First time shooting my flintlock-- Is it too Slow?

[Greebe]

Just wanted to thank all of you for your advise on helping me learn more about my flintlock and giving me some tips on shooting and tuning my rifle. I should be able to go out Saturday and do some more shooting. I will try to take a video of me firing the rifle so you guys can judge if it is functioning well. I will update everyone after shooting it again.

Thanks,
Greebe

 

[Billnpatti]

I think 0.073 is too large. I really wouldn't go much larger than .0623 (1/16").

 

[Zonie]

If we were talking about a .40 cal. or smaller I probably would agree that 1/16 diameter would be close to a max size.

With a .54 and the large powder charges they use, IMO a .073 diameter touch hole should be about right.

 

[Billnpatti]

The rubbing is likely due to your inletting being just a fraction of an inch off in the frizzen area. You might try a paper shim between thelock and the wood to see if this helps. If it does, you can then use something like a wood shaving and a good glue to replace some of the extra wood that you removed. Also, do not make the mistake that is so common and that is to overtighten the lock bolts. Doing so will compress the wood in the lock area over time and cause your lock to do things like you are now seeing. If you choose to file the frizzen, a file may not cut the frizzen steel and you may have to resort to something like a Dremmel tool to carefully grind the metal away.

 

[Greebe]

Thanks. The problem is that the frizzen is wider than the pan. Since I inletted the pan right up against the barrel it is rubbing just a hair. Moving the lock out will make a gap between the pan and barrel, so I think I will just use a small grinding stone in my Foredom Flex shaft. It will not need very much just a hair removed.

 

[Greebe]

BTW, I made an aluminum ramrod last night and a muzzle protector. Made it so that it can be used in place of the wood ramrod when at the range. I Will post a separate post about it once I figure out where to post it.

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

Greebe, May I recommend you use brass or steel rather than aluminum. Aluminum is an abrasive material that will be rubbing against your barrel. I don’t think you want that.

 

[Greebe]

OK, time for photo's.

Here is where the flint was hitting with a leather jaw liner. It is hitting below the 1/2 way mark.

And here it is with a lead strip hitting further up. The picture is taken more from the top than the side so it looks lower than it actually is.

I would think this should help. I tried firing it without powder and it is making a lot more sparks now. It probably does not hurt that I knapped the flint to a nice sharp straight edge either.

Greebe

 

[nchawkeye]

You need some flints, black English...Also, that first leather wrap is too thick and too large, trim it to the size of the top plate...

Finally, the flint is hitting the frizzen too low, it should hit about 1/3 down from the top of the frizzen...That is a problem with lock geometry...

 

[Pete G]

Follow through is a big deal in any shooting, but especially so with a flintlock. Whenever I offer to let someone try a shot with one of my guns there is always the comment about the "lag". Perhaps they are expecting it, so it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, or they are watching the lock for the flash. Invaribly their shot goes low, which indicates a flinch. Get a better flint and burn plenty of powder. You will be fine. These things take some trigger time to work out, but usually the biggest problem with a flintlock is its attachment to the ground.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Leather don't spark so good. :wink: Yep, that first pic the leather is way too thick, find something thinner. Then set the flint a bit further out. I set mine so the flint is just not quite touching the frizzen when closed and hammer at half-cock.
You are thinking and doing for yerself. Congrats. Very often folks come here thinking all their problems can be solved at the keyboard. Enjoy and let us know how things work out for you.

 

[Billnpatti]

I can't add to what nchawkeye said other than to say "Yep. Nailed it."

 

[Greebe]

Finally, the flint is hitting the frizzen too low, it should hit about 1/3 down from the top of the frizzen...That is a problem with lock geometry...

Yes this is something I had mentioned that I Thought was wrong with the lock in the beginning of this post. Seems like the cock needs to be bent back a bit to bring where the flint is hitting the frizzen up.

Only problem with that is I wonder if it would then mess up the arch of the flint scraping down the curve of the frizzen?

That do you think?

Thanks,
Greebe

 

[Greebe]

Thanks, I fancy myself a thinker and doer. :grin:

 

[Greebe]

Alright, so here is a little field report from yesterdays field time. I say field time in stead of range time since I was shooting in the middle of a hay field. :thumbsup:

Anyways I made some homemade lube to take this time out and that made loading so much easier. I made a variation of the Moose snot which let me shoot 11 shots without whipping the bore. The last shot was as easy as the first. Stuff was so much better than using Crisco like I did last time out. Plus clean up was a breeze.

Now on to the shooting. I shot this time at 30 yards, which I know is pretty close, but I am learning the whole flintlock thing so 30 for my second time out seemed like a good place to shoot. Load again was just 60gr Goex FFFg, with both pan and main charge.

I started by shooting standing and then went to a pair of homemade shooting sticks. The first 9 shots were at paper, and the last two were are some pieces of 2x4. Off of the sticks I was shooting pretty tight groups. Here is the last three shots on paper. It measures less then 1-1/4".

Also I recovered 5 patches. Funny thing is that they showed more black fowling marks yesterday than this morning when I took the photo. Don't quite understand that, but here they are anyways. The side you are looking at is the powder side. Looks good, now gas leakage past the bullet and the patches are intact.

One other problem I found is that the flint dulled real quick. After about 6 shots the flint was failing to ignite the pan. I did a quick knap job on the flint and it fired the rest of the shots first time. I wonder if this is just the cheap flint, or if this is the angle at which the flint is striking the frizzen since it is hitting lower then 2/3's from the top?

Still feel like this lock need tweaking.

Thanks again everyone for your help.

Greebe

 

[nchawkeye]

Getting better, did she seem to go off quicker???

I'm not a fan of factory guns, never owned one...Is there a lock out there that can replace the one you have, if not, I'd get a spare cock and heat and bend....I'd also order some black English flints...

 

[MSW]

sounds like you're on the right track, but that flint- oid thingie you have in the photo of your lock appears to be a cut agate.

insert tirade here: suffice it to say that I think flintoid agate thingies ought to be banned by act of Congress (heck, they aren't doing very much productive anyway) ...

I wouldn't tinker with the bend in the neck of the cock until i'd completely exhausted the flint 'angle:' first, get a proper Black English or French amber flint... the suggestion about carving a bit of wood until it fits the cock (for width) and hits the frizzen about a third of the way from the tip when the rifle is at half cock is a good one ... this way, you'll have the correct size and you can talk to the very knowledgeable and accommodating folks at Track.

let us know how things turn out!

:v

 

[Greebe]

It seemed to shoot about the same I think. It might be a smidge faster, but I think it might just be me getting used to a flintlock.

L&R makes a replacement lock, but I do not know if I want to put the money into this rifle. I think I would rather save the money towards buying a rifle kit in the next few months.

 

[Greebe]

Yeah whatever this rock I am using in the place of flint is junk. So you think it is agate eh? Once I get some English flint ordered from TOTW I will smash this one into little pieces with a hammer. :grin:

I did try a piece of 3/4" long piece of wood in place of the flint to see if that would raise where it hit any. It did but only about about a 1/16". I am not sure that I could put a longer flint in this lock or not?

 

[Greebe]

BTW, at what angle should the flint contact the frizzen?