TC Firestorm?

[kevthebassman]

In light of the coming Obamanation, I figure we've got a fair to middlin chance of Goex and other real black powder becoming highly regulated. The first time some snot-nosed kid utters the words "pipe bomb" and just happens to have a 30 year old can of DuPont in the basement, there will likely be a legislative assault.

With that in mind, is there anyone out there who has actually used the TC Firestorm flintlock with the dreaded pyrodex pellets? Does it actually work as advertised, or is it simply a gimmick to hook slob hunters from Pennsylvania who would much rather be holding an inline?

 

[bigbore442001]

To be honest, I kind of like the Firestorm. To me it is a beginner flintlock. It wouldn't cost you an arm or leg and if you didn't care for it you aren't out a lot of money.

If I were to hunt the Keystone state in January, I'd buy one.

I know the black rhynite stock is ugly but functional.

 

[tg]

", or is it simply a gimmick to hook slob hunters from Pennsylvania who would much rather be holding an inline?"

I don't know if I would have put it so bluntly.....(yeah I probably would :grin: ) but I believe that was the reason for the developement of the gun, to modernize a flinlock to start to circumvent yet another ML seasons intent

 

[Leonredbeard]

Don't those pellets have a layer of real black on the back end? It is my understanding that this is the only way a flinter can light pyrodex.
volatpluvia

 

[B.Habermehl]

I have a HTE instructor friend who got one as soon as they were available. Imagine this, It hung fired like manure using pyrodex pellets. The verry stuff it was designed for! :cursing: My take = sales gimmick. It needs some loose black powder loaded first behind the pellets for quick ignition. Gee, aren't we reinventing the wheel? :wink: It is not such a bad gun but it definately does not work the way they advertise. BJH

 

[kevthebassman]

I think that the Pyrodex pellets still come with a little bit of the real Holy Black on the tail end, but triple seven pellets do not.

Everything I know about flinters (which ain't much) tells me that this thing is all hype, but with real black powder users being so few and far between, we may just find ourselves an easy target for folks who want to chip away at our 2nd Amendment rights. If that happens, I still want to be able to hunt with flint and steel.

 

[steelerzzz]

I guess I'm one of them slob Pa. hunters who has a Firestorm(Pa is one of the few states that still has a flintlock only season).Anyhow...the Firestorm is much more reliable with REAL black powder..forget the pellets! The Firestorm(mine is stainless) is a good foul weather gun, although I still prefer a wood stocked,browned barreled flinter most of the time.

 

[kevthebassman]

Nothing personal meant by my remark, of course.

I cold have guessed that it would be more reliable with real black, but how bad was it when you tested it with the pellets?

 

[steelerzzz]

The pellets would ignite about 90% of the time and the bp ignites 100% of the time.IMO the pellets really work best with 209 primers :nono:
not flint ignition

 

[rhwestfall]

Naving almost totaled my beloved "traditional" gun during an 8 hour sit in the pouring rain for the NY deer opener, I didn't hesitate to take out "Frank" (my cousin/hunting partner has dubbed it Frankenstein) in the next foul weather day. I won't waste my time trying to shoot pellets with it as it really isn't reliable (though if it becomes all we can get, I'll likely find a way to make it work). For me, it is a solution to the rough and tumble life my equipment must survive at times, and fits that niche well. At least it isn't an I-L*&e. Bash it for its lack of PC, dreadful looks, or the mass-marketing item it is (or was, as I am not sure they are made anymore), but I have made a few converts from those "other" guns over the years when I shot it at the range. It was the first flintlock I owned, and subsequently got others, so it was a step.

Just a word to the wise - don't bash what might keep out numbers growing. We will need all our voices, and keep them unified, in times going forward.

 

[steelerzzz]

Same thing with me Bob,it was my first flinter....but I still keep it around for those rainy days!

 

[R.M.]

don't bash what might keep out numbers growin

:hatsoff:

 

[bigbore442001]

too bad you couldn't get a 12 guage barrel for that gun. It would be a ton of fun to hunt game birds, waterfowl and wild turkey with it.

 

[kevthebassman]

I built myself a nice elevated shooting house for those rainy days. :thumbsup:

 

[ryoung14]

Kev, the pyro pellets may be a bridge too far. I'd opt for Pyro RS or possibly Pyro P behind a roundball load. I think you'd get better ignition with either of those...or do you see loose Pyrodex disappearing also?

I've never had much use for the pellets, even in an inline. Too much fouling too fast and too little control over the charge. I'd hate to be forced to use them...though they might improve dramatically if everyone is using them and complaining about their shortcomings.

I'm not a rock-lock shooter, so my opinion counts for little. Still, my favorite foul weather hunting arm is my .50 TC Greyhawk capgun. Stainless and rynite stand up to most everything, it's accurate, easy to carry, quick to shoulder, and, IMHO, much easier to clean than an inline.

If I were to try flinters, I'd probably go with a Firestorm and shoot Pyro P to begin with. For the money, TC is tough to beat.
Bob

 

[musketman]

In light of the coming Obamanation, I figure we've got a fair to middlin chance of Goex and other real black powder becoming highly regulated. The first time some snot-nosed kid utters the words "pipe bomb" and just happens to have a 30 year old can of DuPont in the basement, there will likely be a legislative assault.

Precautions can be taken to prevent any unwanted use of your powder, those cans are small enough to be locked up in some kind of gun/powder safe.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Kev, the pyro pellets may be a bridge too far. I'd opt for Pyro RS or possibly Pyro P behind a roundball load. I think you'd get better ignition with either of those...or do you see loose Pyrodex disappearing also?

I've never had much use for the pellets, even in an inline. Too much fouling too fast and too little control over the charge. I'd hate to be forced to use them...though they might improve dramatically if everyone is using them and complaining about their shortcomings.

I'm not a rock-lock shooter, so my opinion counts for little. ***SNIP***

If I were to try flinters, I'd probably go with a Firestorm and shoot Pyro P to begin with. For the money, TC is tough to beat.
Bob

:shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2: Dude, you don't get it do you? This is not conjecture. Subs (Pyrodex, 777, etc.) don't work for manure in a rocklock. ASK ME HOW I KNOW! Been there, done that, thank God I didn't get stuck with the T-shirt. If you were to go with a firestorm and Pyro P, you probably would never get a shot off. If you tried 777, it would work some of the time. If you used real black powder, it would be a dependable shooter.

Twisted_1in66
:thumbsup:

 

[pmwest]

”¦ is there anyone out there who has actually used the TC Firestorm flintlock with the dreaded pyrodex pellets? Does it actually work as advertised, or is it simply a gimmick to hook slob hunters from Pennsylvania who would much rather be holding an inline?

I have owned a Firestorm for quite awhile and I like it for what it is. If you can use it to shoot, I have probably tried it. This includes pelletized powders and duplexing loads of others. Will pellets work, yes, just not as well as Goex. Ignition is slower and not as consistent. There are several things that you have to do that violate the basic principles of making a flintlock work effectively to get pellets to work. Here is the kicker”¦anything you do with any flintlock will require priming powder. To me that means 4Fg Goex and that is still black powder that would be subject to regulation.

Yes, it is an advertizing gimmick but the good thing is that it hooks new hunters/shooters into something more traditional by providing a step from modern to traditional. It does not work for the reverse. If black powder is no longer available then traditional muzzleloading will be crippled and primitive muzzleloading will only be a memory once our cache of powder is depleated. Be vigilant of what the new administration is doing.