Meet Frank

[Sparkitoff]

Thank you all for your help as I have worked with getting a flintlock rifle up and running. This is to be a Hunting rifle. I acquired a Green Mountain 1:70 54 cal barrel, an L&R lock and a Renegade stock. I put this together and headed to the range. I loaded 80 grains 3F Goex, .530 Hornady ball with .018 Wal-Mart pillow ticking lubed with DS system 7:1 and cut at muzzle.

Chrony says 1826 fps average.

1st 3 shots high center. Lowered sight and put 5 all touching.

When the wind stops I’ll try 100 yards.

I’d like to figure out how to get faster ignition. There is a tiny but perceptible delay. I think my touch hole is just a bit high.

 

[Zonie]

The target looks pretty good to me for a first time out.

If you didn't enlarge the touch hole in the vent it is undoubtedly a little smaller than it needs to be.

The vents from the suppliers are usually smaller than 1/16" and most flintlock shooters have found that a 1/16" diameter vent hole is needed to prevent slight delays in ignition.

Try sticking the unfluted end of a 1/16" drill in the vent. If it doesn't go into the vent, use the drill and a electric or crank drill to enlarge the hole.

Personally, I think a vent a little bit larger than 1/16" works even better.

A # 51 (.0670) or 50 (.070) drill bit can improve things.

 

[azmntman]

Very nice shooting :thumbsup:

 

[smo]

Them GM barrels will shoot! :thumbsup:

 

[Sparkitoff]

The flash hole is 1/16th

 

[Silky921]

Hey Frank! I see it's going well with you.

 

[Tom Compton]

I’ve got the same rig lock, stock and barrel. Almost the same load. Using .535 ball and .015 patch w mink oil lube w 90gr Goex FFg and FFFFg on the pan. 1/16 touch hole, black English flints. Fast ignition

FFg is supposed to be harder to light than FFFg sooo what’s different? You didn’t say what you are priming with but I’m guessing you are using FFFg. It doesn’t great as much heat as FFFFg.

What flints?

 

[Don Steele]

You have a good starting place. Your post doesn't say if those shots were taken offhand or from a rest. If that's from a rest...keep reading. If those are offhand shots, stop here and just enjoy..!! Tweeking the powder a little may give better results, but there's no guarantee. Any changes in load combination will show up on the target so it's a matter of how much you want to shoot before saying "good enough". What I can tell you, based upon experience, not just opinion is that the more you shoot your flintlock rifle off a rest, the better your groups will get for any decent load. Your probably already aware that you should rest the barrel in the same place everytime. More than that, if you want to work at it...you will find a "Sweet spot" somewhere that will improve things a little more if consistently used.
On my 50 cal. Green Mountain barrel the "sweet spot" is about 12" back from the muzzle. I put a wrap of tape around it at that spot to assure I'm in the same place everytime for Table and Chunk shooting. At 50 yds, from a single point barrel rest(no butt rest or bag) I can get 10 balls through a single hole you can juuusssstt about cover with a quarter.
I could go on about sight choice, target choice, etc. etc., but you're on the right path so just ENJOY..!! :hatsoff:

 

[don hepler]

I shoot in a Muzzleloading shooting club, and I see a lot of shooter's that can't get that good of a group.

Open sights are good for those who have perfect eyesight, but I would consider, that target as pretty darn good. I could live with that, myself.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

WOW and 1800+ fps is screamin'. :wink:

LD

 

[George]

Lyman says 1519 fps for an essentially identical load and setup in a 34" barrel.

Spence

 

[Sparkitoff]

I am using 4F in the pan and the flints that L&R provided with the lock (Don’t know what exactly they are).

Velocity was typo - it is 1526

 

[Loyalist Dave]

AH well, that's still a very nice load, and nicely accurate too. :thumbsup:

I like 70 grains of 3Fg in my 38" barrel with a patched, .530 round ball.

LD

 

[Grenadier1758]

Your Frank N. Stein rifle shows that what is important is a good barrel, a good lock, reasonable triggers and good shooting discipline.

There are a number of rifles that belong to members of my gun club that have been shooting matches since the 1870's. One barrel has been on several stocks based on the barrel tenons being moved to different places and the sights moved. Its not pretty to look at, but it sure participated in a lot of matches.

The attribute that makes a gun really stand out is its ability to put balls in the same hole shot after shot.

Sparkitoff, you have done just fine.

 

[Larry Akers]

I’d like to figure out how to get faster ignition. There is a tiny but perceptible delay. I think my touch hole is just a bit high.

Your touch hole location is probably not your problem. Your touch hole size also probably not the problem. I get 100% reliable ignition with a .059" touch hole. Google "White Lightening Liner" made by Jim Chambers and look at the cutaway drawing of his liner. Make the inside of your liner look like that and you will get reliable, fast ignition. From the tip of the inside cone to the outside surface should not be more than 1/32". When loaded you should see powder at the outside surface.