How many shots can you get-When you have a GREAT flint ?

[#blackpowderbill]

As of Dec. 20,2021 I am creeping up on 200 shots. However the flint is getting to short to hit the frizzen consistently. So a chunk of wood will be placed behind it to see if it will go over 200 shots.

 

[tallpine]

Probably more the case of a great lock, Who made it?

 

[Steve Martin]

tallpine is right, that's a great lock you have not a great flint!

 

[#blackpowderbill]

Bob Ray it's a Chambers. You can have a GREAT lock but if you do not know how to clean up a flint & keep your tools working it all goes out the window.

 

[Steve Martin]

True, and I am impressed with blackpowderbills flint maintenance ability but without a great lock, he would have knapped the flint down to nothing over 100 shots ago.

 

[bigstick6017555]

I had a string of 70 shots going on a flint, on a what many call a junk lock. A T/C Hawken .50 cal. removed it for hunting season. After the season I am going to put it back on and see how much more I can get

 

[mmb617]

The most shots I had on one flint in my Deerhunter rifle was 150, and the most on my Trapper pistol was 169. Both usually get about 75.

And those both have Traditions locks which I'm told are junk.

I do kind of nurse my flints, only knapping them when they start to cause misfires, and moving them forward as needed till they are too short to properly hit the frizzen. If I have a no spark misfire I'll use an alcohol wipe on the frizzen and flint first which often does the trick. Knapping is a last resort if that doesn't work.

I don't hunt so an occasional misfire isn't a big deal.

 

[tenngun]

LaLoop posted accounts for French issues in Canada and showed about one flint for sixteen shots.
I’ve had flints shatter on first shot but generally say fifty is a good number. I doubt I ever got a hundred but I’m probably to heavy handed sharping one

 

[Griz44Mag]

LaLoop posted accounts for French issues in Canada and showed about one flint for sixteen shots.
I’ve had flints shatter on first shot but generally say fifty is a good number. I doubt I ever got a hundred but I’m probably to heavy handed sharping one

Very close to my own experience.
The lock on my Frontier is the easiest and most dependable on flints.
As a general average over the range of all my flinters, - somewhere around 50 or so.
I could probably get a few more if I took the time to move them around, backspace and stuff like that, but I have plenty of flint and see no need to fiddle with them that much, just quick knap in place or replace and keep shooting for the most part.

 

[Rod Man]

With the Lyman GPR I would run about 30 maybe a lil more, with the TVM I am over 40 and have only cleaned up the edge once and its still going strong.

RM

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have had countless shots from German sawn flints. But, these were used in a good lock, a Pete Allen built Siler. In an El Cheapo lock they, or any, flint will fail quickly. The quality of the lock is the key.

 

[waksupi]

Mine average around 120 shots per flint. I do have one flint that went over 180 shots, then I gave up on keeping track. I know it went over 200 shots before I couldn't get spark anymore. It was an old musket lock I had in the shop, no idea of the maker.

 

[Cpt Flint]

There are three things any man will exaggerate.
How many girls he can get, how much money he makes, and how many shots he can get out of one flint.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

View attachment 110215

As of Dec. 20,2021 I am creeping up on 200 shots. However the flint is getting to short to hit the frizzen consistently. So a chunk of wood will be placed behind it to see if it will go over 200 shots.

Bill please share your maintenance technique. 200 is impressive.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

Bill please share your maintenance technique. 200 is impressive.

Hatchet Jack, give me a few days to get the story together.

Bill

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

My pedersoli is still on its first since I bought it, done about 50 and still going well. Wasn't new when I got it so not sure the total.

 

[Robby]

Name that tune!
Robby

 

[Rudyard]

The term' skinflint 'derives from you fellows . There was a parralel term "Not worth a gun flint "& I believe' Tinhorn' refers to some City shooters metal powder Flask rather than the Rustics Cow horn flask .Iv'e never known anyone get such shooting from one flint . & Iv.e been around flintlocks a long time . Rudyard

 

[Erwan]

For me and my use, the average number of shots stay between 30 shots with French amber flints and may be a bit more with English black flints, something like 50 shots but never much more...

 

[dave951]

I've gotten over 70 with a sketchy flint that came with the gun. Towards the end, calling it a flint was really a stretch. It was more like a sharp pebble barely held in the jaws of the cock. Ignition got to about 50/50 as the top of the screw in the cock was hitting the frizzen almost at the same time as the pebble/flint. I guess I got all the red off that piece of candy.