TC Renegade 54 Flintlock

[bkct]

I acquired what looks like a never fired 54 TC Renegade flintlock a while back and going to give it a try. I shoot percussion guns now and then but have never fired a flint gun. Stupid question # 1 I acquired some FFFF powder which I believe you need for the pan but how much? Stupid question # 2 I also have FFF is this ok for pan and loads? In my percussion TC Renegade I use 95 grains of FF and a patched round ball for whitetail hunting so I was going so start with that in the flintlock. Any Suggestions?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Not stupid questions at all.

PAN - Hard to say ... geometry of the lock, type and position of the touch hole, among many factors, all come into play. Try 3-4 grains, or a little pile filling 1/2 the pan and go from there. OK if powdah is banked next to the TH but keep it clear of it, vent open.

3Fg - Sure, the 3Fg can be used for both, but try it out, you may have better ignition with that lock with 4Fg. T/C has 2 variations of cocks, the 2nd gen having a better geometry to be kinder on the flints and have a better striking angle.

Load - I'd opine anything 70 or over would be perfectly suitable for whitetails and I myself try the different load volumes (or even both 2Fg vs 3Fg) to see which groups the best, with your hunting lube of choice. That can help, especially when offhand shooting like when hunting.

Use good knapped English black or French amber flints vs. those cut agates one usually sees some T/Cs wearing or what T/C used to sell.

Be prepared ... you will get varying opinions to follow ...

 

[Thingamajiggy]

your 3F is good for pan or load where as the 4F is only good for pan. SInce you have the 4F, I'd use it in the pan and 3F or 2F in barrel. For the pan, I wouldn't fill pan more than half, usually less is better. I also usually put it in pan on side away from flash hole. Most of my .54's, including my renegade, shoot between 80 and 90grs for both PRB and conicals of 2F well, each gun is different though. Your starting load should put you in the ball park.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Well, you can use 3f black powder in the pan with no real issues, but if you have 4f, might as well use it because it isn't good for much else. For flintlocks, it HAS to be actual black powder. There are ways to use the substitutes, but to simplify things for you, just use black powder.

You only need a tiny amount of powder in the pan... about enough in the bottom to reach the flash hole... maybe five mililiters(?) Any more than that will slow your hang time.

95 grains sounds like a heavy charge to me. The T/C manual suggests a starting load of 60 grains, but 95 is within their limits. I would start around 70 grains myself. 70 grains should give you 1469 FPS muzzle velocity with just over 1000 foot pounds of muzzle energy. That's plenty to kill a deer.

Other things to note; hang time is longer than for a caplock, the position and condition of the "rock" is very important and the type of "rock" you are using is also important. The best flints come out of England and France. Some of the worst are cut chert and agate that T/C used to market themselves. Searching out good flints has been a major occupation for thousands of years... so the supply may be getting a bit thin these days. Fortunately, the demand since the stone age has dropped considerably.

Good luck.

 

[bkct]

Wow that's a lot of info, thanks. When I get to the range I will report back.
Thanks

 

[Amok]

I put together a TC .54 flintlock last spring and began my learning experience with a flintlock. I am using 75gr of Goex FFG and a .530 ball. I find that two to three taps from the flash pan charger using ffffg is plenty and a few adjustments of the flint to get me to having positive ignition each shot. 75gr seems to me to be plenty at 50yds, but my eyes aren’t what they were and I have not tried out to 100.

 

[lbothell]

Those little things will keep you consistent! Make them part of your routine, I use 2f in the pan bc that’s usually what’s in my horn.. I poke a couple flakes in the flash hole and I’m good to go. Black powder will ignite pretty easy so it more or less comes down to what you like and the routine you do, as long as your consistent you won’t need to worry about it.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Just a couple of flakes through the touch hole in a vent liner won't make a fuse and brings powder closer to the heat from the pan when the pan is ignited. Make smoke.

 

[bronko220002]

The 4F will burn a little faster but the 3F will be fine for the pan. As far as the amount that is something you have to experiment with on your particular rifle. Just don't put too much in the pan as to cover the vent hole. You do that and you will get what's called a fuse effect which will be a delayed igniting of the main charge.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

So how has it been going so far?