Flintlocks and BP substitutes

[Paul63]

With BP getting harder to get,how do the substitutes perform in the pan? If at all.
I've plenty of BP for a while, but am curious about flintlocks and substitutes, especially in the pan,cause my stash won't last forever.

 

[Zonie]

"How do the substitutes perform in the pan?"

Poorly at best.

Not at all at worst.

Because of their higher flash temperature, substitute powders often don't ignite from the shower of sparks thrown off of the frizzen.

Then, the way they burn also causes a problem.

If you have ever poured out a little pile of one of the substitutes and lit it with a match you probably found it was rather hard to light and when it did it burned slowly. (Whooooooooosh).

Like modern smokeless powder, substitute powders needs some pressure around them, like inside the gunbarrel, to make them burn rapidly.

Conversely, real black powder is easy to light and it makes a small explosion just sitting on a surface, out in the open. (POOF !! ).

It's this last condition that makes real black powder work so well in a flintlock pan.

The rapidly expanding flame front from the small explosion of black powder in the open pan easily penetrates into the vent to reach the main powder charge and set it off.

 

[mooman76]

I have heard of them working, but that is a rare thing. They usually don't work well at all with allot of hesitation or not at all. If you want to stretch your BP you can use it in the pan and 5 or 10 grains in the bore before adding the sub on top of that. You can order it though and have it shipped to your door.

 

[Cowboy]

I noticed that you live in Indiana. How close are you to Friendship. If your close enough maybe you could just take a drive and pick you some up.

If you were to order on line it would definitely be more expensive per pound as well as having to contend with shipping and Hazmat fee's. They usually require you to order a minimum of at least 5 pounds too.

As for your original question, Don't think using a powder substitute would suffice as priming powder for a flintlock. You need to keep real BP on hand for that.

Respectfully, Cowboy

 

[BILLYDIXON]

I have never had good luck with any BP substitutes even in my percussion Hawken. No matter how well I cleaned it it always hanged fired.

 

[uno676]

I tried 777 in a flintlock in the pan never worked. Then I tried it just in the main charge and BP in the pan sort of worked. I would stick with BP in the Flintlock. I have used 777 in my percussion for years no problems.

 

[Tennessee.45]

I tried pyrodex FFg in mine when I did the first test fire, I had to fill the pan with all it could hold before it would ignite the main charge, even though it ignited it took about 5-6 seconds to ignite the main charge. Goex, Swiss, etc ignited almost instantly.

Also I have a white lightning liner in my rifle

 

[azmntman]

Been offered before but my advice is to drop 10 gr of REAL black down the bore followed by however much to make up yer main charge (ie 60 gr 777 or pyrodex for a 70 grain charge). The 10 grains will go off instantly and save you 60 gr a shot of the hard to find black (or order on line and save a step?)

 

[stantdm]

As others have said there are no BP substitutes that will work reliably by themselves in a flintlock. In my percussion rifle they work just fine as far as ignition goes. My advice, if you can do it, is to buy a case of one pound cans of black powder and you are set for a time.

 

[nkbj]

I noticed that you live in Indiana. How close are you to Friendship. If your close enough maybe you could just take a drive and pick you some up.

If you were to order on line it would definitely be more expensive per pound as well as having to contend with shipping and Hazmat fee's. They usually require you to order a minimum of at least 5 pounds too.

As for your original question, Don't think using a powder substitute would suffice as priming powder for a flintlock. You need to keep real BP on hand for that.

Respectfully, Cowboy

And for powder, DeerCreek is right off exit 123 on interstate 74 between Indianapolis and Cincinnati.
:thumbsup:

 

[Cowboy]

Wow! I never thought of that one. I take 74 towards Cincinatti at least a half dozen times a year if not more. My grandson lives in Dayton. Going to have to remember that one for another source for BP.

Thanks for the tip my friend!

Respectfully, Cowboy :thumbsup:

 

[mooman76]

Cowboy, If you ever get out around East Peoria, the Bass Pros sells real BP.

 

[Tinker2]

With BP getting harder to get,how do the substitutes perform in the pan? If at all.
I've plenty of BP for a while, but am curious about flintlocks and substitutes, especially in the pan,cause my stash won't last forever.

I have shot the substitutes in my Bess.
I tested it with just APP powder by its self and it worked”¦.in the Bess.
APP in the pan and main load, no black powder at all.
I did surprise me that it worked as well as it did.
It was a little slower ignition but useable.

I did the testing because at the time I knew the day
would come when we would not be able to get black powder at all.

I also tried adding things to the powder to lower its ignition temperature.
To say what I used could violate the forum rules.

At the time I sold black powder in my shop so saw no reason not to use black powder.

The Bess was the most reliable of my flint locks with it, not so much the others.


If I could not get black I would do something else.



William

 

[Cowboy]

Thanks Mooman, That's about 2hr's NW from me. I'll keep that one in mind as well!

Respectfully, Cowboy :thumbsup:

 

[mooman76]

Someone told me APP works but I have never tried it. I wasn't sure how well either, he just said it works and he takes the Boyscouts out to teach them.