help with flintlock please

[Phillip McDonald]

Hello folks, I'm getting a 62 caliber flintlock rifle. Never dealt with one. This one was built with all american made parts from track of the wolf. He said he used 0.61 ball. 0.018 patch. 2f powder. 80 grains. 4f in pan. Eng-7 flints. Does this sound right? Mainly I'm asking what all do I need for this rifle. I have no previous experience with a flintlock. So I'm sure thankful for any help or insight. Real blackpowder only with a flinter right?

 

[cynthialee]

I have never shot a flintlock, but from what I have read on this site, that list sounds about right.

 

[tecum-tha]

Real black powder only.
Other than that, a 0.61 ball is not really standard size. 0.600 balls are more common. Use with a slightly thicker patch. Try various thicknesses of denim from the fabric store. Lube with moose milk.
Ask the builder what thread size is on the ramrod.
Then get: Jag, ballpuller, patch puller and a breech plug scraper. If you want to clean traditional a tow worm and flax tow. A combination tool with vent pick, screw driver and knapping hammer is nice and handy.I like a swiss pocket knife, because I can tighten/loosen all screws on a typical flintlock with it.
Load development as in Dutch Schoultz paper.

 

[Billnpatti]

You seem to have everything right so far. Black powder only. I am not sure about the size of the flint but English flint is one of the best you can get. I'd stick with it. You will need a couple more tools to go with your rifle. You will need a set of flintlock tools, they can be found at Track of The Wolf. They consist of a knapping tool, a pan brush, a **** tightening tool and perhaps another doo dad or two. They are all on a small ring to keep them all together. Then a flint wallet to carry your flintlock tools and a couple spare flints would be a good thing to have. You can charge your pan with the same powder that you use for your main charge but many people prefer to use 4f powder and carry it in a small priming horn or a small brass priming flask. If you choose to use the 4f in your pan, then you will need to pick up one of the brass flasks or a priming horn. If you don't have a short starter, you will need one of them, too. These are also available from TOW. With these items you are basically set for shooting your flintlock. If you want to carry it in the woods to hunt with, you will need to add a couple more things, if you don't already have them. You will need a powder horn and a possibles bag and something to carry your rifle balls in. If you, like me, pre-cut your patches and pre-lube them, you will need something to carry them in that keep from getting the lube all over everything. I find that an empty Altoids can works very well. If you don't like the looks of the outside of the Altoids can, you can use a propane torch to burn off the paint. Then use a bit of steel wool and some oil to rub off all of the burned paint and age the can. You will end up with an antique can to keep your patches in. With these things you will have your basic kit for going afield with your flintlock. You have to realize that there are several more things that you will find that you absolutely will "have" to have as you go along but what I have listed will work for a long time until...... you start reading a Track of The Wolf or Dixie Gun Works catalog. At that time, you just whip out your plastic card and start ordering all those doo-hickies, dodads and whatchamacallits that you just discovered and absolutely have to have. Have fun....'cuz you're going to get flintlock fever just like the rest of us poor souls. :hatsoff:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I know you said rifle but is it possibly a smoothbore? Rifles in that caliber exist but are the exception.
You are correct, advise only real black powder in 3Fg or 2Fg with 4Fg primer. The 80 gr. charge is OK but you can try lighter for less recoil.
How about a picture?
hotoSmile:

 

[SmokeEater2]

I recently got a .62 myself as my first flintlock. Mine prefers 65 grains of 3F although 2F is a very close second with a .600 ball and pillow ticking patch as it's most accurate load.

Patches soaked in Ballistol and then allowed to dry have proven to be the most accurate in mine.

 

[Stubert]

I have a TOW Full stock Lehman that was built from a kit in the 80's. It is a .62 cal. and is rifled 1-60. It likes .610 balls and a .015 patch lubed with crisco. 80 gr. of 2f will put 2 holes in any deer around.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yeah if the seller already has a good load for the rifle, then use that as your starting point as it may be exactly what you are looking for in accuracy.

LD

 

[cynthialee]

Yeah if the seller already has a good load for the rifle, then use that as your starting point as it may be exactly what you are looking for in accuracy.

LD

This^^^

When I loaded my Hawken up the way the guy who sold it to me told me to it worked very well. I did find a better load for it with some fiddleing around, but I chalk that up to diferances in body mechanics and shooting quirks.

