pan priming

[Twisted_1in66]

Dump it full, snap it shut, cock and shoot.

Simplify, man! :wink:

Yup, been doing it that way for better than forty years!

And the bad news is that doesn't work for some guns. The L&R Queen Anne lock on one of my .50 calibers is not picky at all. Fill it up or just drop in a dash, it will set it off. The Traditions much smaller lock on the other hand will give you the classic movie-type fuse effect (phhhhhhhhhhht-boom) if you fill it up. It likes a pan less than half full and banked away from the touchhole (quick flick of the wrist with the frizzen down does that). It will even fire if you lick your finger; rub it in the pan, put the powder in the pan, and then dump it out. The remnants of powder stuck to the moisture in the bottom of the pan will fire that rifle every time.

So, try yours out with a few different amounts in the pan and see what your rifle likes best.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Onojutta]

The Traditions much smaller lock on the other hand will give you the classic movie-type fuse effect (phhhhhhhhhhht-boom) if you fill it up.

I have a Lyman that is just like that. Too much powder in the pan slows it down.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Anyone ever consider the importance of a vent along with priming?

A pan doesn't need to be chocked full of powder, less is better. The powder needs to "jet" into the vent, a full pan just isn't good. That's why you get the 10 minute delay which is worse than nails on a chock board...

 

[M. De Land]

Vent? Please explain!

 

[Crewdawg445]

Vent liner, vent hole, flash hole, touch hole take your pick.

Different makes and models, or just a hole. Your choice, not properly placed or sized then you have problems, choke the hole with powder, delayed ignition or no bang at all.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

With all my good locks, siler, l&r, and north star, barely enough powder to cover the bottom of the pan was fastest. As stated above, it is the spark getting quickly to the charge that fires the best. I prefer having grains of powder visible at the surface of the touch hole

 

[M. De Land]

I see, I thought you we were talking about pan priming and you were referring to some kind of pan venting of the priming charge which I had never heard of.

 

[MikeyC]

About 2 grains for me. Goes off every time.
Chambers flint lock in two rifles.
Mike C.

 

[Vaino]

I've mainly used Chamber's flintlocks for all my builds and before the advent of the "White Lightning" liner, used my homade TH liners.....and everything worked fine when I just dumped some random amount of prime into the pan when using either liner. If'n I had a lock that was persnickety as to the amount of prime, Id get rid of it. Just like to keep it simple.

Seeing I mainly use a flintlock for hunting and am so intent on hitting the "target" whether on game or at the range, I don't notice any time variation in ignition...if there even is any due to varying amounts of prime. But, somehow, the "target" is rarely missed.....Fred

 

[Billnpatti]

I think my pan charger dispenses about 4 grains of 4f into my pan. You may be able to get by with more or less but this is what works for me.

 

[Heelerau]

I just dump some powder from my horn into the pan, I am not fussy on the amount, just don't fill it right up. I never notice the flash as I am to busy looking down the barrel at the target, or rabbit !! I have both Chambers locks, Siler and L and R lock, non of them are fussy about priming, just use the same powder as the main charge, FFFg. The big old Brown Bess, has a flash hole the size of a drain pipe and a little to of position so I make sure it is actually filled and it goes of fine as well. All these locks have been tuned for my by various people who have done a fine job.

Cheers

Heeler

 

[Ridge]

I have several styles of locks and my procedure for all of them is half a pan of priming powder.

 

[yardhunter]

I just dump some powder from my horn into the pan, I am not fussy on the amount, just don't fill it right up. I never notice the flash as I am to busy looking down the barrel at the target, or rabbit !! I have both Chambers locks, Siler and L and R lock, non of them are fussy about priming, just use the same powder as the main charge, FFFg. The big old Brown Bess, has a flash hole the size of a drain pipe and a little to of position so I make sure it is actually filled and it goes of fine as well. All these locks have been tuned for my by various people who have done a fine job.

