Flint size?

[Mad Mucus]

G'day

I'm looking at beginning BP shooting with a new Lyman GPR .54 flinter and am trying to gather info to start up.Please bare with me, it's sponge time.

Would a 3/4"x3/4" be the best size flint to start with?

Mucus

 

[roundball]

G'day

I'm looking at beginning BP shooting with a new Lyman GPR .54 flinter and am trying to gather info to start up.Please bare with me, it's sponge time.
Would a 3/4"x3/4" be the best size flint to start with?
Mucus

Marcus, until GPR owners see this and respond I'll offer this experience, based upon my understanding that the GPR uses the the same size lock as the TC Hawken.

I can tell you in my personal experience, 3/4" x 3/4" square flints are not as good as as the normal 3/4" (wide) black english flints because they are 7/8" long...(longer than they are wide)...and this is good in terms of longer flint flint life.

By contrast, I tried some 3/4" french flints, and when they arrived I discovered they were 3/4" x 3/4" square and I had to do a lot more loosening/repositioning of the flint forward in the jaws as it wore down, in order to maintain a good flint to frizzen relationship.

With the 3/4" Tom Fuller black english flints I get from October Country with their longer length (7/8"), I put a flint in and never have to move it forward during a range session...may knapp it and clean it once or twice during a range session, but don't have to reposition it forward at all.

So in my personal opinion, if the GPR lock is the same size as the TC lock, I would recommend the 3/4" black english flint that is longer than it is wide...not the 3/4" x 3/4" square flints.

 

[musketman]

Would a 3/4"x3/4" be the best size flint to start with?

Measure the width of your frizzen and order the size that is to that or just under...

Using too wide a flint will cause it to hit the barrel on the way down and snap the flint and gouge the barrel as well...

 

[Peter A Meyer]

For flints, etc. try Graeme Forbes at Forbes Wholesale, Montmorency, Victoria, ph. 03 9439 6111. Graeme also carries a very wide range of black powder necessaries and accessories, and advertises in "Australian Shooter".

Pete (Eltham, Victoria)

 

[Harddog]

Would a 3/4"x3/4" be the best size flint to start with?

Measure the width of your frizzen and order the size that is to that or just under...

Using too wide a flint will cause it to hit the barrel on the way down and snap the flint and gouge the barrel as well...

If you have a flint that is to wide you just offset the flint in the jaws to the outside. It doesn't hurt a thing. Sometimes you have to use a flint that is to wide in order to get the proper length for efficient operation.

Harddog

 

[Uncle Jed]

If you have a flint that is to wide you just offset the flint in the jaws to the outside. It doesn't hurt a thing.

In some guns it could, the pan has a depression where the powder goes, it is possible for a wide offset flint to hit the pan at the edge of this depression. Shorter flints can also be shimmed to fit, (a matchstick behind them will do right nice) to extend their working life.

 

[Mad Mucus]

:thanks:

Much appreciated.