oregon w/ not problems (except my flintlock wouldn't fire the first time: learned how to avoid that problem)

Nice looking firelock; good luck.

 

[bstarkey]

Fergetful,
Go Vandals (Class of '94)! I was wondering the same thing about the residue. I did run a dry patch down the barrel before shooting and it had a bit of brown on it. So if I understand correctly, as long as there is no black, I'm good to go?

About the water, I did notice a bit of minor swelling in the wood in a few spots (around some inletting). Is this to be expected?

Bob

 

[Stumpkiller]

The target was 40 yds, 70 gr. FFFG Schuetzen powder, PRB. Will this load be adequate for deer?

Should be good out to 75 or 80 yards. 70 gr is on the light side for a .50 cal. load but you appear to have the accuracy to get it in the vitals (your groups will be about double at that range).

 

[rabjr]

Fergetful,
Go Vandals (Class of '94)! I was wondering the same thing about the residue. I did run a dry patch down the barrel before shooting and it had a bit of brown on it. So if I understand correctly, as long as there is no black, I'm good to go?

About the water, I did notice a bit of minor swelling in the wood in a few spots (around some inletting). Is this to be expected?

Bob

You might want to consider sealing the wood around the lock and breech area if it isn't already, which I susprct it isn't.

You can plug the vent with a tooth pick while cleaning which will stop water from running out of the vent, a doubled over patch covering the vent with the frizzen closed ontop can help some but not much.

There is a clamp on unit that covered the vent/nipple and a hose goes into a bucket and using a syfine action cleans the gun but some find it don't fit their gun very well. I can't say much about it I actually have one but its still new in the package, never used it.

I'm a non-water guy I block off the vent and use patches soaked with Black Solve until clean. I then dry and lube the barrel. Couple days later I clean again and relube just to make sure. But I usually tend to fondle my guns at least twice a month, sometimes once a month, run a patch, make sure everything is fine. :thumbsup:

 

[MikeChapin]

70 grains of 3F in a .50 will got though the chest of a large mule deer at 70 yards, breaking ribs on both sides. It should do alright on pigs also.

You didn't mention what you were doing to clean the rifle. If you were using hot water to clean, you may be getting flash rusting. Use room temperature water if that's the case. I pull the lock when I clean so I can get to everything more easily. The first nasty patch out of the barrel gets put in the pan and I close the frizzen on it. That allows that area to soak a little while I'm cleaning the rest of the rifle. I tie a paper towel or shop rag around the breech to catch the crud coming out of the touch hole.

Congrats on the new rifle. It looks like a sweetheart.

 

[Trench]

What can you expect from your load and that rifle? A dead deer. :thumbsup:

 

[zampilot]

I agree, venison city with that group, easily! :bow:

 

[Billnpatti]

That's one fine looking rifle. I'm just a tad bit green with envy :grin: . For distances up to a little over 50 yards, your load should be fine but don't push your distance too far until you have had a chance to work up a little heavier load. The accuracy is fine as long as you do your part.

My cleaning regamine is to run several patches with a good black powder solvent on them through the bore, before leaving the range, until they come out pretty clean. They will likely never come out nice and pristine white like they go in. This will get out the heavy crud but there will still be some lurking down around the breach. To get out the last of the crud, you will need to use some soapy water. I like mine hot but some seem to prefer it to be cold. Plug your touch hole and pour in a few ounces of soapy water and use your range rod with a cleaning patch on it to pump the water up and down in a flushing action. Dump out the soapy water and add some more. Keep doing this until your water comes out pretty clean. Now rinse your bore with clean water, again, I prefer hot water....boiling, actually. I flush the bore with the boiling water and then stand the rifle up in a position with the bore down so it can drain. Let it drain for a minute or two and then spray a goodly amount of WD-40 into the bore. Empty and drain out the WD-40 and run several dry patches through the bore to remove the WD-40. Its purpose is to remove any residual water. It is not intended, nor should it be used as, a rust preventive. Once you have swabbed the bore with the dry patches, use a couple patches saturated with a good gun oil through your bore and you are done with the bore cleaning. Now clean the outside, coat it with a good gun oil and it is ready to be put away. I like to fiddle with my guns so they always get a follow up cleaning in a week or two and I almost always find some stain on my first couple patches. I think the gun oil lifts residual stuff out of the pores of the barrel while it is sitting in my gunsafe.

This is what works for me but it is certainly not the only way and may not be the best way but it is what has worked for me for over 40 years of shooting muzzleloaders. You can pick any gun in my safe and will find a little bit of normal wear but the bore and workings look as good as the day that they came from the store. How do you argue with success? Just my opinion. Its free and worth every penny of it. :haha: :thumbsup:

 

[boar]

Nice rifle. When you are cleaning it always hold the gun sideways with lock toward the ground, so if some fluid leaks out around the toothpick it won't leak in between the lock and barrel. I pull the pick and drain the barrel this way after tilting the gun,with finger over muzzle. I tried some TC No 13 the other day and it done a good job. I used it on a gun that I had cleaned and it got more dirty stuff out. Was impressed with it. Dilly

 

[bstarkey]

Thanks for the comments fellas. I guess I should be getting a cleaner patch, nothing with any brown whatsoever? I've picked up some good tips on the next cleaning.

At the range I would swap with a little TC black powder bore cleaner and there was quite a bit of black fouling between every few shots. Is this normal? I'm not real familiar with Schuetzen BP but it was available and supposed to be good stuff.

I'll admit, I kinda excited about hunting with the gun and I'm sure there will be lots of interest from some of the other guys in camp.

Bob

 

[hanshi]

I guess I do at least some of everything that has been mentioned. I use warm, soapy water for the most part and often use a little Black Solve, myself. Black Solve is really great on powder fouling and makes a great patch lube, too.

I'm becoming something of a non believer in the flash rusting theory. While I don't doubt it may sometimes happen, it appears there may be more to the story. Like mentioned previously I, too, feel the cleaning process is mostly over when no black is found on the patches. The gray to yellow stain on patches, IMHO, is largely a result of oil/lube traces bound to the bore & inside micro scratches & pores in the steel. I occasionally use JB Bore Paste which ALWAYS gets out gunk even when the patches have come out very clean. I never get an absolutely clean, white patch from a bore.

I also constantly fiddle with my firelocks and run oiled patches down the bores frequently. I have a 45 year old barrel that is absolutely perfect after countless firings and cleanings. While I admit to being somewhat OCD I also suspect we make too much of the cleaning process.