Now I done it... Went and got a flintlock.

[jethro224]

My new Lyman GPR .54 flintlock arrived on Friday. Never fired a flintlock before then. They just looked so cool I had to have one.

I rushed thru the owners manual, scrubbed out the barrel real good and went shootin'. Did purty good too. Y'all had me worrying about hangfires, missfires and flinching after reading the posts here. I was scairt that if and when the dang thing went off I'd end up with a 12" group at 25 yards. So I studied up real good on the shooting tips thread and tried to remember the advice I found there.

Some of the stuff was VERY helpful! :thanks:

I snapped a few sparks first with no prime or powder. Then I fired a primed pan. Then I loaded 'er up and tried to shoot. NO sparks! :curse: Had worn the flint down snapping empties.

After I changed flints I only had a couple of missfires and one slow fire. Most times the rifle went off just as fast as my caplocks. The pan flash didn't seem to bother me at all during good light. Didn't have a flinching problem. When it started getting kinda dark out there was an orange flash that would block the target for just a second tho. It was sorta distracting but so quick it didn't mess me up.

I gotta get out and shoot some more to finish working up a load and breaking in the rifle. For right now it looks like 4f prime and 80 grains of fffg Goex under a Hornady round ball with a pillow ticking patch and some bore butter for lube works pretty good. :thumbsup:

Now for the questions;
I've seen several posts about drilling out the hole for quicker ignition. How big? How do you decide if it even needs drilled?
I've seen posts that said the flint should point right at the hole. Mine doesn't. I tried flipping it over to get it closer. The gun didn't like that. Barely made sparks. I put it back. Long side up. Does it really matter?
Any tips on knapping? I tried to sharpen the first flint I wore out but it just got shorter not sharper. I get maybe 2 dozen shots from a flint. Would sure like to get more.
When hunting with the flintlock rifle, how often should the prime powder be changed? Seems like the longer it sits there in the pan the more it will absorb moisture and the less likely it is to light up fast (at all?).
If I take this gun deer hunting, hunt all day and don't shoot, should I fire the gun and reload the next day or just dump the prime and leave it loaded? My state calls it unloaded with no prime. Not worried about the legals just the mechanicals.

I really like this rifle and hope to get many years of enjoyment from it. Thanks for any advice.

Jethro

 

[Bob Riegl]

Just stay loose and examine the issue from every angle, ask questions and soon enough the whole thing will come together and you will enjoy all the aspects of the flint. I still have my original GPR's in perc and flint. My flinter arrived with one of those man made flints and frankly it's still functioning beautifully---I use a diamond file (hone) to keep it sharp--haven't put a Fuller flint in there as of yet. While I do own a few perc rifles, my flinters are my favorites--- eace: :hatsoff:

 

[musketman]

I've seen posts that said the flint should point right at the hole.

Really?

That's a good way to snap flints and marr your barrel... :hmm:

The flint should hit flat across the frizzen's surface, this will insure ample sparks...

I put it back. Long side up. Does it really matter?

Bevel up, bevel down, your gun will decide which is best for it, go with the one that gives you the most sparks...

When hunting with the flintlock rifle, how often should the prime powder be changed?

How much is deer meat worth to you?

I change every 1/2 hour, a few cents worth of powder is nothing compaired to hundreds of dollars worth of meat...

BTW, FFFg works just as well in the priming pan and doesn't draw moisture as fast... (tip) :winking:

Any tips on knapping?

Yes, empty the priming pan and plug the touch hole with a feather's quill first, all it takes is one spark...

Flint can be knapped while in the flintlock's jaws, I use a brass drift to tap a new edge on it, remember, flint breaks sharp, so don't run your finger along it's length to see if it's knapped... (another tip) :winking:

 

[Berk]

Jethro you will find that generaly that you have longer life from knapped flint than you will cut flints. They are easier to resharpen too. Just keep your flints sharp and the gun clean and you wont have any problems. If possable see if there is a local club avaiable. More fun to shoot with someone else and you can usr there experiance to help you. Enjoy the new gun.

Berk

 

[jdixon]

A couple of opinions here for your questions:

"Any tips on knapping? I tried to sharpen the first flint I wore out but it just got shorter not sharper. I get maybe 2 dozen shots from a flint. Would sure like to get more."

You don't say what type of flint you are using. If you don't already have them, get the Black English variety. There are French amber flints out there, very expensive but, they work even better. When knapping, knap into the bevel, not against the flat side. Use a brass rod or a large nail with the point removed and gently chip away the edge as close as you can while the rock is in the lock. As for flint life - like a whole lot of other issues with flinters - it depends. I have had some last three shots and fall apart, I have another that I have knapped down to half its original length over more than 100 rounds and it is still going - go figure.

"When hunting with the flintlock rifle, how often should the prime powder be changed? Seems like the longer it sits there in the pan the more it will absorb moisture and the less likely it is to light up fast (at all?).
If I take this gun deer hunting, hunt all day and don't shoot, should I fire the gun and reload the next day or just dump the prime and leave it loaded? My state calls it unloaded with no prime. Not worried about the legals just the mechanicals."

Try priming with 3F at the range before you go hunting. If 3F works you have an advantage - 3F will not clump up nearly as fast as 4F. I have read that 3,2 & 1F powders are coated to prevent clumping, 4F is not. I knock out the prime about every hour when hunting - at 3 grains each, it is not a very big expense. As for leaving the gun loaded - I will load my cap lock or flinter on the first day of the season and leave that load in until I shoot. Under normal weather conditions I have fired with no problems after as long as a week. If the gun is exposed to rain or a decent snow fall I may shoot it out and re-load. One caution, if hunting in colder weather and you are going to leave the charge in overnight, do not bring the gun from the cold into a warm house or car. Warming a cold barrel can create enough condensation to cause at least a weak fire if not a total mis-fire. Leave the gun in a cold place (locked in the trunk of the car, standing on the porch of the cabin ect.) overnight to prevent this from occurring.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've seen several posts about drilling out the hole for quicker ignition. How big? How do you decide if it even needs drilled?

When in doubt, don't. Metal don't grow back if you're removed too much.

If, after much shooting, you're getting frequent pan flashes without firing the ball, THEN open the vent as little as you have bits for. 1/64" increments if possible. Even less if you have number size drill bits. If you're not getting pan flashes then it's not the vent's fault.

Personally, I'll go 5/64" if that's what it takes for sure-fire ignition. You lose velocity and you lose pressure consistancy (and therefore accuracy) so it's not something to do just because.

 

[AZ-Robert]

Any tips on knapping? I tried to sharpen the first flint I wore out but it just got shorter not sharper. I get maybe 2 dozen shots from a flint. Would sure like to get more.

If the flint in question is the same one that comes standard on GPRs (whitish, sawn rather than chipped from its mother), I don't you can knap that one. You can sharpen it up with a diamond hone. What kind of flint did you replace it with? Like others, I'm having good luck with the black English flints... got at least 40 off the last one I put in the lock, without knapping it once. It is still in there and still sparking. But, as others have said, life of the flint depends a lot on the lock.

Bevel up or down? Varies from lock to lock. You already figured out to use the position that gives you the best sparks.

You're a goner now, though, I hope you know. Might as well sell off those cap locks.

 

[jethro224]

Pasquenel,
I'll try that diamond hone trick. The rifle came with the sawn flint. I switched it for a knapped one from Traditions 'cause I heard the black knapped ones were better. And the sawn white one looked weird. :imo:

Musketman,
Really, but not on this forum. When I tried to get the flint lined up with the flash hole it looked like it would hit the pan unless I backed it way off. Then it wouldn't hardly spark. I believe I'm gonna stick to this forum.
Deer meat is definitely worth more to me than a few grains of prime powder. That's why I asked how often to change it. I don't want to lose out on any backstrap chops due to a missfire. I'll be changin' it every half hour during deer season.
Didn't try any FFFg for priming. I'll give it a try next time out. Do you change 3f as often?
I took the flint out to try knapping it. It didn't work out well. I'll try it in the jaws next time.
Thanks for the tips.

Berk,
I found the address for a club not too far from me. I'm planning to check them out after hunting season. No free time until the end of January. Gotta hunt!

J.R.,
I'm using Traditions flints. I guess they're the black english ones. They're black and they're knapped. I saw the amber ones and the whitish sawn ones and some "premium Agate" ones at Gander Mtn. The Traditions were the cheapest by far. I figgered I'd screw up a few so I bought the cheap ones.
Thanks for the advice. I will try out the FFFg prime before deer season.

Stumpkiller,
So far only 2 flash-in-the-pans without a boom. Both times I never picked the hole so I'm blamin' 'em on me. I'll leave the vent alone for now at least. Thanks.

AZ-Robert,
The one I tried to knap was a black Traditions flint. I replaced the whitish one after a few dry snaps 'cause I thought It looked goofy. It has 2 edges on it and one has never struck a frizzen yet. I did keep it for later.
I REALLY like this rifle. I was thinkin' about tradin' in a couple of my caplocks for a percussion GPR for when it's crummy weather. Maybe I'll wait and see if I even shoot 'em anymore. Since I AM a goner and all... Does anywhere sell a drop in .32 barrel for the flint GPR? I do like to shoot my smallbore squirrel gun.

Thanks Guys, :hatsoff:
Jethro

 

[AZ-Robert]

Does anywhere sell a drop in .32 barrel for the flint GPR? I do like to shoot my smallbore squirrel gun.

I asked a similar question and was pointed to Green Mountain's TC barrels. They don't fit into the GPR as is, but for $75 Track of the Wolf will modify them so that they do. So, first get a GM-TC barrel (available from Track), then get Track to modify it for you.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories...rtNum=LABOR-GPR

 

[Stony]

Say Jethro, are you by chance in Lake county? If so, try coming out to my club, Conservation Club of Kenosha County (CCKC). We have a black powder range with lots of helpful folks. I'm there on Saturdays most of the time from 12 to 3.

 

[jethro224]

AZ-Robert,
Thanks for the info. That's exactly what I was looking for! I'll be saving up my spare change and order one of them barrels.

I saw they have a .40 target barrel ready to go for the GPR. Now I gotta decide which way to go. Already got the stuff for a .32 but the .40 would be cheaper :hmm:

 

[jethro224]

David,
Thanks for the invite! It's a bit far tho. I live in Pekin, Tazewell county. I do have a sister that lives outside of Earlville. Maybe I'll be up there visitin' and look you up some time.
I'm planning to check out the Kickapoo Muzzle Loaders club soon. They're fairly close with a range in Bloomington. Don't know any of 'em, just saw their website.
Jethro