Flints life.

[WarDawg]

Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ?

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ?

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal.


I’ll end this with I hope to contact this Carolina muzzle loader shooting group in the near future. They are near Mnt Airy NC. Near enough to the Virginia line. Thanks for all the help y’all have given a newbie to black powder.

Thank you for y’all’s patience with this greenhorn. WarDawg

 

[Banjoman]

I’ve been making my own for years. The one in my Chambers right now doesn’t look like much but it’s fired over fifty shots with no misfires and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t get fifty more.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

If in a competition where fast ignition and no klatches are preferred, I change flints after about 25 shots. I have then re-used some of those flints, after knapping, for another 20 shots in practice. If I am going out hunting, a new flint is preferred, unless I know I have only a few shots on that flint. Sometimes I can get up to 50 shots on a flint, but rarely. I have a friend I give used flints to, and he doubles their life expectancy.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Cruzatte]

Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ?

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ?

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal.


I’ll end this with I hope to contact this Carolina muzzle loader shooting group in the near future. They are near Mnt Airy NC. Near enough to the Virginia line. Thanks for all the help y’all have given a newbie to black powder.

Thank you for y’all’s patience with this greenhorn. WarDawg

1. Avg. life of a flint? Who knows? All I can say is that it's usual for me to get 50-60 spark producing strikes from a flint. The asterisk here is that I employ the trick of turning the flint upside down when it begins to show signs of wear.
2. Flint Quality. Look for the flat topped flints. Beyond that, a flint's a flint.
3. Man made flints. Probably. And they were probably spectacular failures both in function, and in the marketplace.
4 Does a fritz wear out? Never heard of one of these. But I had an aunt we called Aunt Fritz.
5. Priming powder. Yes, you can prime right out of your main horn.

 

[Spikebuck]

Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark.

I get around 25 shots before I give the edge a touchup and might get another 20. Since it's a rock it can also sometimes chip or break after a few shots, but rarely if you have it properly installed.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also.

I like a thin flat flint. No thick "humpers." Thin and flat lets you do a nice touchup on the edge to keep using it. You can also get black english or amber flints. Personally, I like english as I feel it isn't as brittle, but maybe I just haven't shot enough amber. Chert is another material, but I've not used it. Brian Beckum of Beckum Outdoors (look up his Youtube channel) seemed to like chert.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ?

There are "artificial" cut flints. I haven't used them, but the discussions about them are "interesting."

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ?

I assume you mean "frizzen." Probably not in the average shooter's lifetime if it was made of the appropriate steel and tempered/hardened properly.

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal.

Yes. I do not, but many here do. I personally like 4f for prime, but 3f gives good results. A friend of mine swears by Null-b. 2f works, but I notice the difference between 2f and 4f. If you want to use just one granulation, I'd recommend 3f.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Lots of replies already. I'll toss in a couple thoughts. Life of a flint varies with several factors. e.g. type of flint, proper fit and angle in the lock, quality of the lock especially the frizzen. There is no short or universal answer. I have used German sawn flints (various types of stone) for decades in a quality lock. They last and last for me. Yes, a frizzen can wear out, especially some on low quality imports that have only a surface hardened finish. Some good locks are hard all the way through and will outlive you and a couple more generations.

 

[Cruzatte]

Oh fritz = frizzen....right I should have guessed. I'm not up on the modern slang. I'm just an ol' Boomer, I guess.

 

[bldtrailer]

every rock is different some will last 100 shots and others will break on the 3rd . a well tuned lock will go a long way in extending flint life as will the way you knap the edge filing and pressure flaking will make it last longer

 

[WarDawg]

Oh fritz = frizzen....right I should have guessed. I'm not up on the modern slang. I'm just an ol' Boomer, I guess.

That’s my fault. I’m new to this terminology. I wrote what popped up in my mind. My bad

 

[Banjoman]

When you learn to find and make them yourself and store up a hundred or so, it really doesn’t matter how long they last. I probably have more than I’ll ever use but I’m always making more just because it’s fun and relaxing.

 

[springfield art]

If a mainspring is too strong, that can shorten flint life. The frizzen face quality and condition is important, too. You're using a millions-years-old rock to shoot! Kinda cool!

 

[springfield art]

That’s my fault. I’m new to this terminology. I wrote what popped up in my mind. My bad

The old timers used the term, "hammer" for the frizzen, which really confuses people as we all think of the hammer as the 'cock' that holds the flint! Newbies would really get discombobulated!

 

[AwwNaww]

"All things being equal" is difficult to achieve. In my experience there are many guns out there with locks that have one or another problem. They may work most of the time but one or another problem stresses the flint more than need be. We compensate by dressing or changing the flint when optimizing the lock would likely be more effective.

 

[Chuck Tiller]

I’m trying to learn too. MY average flint life before it quits sparking is 2-5 shots. Five is usually stretching it before my Lyman Trade Rifle breaks chunks out of the flint.

I want to learn to reface the flint so it will cut the frizzen.

 

[hanshi]

Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark. 25 to 40 strikes. And NO, nothing is ever equal.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also. I'd love to learn to make good flints too. The better flints will always be the nicer looking ones.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ? Not that I'm aware of.

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ? NO. Cheapies can and sometimes do if only case hardened.

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal. Yes.


I’ll end this with I hope to contact this Carolina muzzle loader shooting group in the near future. They are near Mnt Airy NC. Near enough to the Virginia line. Thanks for all the help y’all have given a newbie to black powder. You're welcome.

Thank you for y’all’s patience with this greenhorn. WarDawg Anytime!

 

[stubshaft]

I’m trying to learn too. MY average flint life before it quits sparking is 2-5 shots. Five is usually stretching it before my Lyman Trade Rifle breaks chunks out of the flint.

I want to learn to reface the flint so it will cut the frizzen.

That is an extremely short life for a flint. You might want to check the angle that the flint is striking the frizzen and insure that is NOT at a 90 degree angle. The flint should scrape the face of the frizzen and NOT slam into it.