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Ordering powder
- Thread starter Nemovir
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I'm assuming the 4Fg is for priming use only, so order 1lb of that & 4lb of 3Fg. That one can will far outlast the other four, so on your next order just order all five pounds of 3Fg.
Thank for for your quick response. I finally decided get a flint lock rifle. In case you're wondering, I'm having a rifle made for me. It's a Chamber Little Feller's rifle in .40 cal. I don't the tools or the patience to build one myself.
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Skip the 4f an get all 3f. Use 3f for both load and prime an it will work just fine. I can tell no difference when priming with 4 vs 3 :thumbsup:
wattlebuster said:
Absolutely correct, don't waste your money on 4f. I just ordered 10lbs of 3f and 2f. 3f primes just as good as 4f with no difference that I have ever been able to note.
It take sophisticated measurement equipment to tell the difference in speed of pan ignition between 3f and 4f with 4f being slightly faster. You won't feel the difference at your shoulder. If you have one of those spring loaded pan primers, the 4f powder flows though the priming tool better. 3f powder clogs up in mine, so I use one horn for both loading and for priming.
A fifth vote for go with all of the cans in 3Fg!
:thumbsup:
LD
:thumbsup:
LD
7,000 grains per pound. If you're using 3 or 4 grains to prime that's 1,750 primes per pound.
If you're shooting 60 gr in the .40 that's 116 loads per pound. So you want 15 cans of FFFg for every 1 can of FFFFg. But we slop priming powder and deprime frequently so maybe 12:1 for your .40 cal.
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And I also both shoot and prime with FFFg in my .54, although I do use FFFFg to prime with the FFg I shoot in my 16 gauge fowler. You can probably get by without the fine priming powder. Don't know until you try.
If you're shooting 60 gr in the .40 that's 116 loads per pound. So you want 15 cans of FFFg for every 1 can of FFFFg. But we slop priming powder and deprime frequently so maybe 12:1 for your .40 cal.
Free Business Manager consultation provided as a service of this website. ;-)
And I also both shoot and prime with FFFg in my .54, although I do use FFFFg to prime with the FFg I shoot in my 16 gauge fowler. You can probably get by without the fine priming powder. Don't know until you try.
wattlebuster said:
I don't agree. Most of us flinters prefer 4Fg for priming. Regardless of the tests, we prefer it. Get 1 lb. of the 4Fg and four pounds of the 3Fg. The larger 3Fg will not work in a primer nozzle and a lot of us use and like them.
Seeing as how you can never stop with one flintlock, I would buy a pound of 4F for the future and the rest 3F. I had a half pound of 4F when I started shooting flintlocks 10 years ago, used it up and bought another pound 5 years ago of which I still have 3/4 pound.
4F is like a lifetime investment for us casual shooters.
4F is like a lifetime investment for us casual shooters.
I highly doubt guys on the frontier would have carried two different powders... Am I wrong? I think there's a pre conceived notion in a modern day world one needs to purchase 4f to prime or else the flintlock will be useless. Also, I can't say how many times I've heard people new to the flint world shy away because they have heard they must purchase a "special" priming powder. Now maybe I have a rare case but all nine of my flinters fire off lighting fast with 3f every time. I also believe it has more to do with how one loads their pan versus the powder, heck I've even primed with 2f with no noticeable differences. Sure there's probably a measurable difference in ignition timing, but one I've never been able to distinguish. :idunno:
jeremiah ingraham
36 Cal.
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I agree that you don't need 4F. I had a guy at the gun store try to tell me I "needed" 4F when I bought some 3F. I told him I didn't need any 4F and that I had used 2F to prime the Tulle I once had. The 2F worked just fine for priming powder.
I'm not a serious target shooter but I have found that whatever powder you use will also work as a priming powder.
I'm not a serious target shooter but I have found that whatever powder you use will also work as a priming powder.
When I was shooting my Bess I primed and shot with FFg. It was almost 100%. But that had a big flint, a mainspring like a trailer leaf spring and I could about use my pinky as a vent pick (7/64").
hanshi
Cannon
We no longer live on the frontier nor do we ever get sidelined by Redcoats. Doing things the old way isn't necessarily the best way to do anything. I'm happy with indoor plumbing and wouldn't go back to the outhouse I used as a kid. I'm also happy to have 4F and a primer that works with it. Regardless of perception, 4F is faster than 3F; and I like the fastest ignition I can get. 3F does work fine and I've primed a lot with it. But if one pays attention, the extra speed of 4F is noticeable as compared with 3F. I like my little primers - one is a beauty; a gift from a forum friend built from a deer leg bone and walnut. It is really "cute", if I may use such an unmanly word.
hanshi
Cannon
Here is a pic of the gifted primer.
See, it's about whatever makes one sleep at night. :grin: Don't disagree with 4f giving faster ignition because it's a very obvious fact it does, Just not enough to warrant the cost of an extra powder for me, and my flinters sures heck dont care. Nice horn by the way, very pretty!
Tom Compton
54 Cal.
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Crewdawg445 said:
There is no extra cost. I assume you are using the same amount amount of prime be it FFFg or 4f and the price is the same. Long hunters and trappers in the Rockies may well have just used one powder. Or they may have just BOUGHT one and further sifted it to get faster powder.
Just good enough ain't good enough for some and great for others. Is all you want is flash bang or do you want to hit something smaller than a Stetson at more than 25 paces. .530 balls vs .535s, patches .010, .015, .024, different lubes, different caps? Why stop at one powder for main charge and prime. Or just use 4F for both? Because they have different applications.
I have no problem with those who prime w 3F or 2F but new flint shooters should try both. I shoot FFg and FFFFg. I'm not going to say that is the only combination for someone else to shoot.
TC
40 Flint said:
Never did I imply the poster to only buy ONE powder, or that there was one way to do it... In a nut shell, 3F works... Not a single person will argue that. However, being the individual is new to flintlocks, it's also a cost savings to buy all 3F versus both. Reason being, 1. He has more powder to shoot/ prime with and isn't limited to purchasing a combination of powders up front, not to mention some venders do charge more for 4f so there is an eXtra cost involved. The savings whatever it may be, can be invested in other items up front. If he enjoys the hobby, then probably he'll begin to venture out and experiment with other combinations for improvement. This addiction isn't cheap to start, so... What I am implying is simple two birds, one shot I guess. :idunno:
