How often?

[chipper]

I'm still a beginner at the flintlock. How often does one sharpen or change out a flint when in compentition? Lately, I've simply shot the rifle until I have a missfire and then mess with the flint. The missfire is certainly a concentration breaker and I would like to prevent that as much as possible. Do you shoot 5 shots and sharpen or what's the secret to the best success?

Regards
Wounded Knee

 

[roundball]

I'm still a beginner at the flintlock. How often does one sharpen or change out a flint when in compentition? Lately, I've simply shot the rifle until I have a missfire and then mess with the flint. The missfire is certainly a concentration breaker and I would like to prevent that as much as possible. Do you shoot 5 shots and sharpen or what's the secret to the best success?

Regards
Wounded Knee

I've settled into an approach with my range sessions that seems to give me the most consistent reliability for 50 shots...and the frequency varies with the humidity, but every -10 shots in high humidity, or 10-15 in dry conditions, I use alcohol on a rag to clean the frizzen, flint, pan, etc...and at these same intervals, I flip the flint over...back and forth each time I clean the lock.

As a result I'll almost always get through an entire range session without having to manually knapp the flint, as the occasional flipping over of the flint seems to keep a good working edge on it, almost as if it creates sort of self-knapping action.

I agree with you, and regardless of how you do it, if you're shooting important competition or sitting waiting for a nice buck to step into view, you want your ignition to be as fast and reliable as possible for best accuracy...my guess is that only you can decide how important that is to you and that'll determine the frequency with which you want to clean the frizzen and knapp the flint.

 

[MikeChapin]

In competition I check the flint between targets to see if it has dulled up. If it has or getting close I knapp it. I generally change them out when they cannot be sharpened any more.

When I'm hunting I will usually put in a fresh flint.

 

[Rebel]

A lot will depend on your lock. Some will dull a flint after a few shots, others seem to go a long time before needing napped. The lock on my Jackie Brown is easy on flints. I have 60 shots on the same flint now and i have touched up the edge twice. The flint is still good for probably at least that many more shots if it don't break first. Feel the edge of your flint (Carefully) and if it appears dull, knapp it.

 

[MSW]

well, i suppose that this is as good a time and place as any to 'fess up and admit my abysimal ignorance... how, exactly, does one knapp a flint?

thanks for your patience...

MSW

 

[Rebel]

Check this thread for info on knapping.
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/192988[/url]/

 

[mikelange]

To admit ignorance and seek answers is wisdom, or at least its beginning. To be ignorant and either deny it or not care is -- quite the opposite. Check out the thread Rebel recommended. :hatsoff:

 

[OTHERN]

I shoot the flints until they don't go off in my practice rounds. When they don't fire those are free shots. By that I mean that, that is when you see all the dumb stuff one does, like closing your eyes, moving the barrel, jerking and etc. They will tell you more about how you are shooting than anything else ever will. In serious competition I check the flint every target and knap as needed.

Othern

PS if you are going to the Colo squirrel shoot I can give you some pointers on knapping a flint.

 

[Blivetmaker]

Yep! A flint on it's last legs is about the best "coach" you can get. There is a noticeable delay when the spark gets weak. On my mortimer it comes out like this: KPOW is sharp. KIPOW is dull.
Not much time to flinch by the first one but on the second you've balloxed yerself out of two rings score. If you can manage your form on the less than optimal ignition; you're good to go when the flint is sparking well. A European competition consists of 13 shots in 40 min. with the 3 lowest being discounted. Distance is 50m offhand or 100m prone. An English flint shows no visible deterioration after these 13 shots in my lock :grin:

 

[spotlink]

I just bought some atomic flints. Going to shoot the Charleville this morning so I'll let you know if they were any good.

 

[Rebel]

What the heck are Atomic flints?

 

[chipper]

PS if you are going to the Colo squirrel shoot I can give you some pointers on knapping a flint.

I'll be running the range part of the day I'll look forward to meeting you.

Regards
Wounded Knee

 

[spotlink]

What the heck are Atomic flints?

Lol, that's what I call them now.

They are those german agate cut flints, they look like they could glow in the dark due to unholy energies. They certainly don't look right in a flintlock if you are going to reenact, but they were cheap and I'll use them on the range.

And I did... fired 15 rounds through my Charleville and I did not notice any weakening of the atomic flint. Nor were they too powerful for my frizzen. The english knapped flints still look better though.

 

[Rebel]

Thanks for the reply. Couldn't figure out what an Atomic flint was unless it was a Dura-flint and as far as i know, they went out of business. But they didn't look right in a flinter either. :grin:

 

[hcook]

I'll bet those atomic flints come fropm Iran. :hmm: :winking:

 

[Sham66]

Maybe so, but not for long. :winking: