traditions flinter

The touch hole lines up perfectly. Don't look at the whole silver touch hole liner to sit above the pan. The tiny hole in the liner should line up in the recessed channel of the primer pan (it looks like a little valley) this way when you fill that channel with powder, it's even with the flash hole, and the fire burns through that hole...

Your Customer Support Team
Traditions Performance Firearms

Okay, everybody who is surprised by this response from a company that makes inlines, say "AYE!".

*cricket*...

*cricket*...

*cricket*...

I'm so glad I know now that the proper way to set up a flintlock is to bury the flash hole in the bottom of the pan and fill the pan with powder! What was I thinking?!?!?! :shake:

Well, I guess if you like half-second delays between pulling the trigger and the gun actually firing, this is sound advice. They must be better shooters than I am.

I too am glad you didn't send the rifle back. You'd have been way more ****** off than you probably are now! :redthumb:

 

:what: i figured traditions would say something to that order . now all you out there know why it is that flint locks have the reputation many folks think they have .

ok so forget them . do as rebel says and deepen your pan and polish it out .
A flash hole should never , ever , EVER be in the bottom of a pan unless you just like to hold her all day waiting for the fffffffffsssstttt booom .
:youcrazy:

 

[steved]

Hey StaticX,

Right on, brother!

I think Seattle Steve left off the final sentence of the response from Traditions, and I quote:

"Bye the way, have you considered purchasing one of our inlines to improve your shooting experience?" :bull:

 

[seattlesteve]

OK .. I went to the range for a couple hours today and made a very conscious effort to only put the priming powder on the right half of the pan, far away from the touch hole.

That seemed to do the trick. I still had a couple "flash in the pans" but nothing like the problems I was having before. I think those cases were where I had too much powder in the pan or didn't keep it far enough away from the touch hole.

I also ran a cleaning patch after every third shot, although at the end I got on a roll and tried to get in as many shots as possible before they closed the range at 6:00 PM and I think I fired off 6-7 shots in a row without cleaning between shots and with no flash in the pan.

So it seems that the Traditions Pennsylvania rifle WILL fire consistently if you are careful about not using too much powder in the pan and you are sure to keep it on the right side of the pan away from the touch hole.

I guess you could say most of my problems were due to "operator error" although it seems that the Traditions rifle with its poorly located touch hole is less forgiving of varying priming powder loads and location than a well built rifle with a properly located touch hole. Am I correct?

This has been quite an education for me and I hope others have benefitted from this thread as well.

 

[Davecoughlin]

SeattleSteve,

Practice, Patience, Experience with the gun; works every time.

Good job!!!

Jester :RO:

 

OK .. I went to the range for a couple hours today and made a very conscious effort to only put the priming powder on the right half of the pan, far away from the touch hole.

That seemed to do the trick. I still had a couple "flash in the pans" but nothing like the problems I was having before. I think those cases were where I had too much powder in the pan or didn't keep it far enough away from the touch hole.

I also ran a cleaning patch after every third shot, although at the end I got on a roll and tried to get in as many shots as possible before they closed the range at 6:00 PM and I think I fired off 6-7 shots in a row without cleaning between shots and with no flash in the pan.

So it seems that the Traditions Pennsylvania rifle WILL fire consistently if you are careful about not using too much powder in the pan and you are sure to keep it on the right side of the pan away from the touch hole.

I guess you could say most of my problems were due to "operator error" although it seems that the Traditions rifle with its poorly located touch hole is less forgiving of varying priming powder loads and location than a well built rifle with a properly located touch hole. Am I correct?

This has been quite an education for me and I hope others have benefitted from this thread as well.

Good Job! Now you should slowly start taking a little material off the bottom of the pan, and see if the delay is reduced. You'll probably find that it will, and can to the point you can hardly tell the difference between flint and percussion. My GPR fires very fast, only a very slight delay. My Pedersoli Kentucky pistol most times fires so fast you don't notice it at all! I think that will probably be the biggest benefit you will find by getting the touch hole higher.

Sorry if I got a little sarcastic earlier... that response just really pushed a button for some reason. I'm actually considering sending them an e-mail, and I don't even own one of their guns. Now I know I never will either. Sad thing is, they could send that same manure to probably 99% of their customers who own one of their flintlocks, and the customers would believe it.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

**SNIP**

I guess you could say most of my problems were due to "operator error" although it seems that the Traditions rifle with its poorly located touch hole is less forgiving of varying priming powder loads and location than a well built rifle with a properly located touch hole. Am I correct?

This has been quite an education for me and I hope others have benefitted from this thread as well.

Hi Steve,

I would NOT say that your problems were from operator error, but I would say that your success is from operator persistance. Despite what that Traditions service rep said, that vent hole it too low and too far forward. However, your method of priming the pan, now overcomes that flaw and gives your reliable quick ignition. There's no powder obscuring the hole, so the fire you light in the right side of the pan flashes across the pan and into the unobstructed hole just fine. Feels good to figure out what makes your gun work well doesn't it?