Cheers

Heeler

I'm with you”¦I just put some in the pan & shoot. I don't worry about the amounts either. If it has a sharp flint, it will go bang”¦”¦..see ya yardhunter

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I just dump some powder from my horn into the pan, I am not fussy on the amount, just don't fill it right up. I never notice the flash as I am to busy looking down the barrel at the target, or rabbit !! I have both Chambers locks, Siler and L and R lock, non of them are fussy about priming, just use the same powder as the main charge, FFFg. The big old Brown Bess, has a flash hole the size of a drain pipe and a little to of position so I make sure it is actually filled and it goes of fine as well. All these locks have been tuned for my by various people who have done a fine job.

Cheers

Heeler

I'm with you”¦I just put some in the pan & shoot. I don't worry about the amounts either. If it has a sharp flint, it will go bang”¦”¦..see ya yardhunter

You know, It totally depends on the gun and lock you have. I have one rifle with an L&R Queen Anne lock that will fire with just about any grade in any amount you want to throw in the pan. I have a Traditions PA Longrifle (small lock) that doesn't like to be more than half full of 3F for consistently quick firing. So different strokes for different folks (rifles).

That's actually part of the fun of this - finding out what your rifle likes and what it doesn't.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Bob4BVM]

Anyone ever consider the importance of a vent along with priming?

A pan doesn't need to be chocked full of powder, less is better. The powder needs to "jet" into the vent, a full pan just isn't good. That's why you get the 10 minute delay which is worse than nails on a chock board...

And the winner is /\ .
Crewdawg is right.
For a properly set up rocklock , with a decent touch hole setup, you only need a bit of powder.
Most of my rifles have Chambers locks & WL liners and they fire as fast as any caplock with just a bit of powder in the pan, generally I like to see the hole above the powder. Full pan gives you that "slow fuse effect" that flinters are unfairly famous for. You want a flash, not a fuse !

Cheers,
Bob

 

[M. De Land]

Not true Bob, no flint lock can be as fast as a focused charge blasted through a venture shape.
Priming compound detonates it does not need to be ignited by a spark hot enough to start it burning.
In mil-second count a flint lock is not even close to being as fast as a properly functioning percussion system. It's just that your senses cannot detect that kind of speed differential.

 

[Bob4BVM]

Not true Bob, no flint lock can be as fast as a focused charge blasted through a venture shape.
Priming compound detonates it does not need to be ignited by a spark hot enough to start it burning.
In mil-second count a flint lock is not even close to being as fast as a properly functioning percussion system. It's just that your senses cannot detect that kind of speed differential.

If actually measured in mSec, i'm sure you are right. That's IF the the cap blast makes it thru the nipple & drum to the main charge. The path from flashpan to touch hole is a lot more direct, especially with a good liner & a 1/3 full pan, it happens fast, to the point of not being able to distinguish between the pan & charge ignition. All that of course assumes a well-tuned setup, where (ideally) the main charge is directly exposed to a very fast flash in the pan. You don't get that with a pan full of powder, which has to burn its way down to the hole before the action happens.

Anyway, what I was trying to point out is the exaggerated 'husssshh-kaa-boom' is a bum rap the flinter often takes. It's totally undeserved if set up and loaded correctly.

Bob

 

[excess650]

Short of inline, the ignition channel for percussion guns (drum & nipple and patent breech) is longer than that of a proper flintlock. I prefer flint!

 

[Bob4BVM]

That sums it up for me as well.
Not to mention that if something does get plugged up, a flinter fire path is all right there in front of you, nothing to take apart. The standard advice of "fire a bunch of caps to clear it" kinda loses its appeal when that buck is standing there in front of you. With a flint you can just LOOK at it and be pretty dang sure it's gonna go off

 

[MSW]

Short of inline, the ignition channel for percussion guns (drum & nipple and patent breech) is longer than that of a proper flintlock. I prefer flint!

I prefer flint, too.

but I prefer flint because flint is magical. flint makes you cooler, more suave, more debonair, more sophisticated, better looking, socially adept and sexually attractive. shooting a flint improves you grammar, advances your standing in the community, restores lost vigor, health and radiance, and removes unwanted wrinkles.

:rotf: not