 

[Billnpatti]

Cyndi, I may be dumb as a sack of hair and long out of touch but what does this "This^^^" mean? Just curious in addition to being dumb.

 

[cynthialee]

means I agree with the post directly above mine

 

[Dphar]

If its a true 62 caliber .610-.615 should work fine.

80 gr is less than 25% of ball weight this is a shotgun load for a .62 (20 bore) and rifles generally shot more powder. If used for hunting the low velocity will result in a high trajectory. I would think that something in the 1/3 ball weight (113 gr) would give better accuracy and trajectory. This is ball park for slow twist British Baker rifle of 1800.

The flint size depends on the lock. TOW will tell what flint the locks they sell use.

Dan

 

[CG6018]

Warning! You are about to become involved in the quirky world of flintlocks and those who shoot them! Don't be surprised if shortly down this road you find it necessary to accumulate additional long guns of this sort in the various calibers and gauges in which they're made. It tends to grow and grow, and each addition needs it own special "stuff". Welcome to the site! :hatsoff:

 

[Phillip McDonald]

Thank all of you again. It should get home in the next couple of days. I live in MS and am working in Tx right now trying to finish up for the holidays. I have a couple of pics on my phone but how do I post them here? It is a rifle. I always wanted a smoothbore but this one came up and bought it. Mabe a tradegun or fowler next. Our deer season lasts until tyhe middle of February so mabe ill get a chance to try it.

 

[David W.]

I don't know about other people's flintlock rifles, but mine takes a .610 RB and I use .024 pillow ticking. A .600 ball will probably fit loose. Those are for smooth bores. I also use 70 gr FFFg Swiss powder. If you use FFg, 80 grs. Goex is fine. I use either FFFg, or FFFg in the pan.

Hello folks, I'm getting a 62 caliber flintlock rifle. Never dealt with one. This one was built with all american made parts from track of the wolf. He said he used 0.61 ball. 0.018 patch. 2f powder. 80 grains. 4f in pan. Eng-7 flints. Does this sound right? Mainly I'm asking what all do I need for this rifle. I have no previous experience with a flintlock. So I'm sure thankful for any help or insight. Real blackpowder only with a flinter right?

 

[David W.]

Download Photobucket from the web to post pic's on this site.

Photobucket

Thank all of you again. It should get home in the next couple of days. I live in MS and am working in Tx right now trying to finish up for the holidays. I have a couple of pics on my phone but how do I post them here? It is a rifle. I always wanted a smoothbore but this one came up and bought it. Mabe a tradegun or fowler next. Our deer season lasts until tyhe middle of February so mabe ill get a chance to try it.

 

[Phillip McDonald]

Alright I'm back again. Shoots well all I have is 3 f. So I'm using it for the barrel and pan. Gonna try and download that photo bucket now

 

[shootrj2003]

Congratulations on entering this world once you check in however,you can never check out,3f should be good and you could buy some priming powder but a lot of guys just use the same grade,I have a small wood mortar and pestle and grind up a pinch or 2 at a time until I have enough for a few weeks worth of shooting.Cautions,put only a little in at a time and close up all containers while grinding it up.you could also wet it and make a paste or dough first then grind it til almost dry then dry it and crumble it by hand I've never done it that way trusting to a WOOD mortar and tiny amounts at a time I've never had an ignition although it is theoretically possible if not wood ,brass ,dont't use iron or steel and not sure why ceramic or glass make me nervous.

 

[Dean2]

Download Photobucket from the web to post pic's on this site.

Photobucket

Thank all of you again. It should get home in the next couple of days. I live in MS and am working in Tx right now trying to finish up for the holidays. I have a couple of pics on my phone but how do I post them here? It is a rifle. I always wanted a smoothbore but this one came up and bought it. Mabe a tradegun or fowler next. Our deer season lasts until tyhe middle of February so mabe ill get a chance to try it.

Image Shack is simpler, doesn't collect personal info and works actually better than photobucket though PB is the big name in this part of the market.

 

[Matt85]

if it was recomended that you use a .61 ball then that is what you should start with.

trackofthewolf sells .610 balls and a lyman mold for the .610 ball. although i would prefer a Jeff Tanner mold over a Lyman.

-matt