Come On Christmas Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 My first question is this? How important is the FFFFg flash pan powder? Wouldn't FFFg work okay? Did the olde timers have a special flash pan powder? What are the best flints to buy? I think I will do okay. As a Boy Sprout I started a flint and steel fiya in 30 seconds at a Jamboree. My buddy in my troop beat me at 17 seconds. I was in the Falcon patrol he was a Patriot. On the compass course my fellow Falcon and I got within 3 feet of the finish pin on a compass course set up by a surveyor with a Theodolite. Sorry I wax nostalgic. Shameless Womanizer Life Scout (the badge looked cooler than Eagle anyway, right?) Sr. Patrol Leader Order of the Arrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I've used 3f before, but use 4f when I can. I don't see much difference, but the finer the priming powder is, the faster it will burn and the shorter the lock time will be. <--- Eagle Scout 1973, Sr. Patrol Leader, Brotherhood O/A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Its important enough that lots of shooters use the hotter Swiss Null B. I'm still working on seemingly a lifetime supply of 4f Goex bought in the eighties. IMO, lock timing and positioning of the charge are much more important than whose powder though. Riflemen of yore and modern shooters tend to use fairly small vent sizes and therefore a finer powder tends to cook off more reliably than large granulations. On the other hand, soldiers in colonial American had touchholes much larger and they closed the pan while loading. Loose Fg powder coming out the vent during loading tended to self prime the system. These were large caliber rifles designed for mass volley so it didn't matter much if 10-15% of the power got blown out the vent. Mountain men favored the trade rifle in close up engagements for much the same reason as it could be reloaded faster than most anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Come On Christmas Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 What about the flints? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remo, SASS #17644 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Go to www.dixiegunworks.com They state that the English flints are the best and offer them pre-shaped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Good advice so far, but let me add this: MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD LOCK. I've seen a lot of fairly nice rifles ruined by a crummy lock and several relatively poor rifles that performed beautifully because they had an excellent lock. I've been away from the trade and hobby for too many years to give any specifics, but you need a properly hardened, shaped, and adjusted frizzen, not too deep a pan, a correctly aligned and sized flash hole (get one with a screw-in liner of stainless steel or similarly burn-proof material), and good springs. It should be smooth and quick with no excess travel and the cock should hold the flint at the correct angle and be secure. Check out the national Muzzle loading Rifle Association site and get first hand advice there. Do it right the first time and you'll love the sport. Otherwise you will probably sour on it quickly. Keep yer powder dry an' watch yer topknot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I'm in the same shape as 40T and have not been deeply involved as I used to be. Bob Roller locks probably are still the best if you can get one. At one time L&R made the best off the shelf lock but I hear they aren't the quality they used to be. Go here ML for the latest. BTW. Good English flints are getting really expensive and hard to find. The last I bought were 35 cents and now they are bumping 3 bucks. All the more reason for a high quality lock thats not a rockcrusher among other defects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Hey, Shameless... Significantly OT, but have you seen the Ruger 1255~? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I thought at one time that my life would be complete if I just had a flintlock. Got one, a Pedersoli .38. I discovered that the reason you always see paintings of mountainmen going into the mountains with two horses is it takes the extra horse to carry all the crap it takes to keep a flinter running. Traded it for a percussion gun just to get rid of it. The guy that ended up with it spent more for a new lock than I had in the whole gun. With that done he had a reliable hunting rifle. do some research before you buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I thought at one time that my life would be complete if I just had a flintlock. Got one, a Pedersoli .38. I discovered that the reason you always see paintings of mountainmen going into the mountains with two horses is it takes the extra horse to carry all the crap it takes to keep a flinter running. Traded it for a percussion gun just to get rid of it. The guy that ended up with it spent more for a new lock than I had in the whole gun. With that done he had a reliable hunting rifle. do some research before you buy. There are folks who will tune locks to get the most out of them. But all said its best to buy quality to begin with. Actually, as a last ditch firearm I'd take a well built flinter over a caplock anyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Good advice so far, but let me add this: MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD LOCK. I've seen a lot of fairly nice rifles ruined by a crummy lock and several relatively poor rifles that performed beautifully because they had an excellent lock. I've been away from the trade and hobby for too many years to give any specifics, but you need a properly hardened, shaped, and adjusted frizzen, not too deep a pan, a correctly aligned and sized flash hole (get one with a screw-in liner of stainless steel or similarly burn-proof material), and good springs. It should be smooth and quick with no excess travel and the cock should hold the flint at the correct angle and be secure. Check out the national Muzzle loading Rifle Association site and get first hand advice there. Do it right the first time and you'll love the sport. Otherwise you will probably sour on it quickly. Keep yer powder dry an' watch yer topknot. Heed the man whose voice is that of experience! Forty Rod knows where of he speaks! Me dear Pappy started me on a flint rifle while I was yet a beardless youth; he taught me early the value of that first accurate shot, and I bless the man's wisdom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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