Recent content by GregLaRoche

I’ve recently purchased several older and antique percussion rifles. I hope to shoot them all. Is there a chart showing the dimensions of various nipples and what would be the correct cap size to be used with it? Thanks

Would you consider shipping it to me in France. I’d cover additional shipping costs.

Some of us are interested in more than it just goes bang.

What I have found the most interesting are the pictures of the inside of the chamber. https://www.blackpowdermag.com/part-3-photography-through-the-muzzle/ To me, this shows that there is a flame that enters the chamber and no sparks, unless they are obscured. Whether or not the flames are...

Only if I let it.

Finding out more about things is part of the hobby for me. The knowledge may even enable me to shoot a bit better.

The question I am asking is not about the flint and frizzen, but what happens after the spark ignites the priming powder. What is the chain of events that ignite the powder in the chamber. Sparks, fuse effect, flame or maybe radiant heat. So far there have been a lot of theories proposed, but...

You could be right.

I agree with you Brazosland. I know some people even pile the powder up on a forty-five degree angle over the touch hole. What I’ve found to work best for me is a moderately thin line all the way across the bottom of the pan.

Before I started this thread, I was not aware of the experiments by Larry Pretcher. They are really interesting, especially the one looking down the barrel. https://www.blackpowdermag.com/part-3-photography-through-the-muzzle/ It looks like it is a flame/fireball, that enters the chamber. Maybe...

Thanks for those links they were quite informative. It sure would be great to have Larry Pletcher’s ideas on this question.

Yes, of course the powder in the chamber is ignited from the burning of the powder in the pan, but what is actual mechanism that makes it happen? Is it the radiant heat from the burning powder or sparks and embers finding there way through the touch hole to the powder? That is the question I...

You are igniting the priming Powder with sparks, but it is the radiant heat from the burning primer powder that creates the radiant heat, that finds its way into the chamber. It’s not like a fuse burning. At least that is what I think this theory is suggesting.

I found out about the theory of the radiant heat igniting the powder on a gunsmithing video call Anvil. it’s mentioned at 9:15 in the video.

You don’t need a flame or even a spark to ignite something. Take the example of lighting a piece of paper on fire with the sun and a magnifying glass.