How much powder in the pan?

[pepperbelly]

I have seen small powder chargers to put powder in the pan, but how much does it take?
I have read articles about having the powder below the flashhole, but should the pan be full up to the hole?
I also read somewhere about tapping the powder away from the flashhole. Is that right? Does it just take a flick of the wrist to move the powder away?
I understand the caution against causing the powder to burn like a fuse into the flashhole and I think that I understand how, but it's hard to picture without my rifle being here with me.

Jim

 

[hanshi]

It's been proven with slow motion cameras that the best powder position is banked toward the vent hole or even level, not banked to the outside of the pan. While the vent shouldn't actually be covered, the powder banked on that side gives a brighter and quicker flash.

I put only a smidgin of powder in the pan. My primer measure throws 2 to 3 grains with most being closer to 2 grains. Burns fast and sure. Too much powder means slow ignition and it only takes a tiny amount to set of the main charge.

 

[Semisane]

This is what my Great Plains likes.

 

[paulvallandigham]

As long as the flash powder does not block the vent hole, causing a fuse effect, you can use any amount that reliably fires the lock fast. Much depends on both the diameter of the vent hole, And its location in relationship to the pan.

I like .030" distance from the top edge of the pan to the bottom of the hole, and the hole is 1/16- 5/64" in diameter for best ignition for me. I do have guns that have the holes lower than this, so I don't Fill the Flash pan up in those guns. I keep the powder below the vent hole, whether this required banking the powder away from a very low vent hole, or slanting the powder from a hole that splits the line of the top of the flash pan.

I want some powder the full length of the pan, unless the hole is right down at the bottom of the pan. When that happens, I try to grind the pan deeper, so that the heat from burning the flash powder is RISING into the vent to ignite the powder charge in the barrel. For a temporary " FIX " in that situation, I will bank the powder a bit away from the vent hole, but that causes slower ignition. Usually there is enough metal on the bottom of the pan that you can grind a hundredth of an inch or more off to deepen the pan a bit.

My gunmaker prefers to also Widen the pan, so that it contains more powder for reliable ignition. I tried priming his way with the fowler he built for me, and I have to say his method works very well. I am just too cheap to use that much priming powder in any gun on a regular basis. :rotf: :wink: :thumbsup:

 

[renovato]

I use about 1/3 pan full. I banked it away from the hole for a while. I've tried it next to the hole and just level in the pan. I can't discern any difference and my groups are the same, so I just dump it level in the pan now.

 

[Stophel]

Fill it full, slap it shut, and shoot. It really is that simple. :wink:

 

[mfwing82]

I have found the less powder the less of a delay.

 

[Walks with fire]

I go level with the bottom of the touch hole. You want it as close to the touch hole as possible without filling it. There should be barrel powder poking right out to the end of your liner as well. Size the inside diameter of your touch hole liner to the ganulation of bore powder that you use. The coned inside liners are better as well.

I have one L&R lock that has a piece projecting from the bottom of the frizzen that is sized to fit down inside the pan so that when closed it prevents the pan powder from getting up into the vent liner. It's a nice feature and quite water resistant as well.

I also bought a can of Swiss Null-B ignition powder that I have come to really like for pan powder; it's an outstanding pan powder.

 

[Tumblernotch]

This is what my Great Plains likes.

That's the way I do it! Never a problem and very fast.

 

[Le Grand]

Pepper, Put in just enough. Any more than that is a waste of priming powder. Your lock will tell you how much "just enough" is when you try it.

 

[Larry Pletcher]

It is surprising how little prime it takes. In my last battery of tests I used .75 grain of prime. It was weighed to control a variable. I do not weigh priming outside of lab tests.

IMHO the better the lock the less priming it takes. In a poor lock one needs to be sure there is priming anywhere the spark may strike. PLaying with an excellent lock, I wet the pan, primed the lock and then dumped the powder out. The only priming was what stuck to the pan. It ignited fine.

Regards,
Pletch

 

[hanshi]

I've done the same thing with a wet pan. Amazing how reliably it works. I agree that it does not take very much prime to be successful assuming a quality lock. I really don't pay much attention when I prime unless I think I have too much in the pan. I use a brass "springy thingy" that throws only a pinch. Now I'm not really "frugal"; I'm...okay, cheap! Less is better, more or less. :rotf:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Varies from lock to lock and how the vent is situated. I like the powder just below the level of the vent. On my Lehigh that is somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 full - more than some. My Bess had a wide but shallow pan and that only took a thin layer of FFg powder to prime.

with my Lehigh the vent is centered on the upper lip of the pan("sunrise" position). Some are relatively low in the pan and others higher than the rim of the pan.

There have been tests and trials and I am not convinced that heaping it to one side or the other is of any benefit or that it stays in place once the rifle is jostled or even after the frizzen is snapped shut.

Do what works best for you. Don't worry about what should work.

 

[pepperbelly]

Thanks Stumpkiller. I was curious how it would stay in position when I moved around. I didn't know if I should flick it to one side just before shooting or if it mattered.
BTW, do I prime before loading or after?

Jim

 

[gbsclohn]

For safety,prime after loading
Greg Lohn

 

[Dphar]

I have seen small powder chargers to put powder in the pan, but how much does it take?
I have read articles about having the powder below the flashhole, but should the pan be full up to the hole?
I also read somewhere about tapping the powder away from the flashhole. Is that right? Does it just take a flick of the wrist to move the powder away?
I understand the caution against causing the powder to burn like a fuse into the flashhole and I think that I understand how, but it's hard to picture without my rifle being here with me.

Jim

I don't sweat it much if shooting for fun but still never use less than half. I like a pretty full pan when hunting. If the vent is in proper position there is no difference in ignition speed. The ignition is radiant heat with rare exceptions, some spark or flying flaming powder granule going in the vent. The more fire in the pan the more heat.
Misfires are much less common with more powder in the pan.
And I use FFFFG or Swiss Null B.
Couple of reasons. Its microscopically faster and if I load without a ball it goes in the vent easily.

Dan

 

[tg]

Pepperbelly, are there any clubs or groups in your area you can hook up with to get started?

 

[kherring]

You have to experiment to find what your gun likes. My rifles seem to like about 1/3 of a pan full and make sure the vent is pricked open. I have a fowler that likes a little more. Just make sure the powder doesn't cover the vent, and use a pick to clear into the main charge. You will be surprised how fast flint ignition is when you do it right.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Thanks Stumpkiller. I was curious how it would stay in position when I moved around. I didn't know if I should flick it to one side just before shooting or if it mattered.
BTW, do I prime before loading or after?

Jim

After. The exception was when loading from paper cartridges for my Bess: bit off the tip, primed and then closed the frizzen and dumped the remainder down and the cartridge & ball on top of it.

Fastest, but not the safest route.