Pan Powder for Flintlock Rifle

[N.Y. Yankee]

On the topic of priming a flintlock, from what I understand of it, it's all about the way you prime. How much powder you use and where you place it, not what granulation you use. Although, I'm sure granulation might have something to do with it to some degree. I wasn't aware of the moisture issue though. Also the tuning of the lock and the flint has a lot to do with it. JMHO.

 

[hanshi]

I would like to hear more about blowing out tree stumps……..asking fot a friend

Don't waste your powder. For stumps I always go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of Arkansas Stump lifter. Good to drink AND blowing stumps.

 

[Irishmusket]

I would like to hear more about blowing out tree stumps……..asking fot a friend

 

[Irishmusket]

Seen it done by old farmer friend .he drilled a hole in the center of top of the stumps about the size of broom handle all the way through the stumps took an old broom handle packed some sand in bottom of the hole about 3 inches or so placed two long pieces of cannon fuse in each two feet long placed about 1/4 pound of 4 f in each stump then he packed dry sand in hole firmly with his trusty broom handle He then with great caution had the spectators including me move to safe distance and lit the fuses a mild boom more of a thud and three tree stumps were uplifted over half a foot these stumps were between 2 and 3 feet diameter .they uplifted enough for Farm-all tractor easily drag em away with a chain

 

[William Lincoln]

When I was young we blasted stumps too big to pull . Stumps in areas being cleared for
plowing. You dug down a little and either drilled or packed a stick for big stumps or
half stick for smaller ones into the side of the trunk or under the biggest part of the
trunk then packed clay hard around filling the hole. Electrical caps were what we had.
The wires were run out 150-250 feet to a hand twist magneto --in old times they used a
hand push magneto. The yell-- 'cover" went out and you ducked down and covered your
ears. The idea was to lift up the stump and blow out the dirt from the bigger roots.
You could do a miners shoot which is to drill straight down with an auger, set the cap and
pack and blow it ,but that sets pieces of wood flying. You could buy the TNT--dynamite
or different brand at hardware and feed store, usually in a shed out back. There was a
form to sign-that was it. After the shot, It was my job to dig and chop certain roots
on one side. Then we chained the stump and pulled it out or tipped it enough
to chop more roots if we couldn't pull it totally. Also, the place where we bought ours
also sold black powder for blasting. I think people are still blasting stumps today.
We never used the fuses that you light with blasting caps-- we had a bunch of wire and a twist magneto. It would rattle windows for quite a ways away.

 

[Coinneach]

Years ago here in Australia I learned to grind down my own primer powder from whatever grade I had at the time, I was fortunate to buy an original Boots Chemist Mortar and Pestle in a second hand shop (theres plenty of repros around in kitchen shops nowadays).

Simply take whatever Powder you have at the time and gently grind it down with a non metallic Mortar and Pestle until it has the consistency of part smaller grain; part dust powder; but only do as much as you'll need for that days shooting; that way theres little need to store it.

 

[DuncNZ]

The British used 3 drams -82½ grains of SDS (Super-fine Double Strength ) powder in their 1776 rifles . with the usual prime first , Not F
, I suspect the powder they used in their muskets was a multi grade with an inclination towards F .
I use ffff in my matchlock , wheel lock ,3 rifles and 2 smooth bores , Why , because it works a , I used to prime the pan and tip the rifle so the prime was away from the touch hole , now, after reading Bill Knight Bill Knight | BlackPowderMag.com , I changed and now push the prime up against the touch hole and my lock ignition speed has increased dramatically , almost as fast as a caplock . In fact so fast I keep getting surprised by it .

 

[DuncNZ]

When I was young we blasted stumps too big to pull . Stumps in areas being cleared for
plowing. You dug down a little and either drilled or packed a stick for big stumps or
half stick for smaller ones into the side of the trunk or under the biggest part of the
trunk then packed clay hard around filling the hole. Electrical caps were what we had.
The wires were run out 150-250 feet to a hand twist magneto --in old times they used a
hand push magneto. The yell-- 'cover" went out and you ducked down and covered your
ears. The idea was to lift up the stump and blow out the dirt from the bigger roots.
You could do a miners shoot which is to drill straight down with an auger, set the cap and
pack and blow it ,but that sets pieces of wood flying. You could buy the TNT--dynamite
or different brand at hardware and feed store, usually in a shed out back. There was a
form to sign-that was it. After the shot, It was my job to dig and chop certain roots
on one side. Then we chained the stump and pulled it out or tipped it enough
to chop more roots if we couldn't pull it totally. Also, the place where we bought ours
also sold black powder for blasting. I think people are still blasting stumps today.
We never used the fuses that you light with blasting caps-- we had a bunch of wire and a twist magneto. It would rattle windows for quite a ways away.

Blasting powder is made with sodium nitrate not potassium nitrate , it is made in smooth lumps about the size of a pea , some smaller some bigger . It is used in a blasting "Gun" which is a cast steel tube about 1½" thick and about 18 " long . It is sealed at one end , is bored out to about 1" for about 12" , with a fuse hole fitted at the end away from the muzzle and has a sharp "Muzzle" , the device is filled with blasting powder and wadded with some news paper , the fuse is fitted and the whole thing driven into a hole drilled in the log ,up to the fuse with a maul , a sack is wired to the tube to both slow its flight and make it easier to find , the fuse is lit and every one retires to a safe place . The splitter goes off and if everything has been done correctly the log or stump is nicely split into lengths or broken up. Unfortunately these devices are no longer available , neither is the powder , which we called Prune Powder , for some reason .