New Flintlock Need FFFFg powder

[MTFURY]

I've used 1F in the pan of my King's Musket (Brown Bess).

To be certain, 4Fg pan powder is faster than 3f which is faster than 2f, but for all practical purposes it takes @Larry Pletcher's special timing equipment to actually prove it. You do need to have a well tuned lock for ignition to be that fast.

@MTFURY, what kind of sparks do you get from your CVA lock? Some CVA locks may need a bit of tinkering and tuning to work well even with 4F.

I haven't recieved the muzzleloader yet, should be this week Just bought it from BigSkyRambler Can't wait

 

[MTFURY]

OP asked where to get powder, 2 folks told him where to get it and in post No. 14 he ordered it and now on post No. 38.

Look at all the great info we are getting!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is why I love this forum!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mad L]

What you end up with is ground up bp and a lot of dust. Bp granulations are made during the manufacturing process with wet screening. BTW, I have a genuwine bp grinder and it makes good dust.

Pretty much the same with the other methods mentioned here. However 'pucks' are not processed 'wet'. But yes, grinding with spoons, dowels, etc will produce a lot of dust. Best to buy 4f or do without. But if needed 'fine' powder can be had (notice my previous post did state: 4f to 7f)

 

[Mad L]

Sorry, Mad L, that may be the message that seems to be the message from the reenactors, but I can assure all that with respect to my unit and the safety regulations of the unified organizations we belong to, we only prime before loading the main charge when we are loading blanks and if we are demonstrating the loading procedure, we make sure we mention that this practice is the historical procedure and that for purposes of safety priming before loading the main charge is not the procedure followed in the current practice when shooting live rounds.

You just repeated what I stated, sorry I was not more clear but thank you for clarifying.

 

[DuncNZ]

Do I have a slow-mo of this, no but I will say that at the world championships where even factory teams are entered 4f as far as we could find out was used in the pan exclusively. I am absolutely sure they had slow-mo readily available to find out the best and fastest ignition for their locks.
Doc,

World championship and some countries National association and some club rules ban priming from the main horn , and only allow priming devices with a limited powder capacity .
Safety always trumps Historical authenticity , maybe you have never seen a priming horn explode , or spilt powder ignite on a loading bench or someone blow the back off his head when blowing down a just fired barrel , or a powder horn explode , but someone, some where ,some time has and the rules have been made or changed because of this .
When your priming device is limited in capacity and spout diameter 4f powder is the logical way to go .

 

[DuncNZ]

After the filming of "The Last Samurai " staring Tom Cruise , there was half a ton of ffffg Goex left and , rather than going to the trouble re exporting it back to the USA most was re manufactured into ffg and fffg by a local powder manufacturer . I still have ½ a tin left .

 

[Darto]

For about $10 you can get a porcelain mortar and pestle (small but tall but narrow). Which some people use to crush medicine pills into powder. It will turn any black into ffffG. Not uniform but in the pan it doesn't have to be as long as it makes very tiny grains. Slow but hey you don't need much to fill a pan a dozen times. I like a tiny one... never tried a big mortar.
https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Child-Montessori-Pestle-Mortar/dp/B00HERP23M/
We are only allowed 1 pound of black powder inside any house in our State.

 

[Brokennock]

Do I have a slow-mo of this, no but I will say that at the world championships where even factory teams are entered 4f as far as we could find out was used in the pan exclusively. I am absolutely sure they had slow-mo readily available to find out the best and fastest ignition for their locks.
Doc,

Actually, there is a slow motion/high speed photography study of this,,, and it show what miniscule difference in ignition time there might be between all the folklore surrounding priming is less than a human's reaction time.

If people are shooting better with 4f over 3f they are either using the wrong amount or, more likely, need to look for the difference within their own head.

 

[Ray-Vigo]

My experience is that some flintlocks give very slightly faster ignition with 4F, and on some it does not matter, 3F versus 4F. If what you're looking for is reliable ignition, 3F will work perfectly well - it's the cleanliness and consistency of loading procedure and priming that gives reliable ignition.

 

[stephenprops1]

A word of note:

Those handy brass valved flint lock pan charges have such a small diameter spout that only 4F (or Null B) powder can pass through the valve and spout. Most powder horns have a spout that is a bit large for ease in applying powder to the pan and there is a learning curve in developing the technique to get the right amount of powder from the horn into the pan. I often pour too much powder into the pan.

