First time shooting issue

[Brett K]

I took my deerstalker to the range for the first time tonight. I was shooting 60g of 3f. It was cool and very humid with some occasional drizzling. The issue I was having was frequently not getting the pan to ignite. When it did, it shot fine. I had to keep wiping the pan due to a bit of condensation. Would using 4f in the pan help under siilar conditions when hunting?

 

[ccmountainman]

possibly but not likely
Doubt it was the humidity causing condensation.
More likely it was the drizzle just collecting.
They make a product called a Cow's knee for when
hunting.
This keeps the pan and hammer / lock covered until you are ready to shoot.

 

[rr11]

Shooting a flint in the rain is always a tricky item. At the range I would keep the pan covered until ready to shoot. When hunting I keep my lock under my coat.

 

[S.Kenton]

I try and keep my lock positioned between my upper arm and my torso while stalking in the woods. That keeps the pan fairly dry, at least that works for me.

 

[Tom Compton]

Getting sparks but no flash or simply no sparks. If the last what kind of flint?
TC

 

[Stumpkiller]

Make (or buy) a "cow's knee". It's a piece of waxed leather that covers the lock until you are ready to shoot.

I've had locks that were reliable with FFg prime, and use FFFg in my .54 rifle so I only need the one horn. I use FFFFg in my fowler. Mostly because I have a nice little flat priming horn that I like and a little more room in the shooting bag for that gun.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Getting sparks but no flash or simply no sparks. If the last what kind of flint?
TC

Tell us more. What kind of lock? Some locks will produce sparks that don't fall into the prime. Failure to spark could be a bad lock and/or bad flint. Flint placement could also be a factor. There are many reasons why we love to hate our flintlocks. :grin:

 

[Brett K]

It is a brand new Lyman Deerstalker. I plan on shooting again in drier conditions to help narrow down the issue.

 

[tenngun]

Wet weather, and even very humid weather turns b p fouling in to greasy gunk. When ever its moist you need to swab tween shots, clean touch hole and dry out the pan tween every shot. Rain won't stop a ml but will slow them down.

 

[Rifleman1776]

It is a brand new Lyman Deerstalker. I plan on shooting again in drier conditions to help narrow down the issue.

OK, still the lock could be questionable. Flint locks on factory made rifles are often unreliable. Do try different flints and positioning. You may need a tune up on that lock.

 

[EC121]

The fouling will draw water out of the air. In Alabama I've had water almost standing in the pan on a humid day without a cloud in sight. I just wiped the pan and poked dry powder in the touch hole. Worked fine.

 

[Tom Compton]

Getting sparks but no flash or simply no sparks. If the last what kind of flint?
TC

Tell us more. What kind of lock? Some locks will produce sparks that don't fall into the prime. Failure to spark could be a bad lock and/or bad flint. Flint placement could also be a factor. There are many reasons why we love to hate our flintlocks. :grin:

Does the lock spark reliably? A bunch of sparks? Do they center on the pan? Unloaded of course, get someone to cycle the lock in near dark while u look from the side.

Usually if the lock isn't sparking good or at all. Number 1 cause is the flint itself.

Get some good black English flints or some of Rich Pierce's white ones the same width as the frizzen. Try same near dark tests as above w bevel up and down. Move flint closer to the frizzen and do bevel up and down again.

Post 2 pics of lock from the side. One on half cock w frizzen closed and other w cock and frizzen forward.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Yeah and each hand knapped flint is a little bit different than the next hand knapped flint. One flint may work bevel up for a while, and then need to go bevel down etc. That's why when you change flints you need to test spark them a couple of times before you load a charge. Worst thing in the world is to be in front of game and just hear a click. Well, almost the worst.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

And DON'T use 4Fg in humid weather, drizzly, or wet conditions. The finer granulation absorbs more moisture out of the air much more quickly than the larger 3Fg and 2Fg granulations. It will turn to a soup quite quickly in the conditions you describe.

Also make sure your flint is striking the frizzen at a 55° to 60° angle to get lots of sparks without the need to constantly be knapping the edge of the flint. Turn it bevel up or bevel down, move it forward or backward in the jaws. Do whatever it takes to get the 55° to 60° angle. It will usually strike the frizzen 1/4 to 1/2 the way down the face of the frizzen and that's fine. Out of everything else I've done, adjusting that flint position made the biggest difference in reliability of firing my flintlocks.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I clean everything between shots. pan, bottom of frizzen, frizzen face, and the underside of the flint. Sometimes I even seal the pan with beeswax.
then I tuck the gun and lock up under my coat to keep it dry.

 

[Billnpatti]

That condensation is common under humid conditions regardless of what granulation you are putting in your pan. You just have to keep a rag handy and wipe the pan and frizzen after each shot. When you are shooting under such humid conditions, you will benefit by going to a coarser granulation of powder such as 3f in your pan. The usual fine powders such as 4f will be more sensitive to any moisture in your pan and may be more prone to mis-fires or hang fires. You will not be able to tell any difference in ignition time between 3f and 4f in your pan. Many people will not even carry a separate horn or charger with 4f powder but simply sprinkle a bit of 3f from their horn into the pan. It works fine with no discernable difference in ignition time.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Twisted, CC and B&P, you are all right/wrong, well yes/no, maybe and sometimes...whatever.
We are talking flintlocks and black powder here. You all have illustrated that there are no absolutes in this game except that there are no absolutes.
For me, maybe not you, I use, and like 4Fg primer in all weather. It is not the primer that absorbs moisture, it is the burned residue. If hunting in wet weather, I pray for that one shot kill because I know loading and firing a second shot will be a chancy thing. On the range in similar weather I just try to wipe out the pan between shots and hope my cussing will help ignition.

 

[MacRob46]

It is a brand new Lyman Deerstalker. I plan on shooting again in drier conditions to help narrow down the issue.

OK, still the lock could be questionable. Flint locks on factory made rifles are often unreliable. Do try different flints and positioning. You may need a tune up on that lock.

Could be but Brett already said it was cool, humid and drizzling. It sounds more like wet fouling and wet powder causing irregular ignition. That can happen with even the best locks if care is not taken to prevent moisture buildup in the pan. I do agree he should try the FFF in the pan rather than FFFF to see if it is better.

 

[Tom Compton]

Twisted, CC and B&P, you are all right/wrong, well yes/no, maybe and sometimes...whatever.
We are talking flintlocks and black powder here. You all have illustrated that there are no absolutes in this game except that there are no absolutes.
For me, maybe not you, I use, and like 4Fg primer in all weather. It is not the primer that absorbs moisture, it is the burned residue. If hunting in wet weather, I pray for that one shot kill because I know loading and firing a second shot will be a chancy thing. On the range in similar weather I just try to wipe out the pan between shots and hope my cussing will help ignition.

X2 R1776. I loaded my .54 w 90 gr FFg the night before season openedNov1. Had it in the truck, on 4 whlr or on stand till Mon pm. Primed null-b real BP (finer than 4f) each time an wiped out pan for transport, didn't plug the vent. Drizzled fri 12/12 all day but rained all the way back to camp. Gun was in a leather scabbard on the 4 whlr for 30 min in the rain. Decided yesterday to discharge so primed w the null-b and was rewarded w fast solid recoil.