First Flintlock Pistol

[CKeshen]

I just ordered my first flintlock pistol - a NIB Pedersoli Charles Moore .44 cal smoothbore.

I have several caplock pistols/revolvers, but really don't know much about shooting flint.

Does the gun come with flint or do I need to order some? What size?

Do I need a knapping tool, vent pick and brush? Anything else I need?

I read somewhere that you can use 3F as the main charge and in the pan as well. Is this so?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Robert Egler]

First, congratulations on your new gun! :thumbsup:

I can answer some of your questions. You will have to buy flints. Some people like the sawn flints, some prefer knapped flints. It is harder to re-sharpen sawn flints(by knapping).

You will need to use either leather or lead sheet to hold the flint in the cock. Wrapped around the flint from top to bottom over the back of the flint, like a sideways U.

I use a small length of 1/8 inch brass rod for knapping. You can use a paperclip as a vent pick, and yes, 3F can be used as both the main charge and the primer powder

 

[CKeshen]

Thanks for your response.

In looking at loading data on the Pedersoli website I noticed that for every gun that they offer in a smoothbore version, they recommend a higher powder charge than for the same caliber gun in a rifled version. All things being equal, smoothbores seem to require more powder. Why is that? On a rifled barrel does the patch gripping the rifling create a better gas seal and hence higher velocity?

 

[pargent]

:thumbsup:

 

[aross007]

I commented in the le-page load thread as well, but will add my opinions here to your other questions. I find that all flintlocks need slightly heavier charges for accuracy, which I attribute to the open touch hole sapping some of the energy. I also notice that when you seat the ball in a flintlock some of the powder comes out of the touchhole and makes a mess on the loading stand. Patched ball in a smoothbore also doesn't seal as well as you suggested, which argues for heavier charges. I have seen some International shooters who shoot smoothbores without a patch on the ball. They roll the ball on a large rasp to rough up the surface, and shoot it that way with very heavy charges. I have one friend whose smoothbore won't group with less than about 45gr of powder. I have been pleasantly surprised that my smoothbore shoots very well with "only" 27 gr of 3F.
I use lead to make the flint "wrap" and get it by taking a hammer to a round ball. I use music wire to make nipple picts (hobby store for model airplanes) but if it will fit a paper clip will work fine. 3F will work fine in the pan.

No need for a brush, just wipe the pan with a dry patch. I knap with a small brass hammer (see TotW.) Others use a brass punch and hit it with a hammer. Block under the cock with one of your fingers, and make sure the frizzen is up when you hit the flint (don't ask how I know you should do that!)

JMHO,
Alan

 

[Musketeer]

Yep, Track of the Wolf has lots of flints, from sawn to English to amber. I like their Tom Fuller English flints, personally, but it's good to experiment with each gun and see what it likes. As was said, if you end up going with sawn flints, they can't be knapped, but need to be sharpened on a stone like a chisel. Diamond stones are about the only thing hard enough. I was using a 4"x1" DMT coarse stone, but I recently tried out KME Sharpener's Gold Series 4"x1" diamond plates and prefer them (use 'em for my knife blades, too).

Not having seen the gun in the flesh, I can't say for sure on size, but most full size pistols are gonna use something in the 1/2" to 5/8" width range. ToTW may be able to tell you what size the Moore uses, but if not, just try a variety of flints of each type (sawn, English, and amber) in that range and see what works.

 

[M. De Land]

I prefer to make my nipple picks out of soft black wire with a radius nose rather than of hard steel and a sharp point.
There are several reasons, I want to push the hole clean to full diameter and I don't want to deform it. I also don't want to spear the other side of the barrel, opposite the flash hole, with a sharp and hard piece of steel by accident. Mike D.

 

[Wes/Tex]

TOTW can indeed tell you which flint size you need and have all the goodies you could need to with it.

 

[Ken Cormier]

Congrats on your new pistola. I would suggest that you look thru the shooting flintlock tips. Lots of good info. Be careful what you buy as I have a box full of stuff that I though I had to have LOL. Could have bought a lot of powder and flints with that money. Yes a vent pick and a brush is handy but you can make do with a paper clip and a patch. Just remember to have have fun and stick with the rock lock.