flash in the pan 1 out of 3 times

[aap2]

Interesting thread; I just returned from 2 range sessions teaching beginners the basics of shooting a flintlock. I never keep records of how much I shoot, but we fired a box of 100 Hornady balls from my TC Hawken Flintlock (coned vent liner .070) without a misfire. Started out with a sharp flint and installed a new on on the second day; ignition was very fast. I have had more misfires with percussion guns than I have had from my flintlocks; not sure why...probably because I don't like caplocks,,, Nice rifle from Caywood.

 

[akjim]

REAL BLACK POWDER be da BOSSSSSSS..... :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

OK Zoar you can put away the salt and pepper as you will not, I repeat, not be required to consume you hat.....

What an amazing transformation. If you go back to my first post and check out the grouping and hits. Now look at this photo. Same Range 75 yards, 5 rounds with FFFG Goex and 4FG pan powder over powder wad (which was also new) vs. the original American Pioneer substitute FFG powder. This time with the real stuff, No ignition problems,no pan flashes, no whissssssss bang when she did go off. Just a big old beautiful POW with every squeeze of the trigger. I couldn't even hear a separation between the pan flash and the powder ignition sounds. Talk about a pan flash flinch illiminator.
This should go down as a 100% perfect answer to a topic. So any boys in the future that would question real Black Powder and flash whole sizing should just check this out. A huge amount of thanks to all of you who jumped in with your suggestions. It's like having a whole new rifle again. The only thing I do have to figure out now is how to mask the smell when I'm cleaning my rifle in the man cave. The son and wife were a little amazed at the fragrant aroma that was wafting up the stairs. :grin:

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you plug the vent hole with a toothpick, you can pour a small amount of water down the barrel AT THE RANGE, swish it back and forth, and pour it out the muzzle. This will remove 90% of the Sulphur in the barrel. Then just run a few cleaning patches down the barrel to dry it, and put a little soap in the barrel, and the barrel will be okay until you get home.

Now, when you clean the gun at home, the Sulfur smell is almost entirely gone, if not gone all together, and you won't be disturbing SWMBO or your children. ( Do wipe down the outside of the barrel and flashpan, as the sulfur there will also stink a bit).

Frankly, its that smell of sulfur that is part of the attraction of shooting BP.

You don't indicate what distance that group is shot from, but you should be able to do much better, as you get used to shooting a Flintlock, and the barrel is shot some to break it in. I am very glad to see that you took the advice and have enjoyed such a wonderful change of events. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[akjim]

Paul, thanks for the cleaning advice, I'll make sure to follow it. You guys are batting 1000 in my book.
The group was at 75 yards. I'm still trying to figure out the sights a little but am really pleased as the normal deer hunting up here is almost always inside of 100 yards.
Thanks again, this really makes it fun. :hatsoff:

 

[Zoar]

akjim---The only reason I was so confident you would love going from the fake stuff to real black powder is because I went through the same "transformation"!!! I bet you were smiling alot when you were shooting, too.

Now that you are ONE OF US... Real Black Powder Person... all I can say is welcome to the new old world! Thank you for joining us!

 

[akjim]

my thanks go out to you....... From the first round to the last, I was cracking a big ol grin the whole time......Gonna sell the last of the AK collection and pick me up a couple more of these here new fangled smoke poles....Guess I'll have to change my screen name....

 

[roundball]

From the first round to the last, I was cracking a big ol grin the whole time.

Note:
You can still use up the BP sub powder just plinking at the range...I used up several pounds of Pyrodex RS after switching to Flintlocks by first pouring 20grns Goex 3F down bore, then 20/30/40 grns of the BP sub on top of that...works perfectly.

I got a bunch of free, empty 35mm film canisters at photo places, used 50 of them to premeaure 20grns Goex 3F and put them in a big labeled ziploc bag.
I then measured out how much BP sub powder I wanted to add using the other 50 canisters and put them in a different labeled bag...no fumbling or pouring at the range, just grab the film canisters and load for the next shot