Priming Your Flinter

[Marc Adamchek]

OK - How many of you prime the pan with the same powder that's in your barrel? How many use a separate horn of 4f exclusively for priming? How did you arrive at your individual choice?

 

[Stony]

Well, I use 3f from my main horn for the charge and 4f from one of those brass priming flasks for the pan. I do carry extra 4f in a priming horn. Main reason is the person who influenced me most used 4f for his priming. To be honest I haven't tried using 3f for priming yet, I still have my first can of 4f to go through yet :crackup: Maybe when I run out of 4f I'll try some 3f and see if there is any difference. :hmm:

 

[Packdog]

Same prime as I use in the barrel. Just simple that way. One horn...One type powder.

 

[Bearbait2]

Mr. Adamchek,
Right now we are using 2F for both prime and charge in our NW Trade Rifle and it is working fine. As soon as the 2F is used up will be making the switch to 3F for both.
Best Wishes

 

[No Deer]

I use 3f for the main charge and 4f for priming. I have tried using 3f for priming, and it does work ok, however, and many will disagree, but I do notice a difference in my gun between 3f and 4f prime. I have never had a problems in wet weather with 4f prime, and it goes off faster, so I have not seen a need to change. Agreed, it would be one less object to carry if I used the same powder for both, but as my life is not dependent on being fast and quiet, at this time I will stay with two powder horns. :m2c: :results:

 

[Stumpkiller]

I primed with FFg when I had my Bess.

Prior to that I always used FFFFg because that was just the way you needed to do it; or so I was told.

I've been using FFFFg with my new flinter, as the first tries with FFg had pan flashes with no bang (which I'm still scratching my head over). I've since opened the vent from 1/16" to 5/64" and will give FFg another try.

I've noticed that in the winter the priming seems less critical. I guess humidity to be the culprit. We're usually 80% or so in the muggy summer woods. At this point I'll stick out the FFFFg until after deer season and do more 'sperimintin when I get time.

Using the same powder for main & prime sure simplifies life. I may have to follow Roundball's lead and use FFFg for all in my .54.

 

[gordy]

I've been useing 3f for both.Seems to work well.I did build a small primeing horn,but can't afford to buy the 4f to fill it.As was said,one horn keeps it simple.

 

[AZ-Robert]

I'm using 3f in the main charge and 4f in the prime. Went with the 4f only because that was the conventional wisdom that was passed on to me. Have had no problem with the prime not igniting the charge - if the gun does not fire, it is because the flint did not ignite the prime. Hard to argue with success.

I use a thin brass tube primer with one of the spring-loaded spouts. Fits into a loop sewn on the inside of the shooting bag. Easy to get to, doesn't get lost in there, and is not an extra something hanging on the outside, so I have not found it inconvenient to use a separate priming powder.

I'm going to try priming with 3f and see how things work out. If it works reasonably well, I think I'll switch only because I think "back in the day" most folks carried just the one type of powder. (If I'm wrong about that, somebody say so.)

 

[Mike Brooks]

I use 4ffff when shooting skeet, I'll take every advantage I can get when I'm wing shooting. For rifles when shooting steel silouettts I use 3fff.

 

[musketman]

I go either way (priming powder that is), depending on one basic impulse, whether or not I forgot my priming flask when I set out into the vast outdoors...

 

[roundball]

OK - How many of you prime the pan with the same powder that's in your barrel? How many use a separate horn of 4f exclusively for priming? How did you arrive at your individual choice?

I use Goex 3F and 2F for the main depending on caliber & projectile;

I always prime with Goex 4F, using a pocket pan primer with a 3grn plunger dispenser tip for shot to shot consistency.

The powder manufacturers claim 4F is faster, 5F-7F still faster, and floating dust even faster than that.

Based upon all that engineering, and my own perceptions when I alternated testing of 4F/3F/4F/3F/ at the range one day, I came away convinced I could detect that 4F was faster than 3F for me, my rifle, etc.

So I've used nothing but 4F since I started with Flintlocks and couldn't be happier with my lock times, accuracy, dependability, etc...they're like shooting a .30-30.

And if it ain't broke, I ain't gonna fix it.
:redthumb:

 

[Berk]

I carry a priming horn with 7f in it for two reasons. My main horn is a double twist (carried on the left side)and it is awkward for me to twist it around to get to the pan. I use 7f because I feel (dont have any scientific proof) that a week spark will set off 7f more often than it will the larger granulations. This may all be in my head but it works for me and I am sticking with it.

 

[Uncle Jed]

Well ol' Uncle Jed loads and primes with FFFg, can't rightly afford two different powders. I tried the FFFFg once long ago when I was green enough to stick in the ground and grow, every time I needed to prime I was rootin' around like a hog in a new pen in mah huntin pouch, one powder makes it right hospitality.

 

When reenacting I use the same powder for loading and priming as did the people in the period I reenact: just carry one horn. On the range I have been known to use 4fg priming but not always. Personally I don't see a big difference in ignition time between 3fg and 4fg, but I often use 4fg priming when shooting 2fg loads. Down here in Louisiana the humidity makes a difference and subjectively it seems 3fg holds up better than 4fg in the pan.

 

[Bob J]

Think I'll try 3f for main load and primin', AFTER the old can of 4f is used up.

 

[Stumpkiller]

This may all be in my head but it works for me and I am sticking with it.

There's a lot to be said for just that mind set in hunting and target shooting. If you start thinging why it won't work or what if you miss before the shot you've already set yourself up to fail.

Just remember to follow through . . . just in case. :crackup:

 

[Ridge]

I use 4F to prime. I've found that it has a faster lock time and is more reliable. That's for my large Siler locks.

My Round Faced English lock from Chambers really doesnt' care. It throws enough sparks that any powder is fast and reliable.

 

[Landngroove]

I use FFFG, for both the prime, and main charge. This works very well in my .50, and .54 flinters, giving both quick lock time, and a cleaner burn in the barrel.

 

[LeeH]

As someone before me said, I use FFFF for prime, because that is what I was told is correct. 110 gr. FF for the charge, .490 round ball and a dry patch in my flintlock. She seems to like it, so why change.

I have to say I was REAL impressed to see "Skeet" and "FFFF" in the same sentence! :shocking:

Lee

 

[Gil Martin]

I use FFG for the main charge and FFFFG for priming the pan. Both granulations of powder are carried in unused plastic vacuutainer tubes that have outdated. All the best...
Gil