Another nannified caution has been mentioned with respect to the brass pan chargers. You are holding a container with several hundred grains of black powder in your hands. If the dreaded ember left in the barrel ignites the pan powder as the pan is being filled, (of course it should have ignited the main charge that was poured earlier), you are holding a small brass hand grenade. I feel that with the proper cautions, the danger of igniting the charge in the pan primer is small, but I do believe that loading procedures should be followed to minimize any premature ignition of powder while loading.

If there is a hot amber in the barrel it would have already ignited the main powder charge as you poured it down the barrel. I think you are being overly cautious.

 

[toot]

I have two methods I use for days I seem to be having trouble pouring prime from my main horn, or with horns that make it tough.
One, pour a small amount into the powder measure, pour into the pan from that using index finger to control flow.
Two, a small antler priming flask without the plunger tip.
View attachment 128837View attachment 128838View attachment 128839
Behold the prime ejaculator, lol
The end plug is held in by the round leather thong that goes through a hole drilled straight through antler and plug. Pipe bowl used for scale.

There are options.

I used to use one of the clay pipes at VOU'S, a long time ago.

 

[Doc]

Actually, there is a slow motion/high speed photography study of this,,, and it show what miniscule difference in ignition time there might be between all the folklore surrounding priming is less than a human's reaction time.

If people are shooting better with 4f over 3f they are either using the wrong amount or, more likely, need to look for the difference within their own head.

I will agree with you there’s actually a very very small difference in ignition time between 4f and 3f. On the mental side yes there is a big difference. When a person thinks he has better equipment, or knows he does, his confidence goes up. When a person has confidence he’ll hit the target the odds improve that he will. There has always been and always will be a large mental aspect in the shooting sports. But besides all of that, since the top shooters at the world championships use it, I figure I will too.
Doc,

 

[Coinneach]

here is George Sutton "Mr Flintlock" using a little priming powder !

Notice how he leans the Pan towards himself after priming, thats the key.

 

[Mad L]

I disagree, I never had need to to tilt the pan. Just load it, keep to vent clear and fire; no misfire, no hang fire.

 

[Gkarp429]

Well, took out my 20 ga double flinter today. I just got some swiss null b recently and was anxious to try it out. So I made sure I had fresh well places flints in both locks. And went at it at the sporting clay course.

My conclusion regarding 4F vs Null B in the pans:

It’s always great shooting with fresh, well aligned, good fitting flints. .

 

[Coinneach]

For about $10 you can get a porcelain mortar and pestle (small but tall but narrow). Which some people use to crush medicine pills into powder. It will turn any black into ffffG. Not uniform but in the pan it doesn't have to be as long as it makes very tiny grains. Slow but hey you don't need much to fill a pan a dozen times. I like a tiny one... never tried a big mortar.
https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Child-Montessori-Pestle-Mortar/dp/B00HERP23M/
We are only allowed 1 pound of black powder inside any house in our State.
[/Q

I disagree, I never had need to to tilt the pan. Just load it, keep to vent clear and fire; no misfire, no hang fire.

Horses for courses, I've always tilted the ML and given a soft tap to the lock just before firing; sure just a little thing but hey its not a useless drill.

 

[OhioHawkeye]

so truw

Hush yo muth chile, there Ladies, LGBT; Rainbow boys; PC and Woke reptiles about.

so true.
I'm surprised how much some are freely discussing the making of BP on Facebook. I don't even like talking about targets there and a ML club I'm secretary of got shut down due to one of our former admin folks putting a bess for sale there. Fortunately I got our group unlocked after a week after I refuted their decision. She had phrased it well and I told FB she meant the post the other way, not for sale.
Yes, I had a week moment and paid her the 750 for the bess since she's moving.

 

[Coinneach]

so truw
so true.
I'm surprised how much some are freely discussing the making of BP on Facebook. I don't even like talking about targets there and a ML club I'm secretary of got shut down due to one of our former admin folks putting a bess for sale there. Fortunately I got our group unlocked after a week after I refuted their decision. She had phrased it well and I told FB she meant the post the other way, not for sale.
Yes, I had a week moment and paid her the 750 for the bess since she's moving.

Agreed, whenever we're on Facebook we might as well regard it as "enemy" territory, its a stew stench of PC and Woke critics; lurking and awaiting any opportunity to slam us.