How much powder in pan?

[UNCLE STEVE]

How much priming powder should be used in the pan? I'm new to flintlocks and have been told not to over prime. Any help? I believe 3 grains of powder comes out each time it is pressed. Thank You for the help.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Correct, do not overprime. You will only slow down ignition.
About 3 grains is what works best for me. I believe that is why the popular plunger type dispenser drop that amount.
But, for best results for you, only you can determine that from use and experience. We all have our own techniquest.
And puleeze, let't not :shake: start :slap: the cover touch hole or don't cover touch hole. :wink:

 

[S.Kenton]

It seems that every one has their own opinion about this subject. I had a Penn. rifle that took just a few grains of priming powder for it to have a fast ignition time, if you filled the pan up half it was slow, all the way it was slow... I also have a smoothbore 62 that doesn't care..full pan, a few grains...half full pan, that shotgun will shoot fast every time. I even use the exact same powder in the pan as I do for my charge ( 3f) in the smoothbore. However, the rifle would only take 4f for a priming powder...I think you'll have to do some experimenting in order to see what your rifle likes. That's the best way to learn..

 

[UNCLE STEVE]

Thanks so much for the advice.

 

[Alden]

As much as you can get into the level pan...
...and not cover the touchole.

 

[Billnpatti]

3 grains should work just fine. Based on the findings of one of our forum members, Larry Pletcher (Pletch), who does a lot of high speed photography, the powder should be banked under, but not covering, the touch hole.

 

[Dphar]

How much priming powder should be used in the pan? I'm new to flintlocks and have been told not to over prime. Any help? I believe 3 grains of powder comes out each time it is pressed. Thank You for the help.

If I am goofing around on the range I shoot less prime that when hunting. Pan maybe 1/3 to 1/2 full. Hunting I prime more like this.

This is a pistol I carry in a shoulder holster and this has been primed for 2 days and carried a few miles hunting. I try not to put in so much prime that it gets packed by the pan cover. This is how it was when I checked it and did the photo a year or two ago because the question comes up CONSTANTLY.

The idea that less priming is faster has been completely debunked. In fact priming piled over the vent is faster than priming piled away from the vent.
Of course this flies in the face of "conventional wisdom". But like any myth, rumor or old wives tale. It never dies.

Flintlocks fire from RADIANT HEAT, this is especially true with simple vents. There is no "flash of fire into the vent". Its not possible. The pressure wave from the priming is not strong enough. Remember the vent is sealed on the other end. So the MORE heat in the pan the faster and more reliable the ignition. This has repeatedly proven to be true in my shooting.
Check out blackpowdermag.com
Thats blackpowdermag[dot]com if the website edits the link. There is a considerable amount of information on timing locks and vents and breeches etc.
And it does debunk some old wives tales.
It also shows people what really happens when the **** falls and the frizzen opens if the ultra slo mo videos are looked at.
Dan

 

[Stumpkiller]

I use about half a pan full - but my flintlocks have vents that are peeking above the base of the frizzen so I can never cover the vent fully with powder. That amount varies with the pan.

Unless you have a large hat brim too much won't be a problem, and too little might. Some worry about the "fuse effect". I don't because the locks are installed properly. ;-)

 

[AZbpBurner]

I've been priming with the 3 gr. from my Ampco dispenser for a while now; powder banked at the end away from the touch hole seemed to ignite faster for me than banked in front of the touch hole. Several irksome experts say it is best to prime closer to the touch hole, contrary to my experience, so I've decided to shut up a couple of irritants at my range who just won't let it go, by priming dead center of the pan - works fine and haven't gotten any more subsequent heat about my priming techniques since ...

 

[Baxter]

Dan's photo shows what looks like a LOT of prime but in thinking, when I was tired and not minding "wasting" some priming, my prime looked the same and worked just fine for me. I admit to being not all that careful about just how much prime, less early in the bench shooting and a bit sloppy as fatigue set in but, short of an over-filled pan, the prime has always, 100%, worked for me in a FL with a simple drilled vent. baxter

 

[Billnpatti]

I hear ya. Larry Pletcher (Pletch) did some high speed photography that proved absolutely that placing your pan charge under the touch hole gave the fastest ignition. However, he also gave the caveat that the difference between the slowest and the fastest position was not significant. So, from a practical point of view, it will make no perceptible difference where you put your charge. But, technically, putting it under the touch hole gives the fastest ignition by a very few microseconds according to Pletch's high speed photography. You can find his various high speed photography works posted on this forum.

 

[nchawkeye]

You can fill it up if the rifle is made properly...

 

[Dphar]

Flintlock tests

Filled vent tests

 

[Wes/Tex]

Thanks Dan...I was just getting ready to look those up when your post popped up! :thumbsup:

 

[Vaino]

My hunting LRs are very tolerant of the amount of prime.... sometimes when hunting, an overdose from my priming dispenser more than fills the pan and my finger levels the prime so that the frizzen is fully closed. At other times, various levels of under filling are thrown by the dispenser and as w/ overfilling and leveling, they all ignite the main charge w/o a problem or a discernable delay.

Can't imagine that during the Revolutionary War and during a battle, that any notice was taken as to the amount of prime....probably the same situation as I described when I'm hunting. Flintlock rifles should be able to fire reliably and w/o a lag w/ greatly varying fills of prime.

The THs on my LRs are slightly above the top of the pan, but are covered by the frizzen. Never needed a vent pick, so don't carry one. Again, in the heat of battle, I doubt that vent picks were used.

Perhaps today w/ the "modern mindset", we're over thinking how our forefathers reliably used their flintlocks?.....Fred

 

[stinkyfeet]

The correct answer is play around and find what your gun likes where and how much is placed in the pan. When it fire without a delay you figured it out.

 

[hanshi]

I normally use a small amount, 2-3 grains, about 1/4 to 1/3 pan full. However in the woods I simply dump it in and probably have 1/2 to 3/4 in the pan. Sometimes it ends up about full. I don't worry about banking it one way or another since it gets sloshed around.

 

[Claude Mathis]

... the fastest ignition by a very few microseconds ...

And in this fast-paced world, you know how important that can be.

Sorry, it just stuck me funny that we're talking about 18th century technology and we're worried about microseconds. One microsecond = .001 milliseconds. :wink:

 

[ghostdncr]

Can't imagine that during the Revolutionary War and during a battle, that any notice was taken as to the amount of prime....probably the same situation as I described when I'm hunting. Flintlock rifles should be able to fire reliably and w/o a lag w/ greatly varying fills of prime.

I've done this while only squirrel hunting and have little doubt the pan often got just a splash of powder thrown in its general direction during war. In recent years, I've loosely focused on priming randomly and messing with each weapon's lock/vent until any variation is minimized. I would strive for absolute consistency on a competition arm but out in the real world, there's a whole lot of inconsistency to be waded through.

 

[Pete44ru]

.

FWIW, I never actually measure my priming charge - I just dribble enough powder into the pan to cover the bottom, but also looking to never cover the vent hole.

I've been getting virtually instant ignition - far faster than any caplock I've ever owned/fired.

(But then, I'm using Holy Black in my flinchlocks, vs Pyrodex in the caplocks)

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