flint causing frizzen not to fully open

I installed the flint and now at half cock the flint is far enough that o could prob put 2 credit cards in between the frizzen and the flint, and when I release the trigger the flint does not go all the way down it gets caught up on the bottom of the frizzen, and I have tried multiple positions of the flint and same problem

First thing I would check is that the frizzen face is hard all the way down, you should not be able to cut it with a file. If the flint can dig in you need to stop and fix it before it gets a dint.

Oh the Joys of Flintlocks ! ! ! it's all in the learning curve. Try cutting a hole in the flint leather where it contacts the top jaw screw...this will let the flint set a wee BIT further back and possibly fix the problem.

Need more information, what brand rifle, bevel up or down, leather or lead installed around the flint, pictures would be a great help.

In all honesty, not sure folks should buy black powder guns with out some type of test to make sure they are capable of using them. Lots of questions on here on how do I clean it before I shoot it, how do I load it and how do I clean it afterwards.

The above is why I do not lease my ranch for hunting, to many folks who do not know the basics.

If you have the flint bevel up, turn it over and try it. If bevel down, do the same. The hole in the leather wrap could also solve the problem. And, the flint itself could be too long for that to work in which case try a shorter flint. I have had to do one or more of these things on every flintlock I have ever bought. Comes with the territory.

Sure it's not bouncing back?? This is fairly common..

Also, remove the lock and try...

Have you thought about using a longer flint? I personally have the best flints that just don't touch the frizzen by a hair at half cock. If yours is too far back, then the arc of the cock swinging takes it too low on the frizzen when it strikes.

The flint should strike the frizzen in the top 1/3, so it skips across bottom 2/3 to generate more spark!

Richard...oh Richard...you must be joking! Ha...
A Test to makes sure that people know how to OPERATE Flintlocks ?????? git off yer High Horse and come back to earth Man...
We all have to start some where....
But I suppose that you knew all about flintlock from the womb....ha. Keep your TEST in your state for those likeminded as yourself.
( mods...sorry for the spike. just trying to put a stop to snobbery.....nuff said)

Rusty_Nail said:

Have you thought about using a longer flint? I personally have the best flints that just don't touch the frizzen by a hair at half cock. If yours is too far back, then the arc of the cock swinging takes it too low on the frizzen when it strikes.

The flint should strike the frizzen in the top 1/3, so it skips across bottom 2/3 to generate more spark!

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I was using the traditions brand English flints and both in the pack didn't work, went to a local shop to pick two more packs up in different shapes and bingo its a thinner longer one that just clears the frizzen, 2 outa the six clear good, are these numbers fairly common with flints 1/3rd fit properly

scalper said:

Richard...oh Richard...you must be joking! Ha...
A Test to makes sure that people know how to OPERATE Flintlocks ?????? git off yer High Horse and come back to earth Man...
We all have to start some where....
But I suppose that you knew all about flintlock from the womb....ha. Keep your TEST in your state for those likeminded as yourself.
( mods...sorry for the spike. just trying to put a stop to snobbery.....nuff said)

Click to expand...

thought it but didn't wanna say it :bow:

Sometimes the flint can hang up on things other than the frizzen if it is set off to the side. Take a good look and see for sure where it is snagging and hanging up. Sometimes we can set them to far left or right.

It doesn't have to fit all the way to the screw. Just make sure you cinch it down tight. As one wears a bit, nap it and move it up a tad. The leather (or lead if your preference) will hold, but you need to have it tightly fit. If not, the flint will chew up!!

And like Petew said, make sure it isn't hammerin' the flat of the barrel as it flies down!

Richard Eames said:

In all honesty, not sure folks should buy black powder guns with out some type of test to make sure they are capable of using them.

Click to expand...

Are you serious? :rotf:

Richard Eames said:

In all honesty, not sure folks should buy black powder guns with out some type of test to make sure they are capable of using them.

Click to expand...

Hmm, perhaps we need a test on this Forum to ascertain if people are polite enough to post here? :wink:

WOW...first thing I checked was how many posts had been made...then re-read to see and check for humor...very poor response to a newbie...just so you know Chironomidkraut, this is rare on this forum! :v

By the way have you noticed we could pass for twins... :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: Oh...and do you happen to fly fish?

yuppers fly-fisherman and my favorite insect the chironomid and u guessed it where the second part of my name came from....
ya there are guys like that on my bowhunting forums too, im just looking for info on my new flinter that's all

Don't worry, there is a ton of good knowledge and willing help here. Just keep asking whatever questions you have , usualy there is very little internet bullying here , but there is a ton of helpful people that also learned the hard way and don't mind sharing the stuff they learned along their journey.

I have been shooting muzzleloaders for over 50 years and I am still learning thanks to this forum. If I ever stop learning I'll drag out the rocking chair and hang the smokepole's over the fireplace. :thumbsup:

bpd303 said:

... If I ever stop learning I'll drag out the rocking chair and hang the smokepole's over the fireplace. :thumbsup:

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And then it will take awhile to figure which one of the many goes in the middle of the hearth, and to use brass or iron mounted hooks, or whether to brown the iron! So that rocker might still get a bit lonely! :rotf:

Yep just keep trying and reading. I started the same way, leaning heavily on sites like this to learn as there are 0 BP shooters near me.
Anytime someone converts to BP I consider it a win and try to help with the inevitable frustrations along the way in hopes that they will progress and eventually teach others.