First Time With a Flintlock

[PowderMonkey]

So i got my flintlock quite a while ago but i have finally got everything i need to go shoot it. The flintlock is a Lyman GPR in .50 cal.

I have shot a percussion before a long time ago, it went fine and i enjoyed it but never a flintlock. My question is how much FFFFg powder is required in the pan to make the charge go off?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Everybody seems to think about 3 grains is the magic number. I vary it with different guns depending on pan size, touch hole size and location, phases of the moon and other less than serious reasons! :wink: Actually, it doesn't take a whole lot of priming, unless there's something going on. Also a lot of varied thought on whether it should be neat the touch hole of away from it. I favor 'away' but it's what works best, or did in the gun I'd had for years. Part of the fun is working up the best load and techniques to use. Basically, the problem with using too much priming powder is that it fills the touch hole and will act like a fuse. It still goes off but takes just a smigeon longer...some smigeons being longer than others! :wink: Remember to have fun! :thumbsup:

 

[PowderMonkey]

Thanks for the info. Glad you mentioned about filling the touch hole as i did not know it could act as a fuse and cause delay.

Hope to get out there this weekend and give it a try. Thanks again.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Some folks use a thin pick (metal, toothpick or feather stem) to clean teh touch hole and loosen the charge just inside. Though I use similar to keep the touch hole open, if I can see the powder grains in the touch hole...it's on-with-the-show! :wink:

 

[Treestalker]

Think of an atom bomb plume, the heat rises and expands from your pile of priming, the heat slamming into the touch hole from the fireball. If that hole is open, the charge in the gun is toast. That's why the touch hole should be just above the level of the pan, and gently coned from the outside to funnel the firestorm. Instant Kharma! Treestalker. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[Mickc01]

Here's my scientific term of measure for the priming pan...a little smidge. And I'd recommend just using the 3f for both the main charge and the for the pan. Just my 2 cents....Mick C, have fun!! :hatsoff:

 

[nchawkeye]

It depends upon who built it...I fill mine up...If the touch hole is in the proper position then it is above the top of the pan...It is covered by the heel of the frizzen when closed so it can't plug with powder...

If the touch hole is too low, you might have to play with how much powder to use...

 

[Semisane]

I have two GP flinters, a .50 and a .54. Both do fine with the pan about half full.

 

[Col. Batguano]

What about when it's half empty? :stir:

 

[bpd303]

Half full...half empty, still makes a larger flash & distraction than my little smidge of ffffg. I need all the help I can get to control flinch.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

My question is how much FFFFg powder is required in the pan to make the charge go off?

Strictly speaking, none. All you need is one good spark from the frizzen (properly called the hammer in period terminology) to bounce into the touch hole and land on a grain of powder to make it fire. Of course, that's not very reliable. Almost all of us have had that happen accidentally at some time, and some have tested to see how often it happens. I strongly suspect that it varies with the specifics of both the touch-hole and the lock. I've only tried it repeatedly with my Pedersoli Kentucky and and got discharge maybe 1 in every 6 to 8 tries with a good flint, but I've heard others report firing as often as 1 in 4 or 1 in 3 times. I suspect the Manton locks and White Lightning liners on my fowler would likely be closer to the latter but I keep forgetting to try it.

This is basically to emphasize the need for care whenever you have a charge in the barrel to prevent accidental discharge. This may involve variously plugging or covering the touch hole, using a hammer stall (frizzen stall or cover), leaving the hammer (frizzen) open and cock down, etc. That said, it's not hard to be safe with a flintlock, you just have to pay attention to somewhat more things than you might with some other types of firearms, just like you have to for reliability. Welcome to the flinter's learning curve, and I hope it goes smoothly and you have fun.

Regards,
Joel

 

[MSW]

as any decent attorney will tell you:

it depends ...

experiment and see which works best for your particular gun.

I usually go in the six-to-nine grain to about a third full range, but see what works best for you!

make good smoke!

 

[EC121]

I try not to put so much that the frizzen presses on the surface of the priming. Too much will cause the frizzen to compact the powder. I don't know if this makes much difference, but the voices in my head tell me it does. So I don't do it. :wink: I use enough to cover the bottom of the pan without piling up too much.

 

[DrLaw]

Powdermonkey,
A good fellow helped get me started with flintlocks and I suggest that you read an article that he wrote. Google up "Flintlocks: How to Shoot Them" by Paul Vallandigham. It will help you immensely.
One thing I do is to gently tap the butt of the gun on the ground to make certain all the powder has fallen to the rear of the barrel.
Another thing is to, when loading, lean the gun with the vent being below the lean, so that some powder will get into it.
When you load, Paul suggested stopping before you crushed the powder. He could have been misunderstood by newbies, so I will tell you push the ball down to where it makes contact with the powder. You may hear it, you will probably feel it. Don't hammer the ramrod to sink the ball much farther. You have gone the distance.
When you are ready to shoot, poke the vent to provide an airway to the powder.
Read the article and have fun shooting.

The Doc is out now. :hatsoff:

 

[bpd303]

Paul,s article is right here. Very helpful even to a seasoned flintlock shooter. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/222420/

 

[DrLaw]

You betchya it is a great article. I stopped shooting for about a year and managed to forget some of the teachings from that article. When I first met Paul here, he got me firing each and every time (save for two dry-ball incidents). I was looking for that article again because I managed to forget some of the teachings from that article. Did I mention that? My short term memory seems to be going lately. :grin:
Anyway, it's got me back shooting and back here again.

The Doc is out now. :thumbsup:

 

[PowderMonkey]

Thanks for the article i will go read it. I went to the range yesterday and i have to tell you i was nervous. I was nervous the i would load the flintlock and then could not get it to fire now having a loaded gun. Also, this was my first time at this range.

Well i loaded the flintlock, placed some powder on the pan and got it setup on the target, i was shooting from a bench to a target at 25 yards.

I puled the hammer back, set the trigger and fired...nothing. Oh no, not that. I tilted the rifle and tapped it to get the powder on the pan closer to the touch hole, pulled the trigger and Booom! There inches low right down the middle of my aim point.

All other shots fired within an inch of the original and i became more confident in the rifle. I can't ever remember being so nervous about firing a rifle and i have large caliber rifles.

I really enjoyed it and now i'm looking forward to working up a load for it and extending the distance. Thank all of you guys for your support and i will definitely look up that article.