jimhallam
Pilgrim
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2018
- Messages
- 329
- Reaction score
- 367
I hope that I am not trying to teach my Granny to suck eggs but ... ...
IF the top of the priming powder is ABOVE the flash hole then it will have to burn DOWN so that the flame reaches the hole. In like manner if the powder granules are large (or treated with a modifier, as Black Silver used to be) they will slow down ignition.
It MAY seem somewhat obvious, but often assumptions are made that people have read and understood what others have been saying. I am assuming that the bundhook does not have a "Patent Breech" -- i.e., a small chamber at bottom of the barrel -- - and also that if the fire channel flash hole is transverse that it not located too far forward, again causing poor ignition.
It took me some time to understand flintlocks -- and the effect of slow ignition (as opposed to misfires) is far worse with a pistol.. . or a long gun fired offhand. For serious target-shooting with a smoothbore flint all that you really have going for you is velocity - hence the large charges and tight ball/patch combinations.
That's why when I used to coach I recommended that the firer started with a RIFLED barrel, using a lighter charge and then focussing in getting good ignition, before moving to the smoothbore with its heavy recoil.
I hope that this helps, especially if the deer / bird is spooked by the flash --- as Revererd Forsyth discovered ;-)
IF the top of the priming powder is ABOVE the flash hole then it will have to burn DOWN so that the flame reaches the hole. In like manner if the powder granules are large (or treated with a modifier, as Black Silver used to be) they will slow down ignition.
It MAY seem somewhat obvious, but often assumptions are made that people have read and understood what others have been saying. I am assuming that the bundhook does not have a "Patent Breech" -- i.e., a small chamber at bottom of the barrel -- - and also that if the fire channel flash hole is transverse that it not located too far forward, again causing poor ignition.
It took me some time to understand flintlocks -- and the effect of slow ignition (as opposed to misfires) is far worse with a pistol.. . or a long gun fired offhand. For serious target-shooting with a smoothbore flint all that you really have going for you is velocity - hence the large charges and tight ball/patch combinations.
That's why when I used to coach I recommended that the firer started with a RIFLED barrel, using a lighter charge and then focussing in getting good ignition, before moving to the smoothbore with its heavy recoil.
I hope that this helps, especially if the deer / bird is spooked by the flash --- as Revererd Forsyth discovered ;-)