I'm thinking that you should go ahead and try the modifications that Rebel suggested so the priming isn't so critical. In the meantime, you can make your rifle fire, where most people can't. Might win you a few bets, as long as the other guys haven't been following this forum.

 

[adbranaman]

I wish I'd known all this sevral years ago.I fiddlef**ked with mine for 2 years till I finially found a way to make it shoot right.I did learn how to reharden a frizzen,but it don't worked on the Traditions because their only SURFACE hardened.I think some grinding is in store for this rifle.It was my first flinter and so far my last.I've got used to it and it fires more reliable then my little 32 caplock now.

 

[seattlesteve]

UPDATE:

I took my Traditions rifle to a gunsmith at the local muzzleloading shop (35 miles away) and he is working on it now. Unlike the folks at Traditions, he immediately recognized that the touch hole was WAY out of alignment.

I pick up the rifle this afternoon and I'm taking it to the range on Sunday. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[seattlesteve]

Here are some pics of the modifications the gunsmith did for me:

ORIGINAL:

MODIFIED:

ORIGINAL:

MODIFIED:

 

[seattlesteve]

more pics ...


ORIGINAL:

MODIFIED:

 

Excellent! I'll bet that thing goes off licketty-split now! After you shoot it and see how much better it is, be sure to send the modified photos back to them dingleberries at Traditions and let 'em know how wrong they are. :redthumb:

 

[seattlesteve]

OK, I went to the range yesterday.

I'd like to say that I had no "flash in the pan" problems, but unfortunately, I did.

Now, I have to point out that it was a cold, wet day in Seattle (imagine that!). I was under cover at the gun range, but it rained all day so there was a LOT of moisture in the air. An experienced flinter at the range told me that it can be difficult to keep the powder dry in conditions like that because it absorbs the moisture in the air. He advised me to wipe the priming pan between each shot. That seemed to help. He also said I was not using enough powder. It seems that now that the pan is deeper, I have to use more powder than before. Does that make sense?

As you can see by the modifications the gunsmith made, I can no longer blame the rifle for my problems. I still have a lot to learn. As the day wore on, I was able to be more consistent in getting the gun to fire as opposed to just flash.

Based on the weather conditions, it's hard for me to compare whether the modifications made a big difference in the flash in the pan problems I have been having. More shooting in better weather will answer that question.

I also tried some FF powder in the rifle because the gunsmith told me that FFF (which is what I have been using) is really intended for small bore rifles. Mine is .50 caliber. However, the FF was harder to fire than the FFF.

I'm really glad I bought this Traditions rifle before I get my custom gun next year. I had no idea flinters were this complicated! It's like playing golf. :: But the good news, I will have all the "bugs" worked out by next Summer when my gun arrives, so this has been a very valuable experience.

 

[roundball]

I also tried some FF powder in the rifle because the gunsmith told me that FFF (which is what I have been using) is really intended for small bore rifles. Mine is .50 caliber.

An Old Wive's Tale...powder is not caliber specific.
3F burns faster and raises pressures faster, so whenever 3F is substituted for a charge of 2F, it should be slightly reduced below the 2F load data...10-15% reduction is the industry rule of thumb...ie: use 85grns 3F in place of a 100grn charge of 2F, etc...3F also creates less fouling than 2F which is always a nice benefit, and the primary reason I use it for almost everything

 

[seattlesteve]

Thanks roundball ...

Any feedback regarding the dampness?

could that have been part of the cause of my flash in the pans?

I even noticed that I was having trouble pouring powder out of my horn after a couple hours. I left it unplugged the whole time I was at the range. Should I plug it between shots on a damp day?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Always plug your horn. It is a good habit to get into. Dampness is an issue, but having your blow up due to an errant spark could ruin your day and your anatomy. If a little powder dribbles out of the horn and then there is a spark......

 

[Rebel]

Yes, the humididty was probably a factor. DO NOT leave the horn unplugged as already stated it is a danger. Also the humididty would make the powder residue in the pan wet and can cause igntion problems. It is a good idea to wipe the pan, frizzen and flint with an alcohol soaked patch when it is that humid. Be careful wiping the flint edge though, as they will cut you in a hurry.

 

a couple things to add here
i have found that a flint will foul faster in damp weather so i wipe the flint with a dry cloth before every shot and once the pan is primed pick the vent hole before closing the frizzen.
also keep the lock covered eather with a cows knee or place it under your arm with the barrel pointed down if you have to wait for your turn to shoot

 

[seattlesteve]

As usual, thanks for the tips guys!

I am looking forward to a nice dry day where I can try out my "new" pan and touch hole to see how the gun fires compared to my "old" alignment. As you can tell from the pics that I posted, it looks like it should help a lot. Unfortunately, the wet weather introduced another variable that I was not familiar with. As I am finding out, shooting a flintlock is kind of like golf: it takes a while to get the hang of it, and it can be frustrating, but it's those good shots that keep you coming back for more!

 

[jim gray]

Using 3Fg to prime may help, if dampness is an issue. There are many posts here concerning the affinity that 4F seems to have for moisture.