3F in the Pan?

[Rick Boylan]

I only use 3F to prime and load. I've never had a problem. It's been very reliable for me as long as my flint is sharp and throws sparks.

 

[AZbpBurner]

The old man who taught me to shoot flint always primed from a horn. I once asked him about 2F & 3F powder & he told me the powder handed down to him from father & grandfather came in casks labeled "gunpowder". He primed from the same horn he loaded with & once remarked that it was pointless to go out & buy 4F, since it's just more stuff to haul around when you go shoot; none of his family collection of rifles ever used 4F to prime.

A few decades later & I've got a can of 4F that someone gave me years ago. I have one of those little springloaded Ampco pan primers - it works great, although it doesn't hold enough for a full days' shooting & only dispenses 4F. When empty I prime with 2F or 3F, depending on rifle or fusil & horn, and I can't tell any difference in ignition speed.

 

[MattC]

Little bit of both, I think. I have to get back to test it.

 

[hanshi]

While "rare" may be an overstatement, That one in 100,000 shooter might take issue with you. If powder from the horn going down the muzzle can find a latent spark, so can the powder in the pan. So you can throw all your measures away; but we will send flowers. When all I have is a horn, I prime using a measure. Call me reckless. :hmm:

 

[Black Hand]

While "rare" may be an overstatement, That one in 100,000 shooter might take issue with you. If powder from the horn going down the muzzle can find a latent spark, so can the powder in the pan.

Provide examples of this having happened while priming the pan...to anyone....ever.

 

[Zonie]

We both know there are no recorded incidents of a latent spark in a flintlocks pan accidentally igniting fresh powder as it is poured into the pan.

Even if it has happened, it is very unlikely that anything would have been written about it.

That does not prove it could not happen.

Different folks have different ideas about how much they want to tempt fate.
Many people have a "It can't happen to me" attitude and others have a, "With my luck I'll be the first person some disaster will strike" attitude.

Generally speaking I say, "Whatever floats your boat as long as it doesn't endanger someone else."

With something as simple as priming the pan from a small container to minimize anything that may happen rather than priming directly from a horn, I say, why not do it?

 

[George]

With something as simple as priming the pan from a small container to minimize anything that may happen rather than priming directly from a horn, I say, why not do it?

Do you walk to the range, Zonie? :grin:

Spence

 

[Black Hand]

We both know there are no recorded incidents of a latent spark in a flintlocks pan accidentally igniting fresh powder as it is poured into the pan.

Even if it has happened, it is very unlikely that anything would have been written about it.

That does not prove it could not happen.

Different folks have different ideas about how much they want to tempt fate.
Many people have a "It can't happen to me" attitude and others have a, "With my luck I'll be the first person some disaster will strike" attitude.

Generally speaking I say, "Whatever floats your boat as long as it doesn't endanger someone else."

With something as simple as priming the pan from a small container to minimize anything that may happen rather than priming directly from a horn, I say, why not do it?

Do as you wish, it doesn't bother me.
That said - I thought we were trying to dispel myths and misinformation....?

 

[Tom Compton]

If it happened I bet Most of em didn't tell anyone.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

:rotf: :rotf:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

What if there is a left-handed flintlock to your right, shooting when you're loading? So your lock is facing his? I've been hit in the left side of my face from the guy standing to my left, shooting his flinter and needing a touch hole replaced. :shocked2: Now in that case my lock when loading is protected as I'm standing with my back to the guy on my left, the muzzle points downrange, and my lock is being primed at about chest high. :wink: If the fellow with the worn touch hole was to my right, with a left handed flinter...,
:hmm:

I confess that I prime from my horn though. :grin:

There are also from time to time such Nimrods as this clown.. The only way to guard against this though, is not to shoot with anybody you don't know on the range. :shocked2:

LD

 

[Black Hand]

Life is full of What-ifs...

If one is going to seriously worry about all of them, then they would never get out of bed in the morning. Come to think of it, most people die in bed, so perhaps one shouldn't sleep in a bed on the off chance they might die! :wink: :wink: :wink:

But in all seriousness - many things are possible, but they just aren't probable. Life is too short to worry about all the things that might happen and pay attention to those that do happen. And a lingering spark in the pan waiting for the next prime from a horn so it can explode the horn like a bomb is not really one of those...

 

[hanshi]

I don't know how I got to the age I now am considering my learning curve. But I did learn and escaped those "once-in-a-blue-moon" incidents with my hide in good shape. One cannot be TOO careful and will certainly not escape the law Murphy laid down. I do agree, however, do as you like and trust in a higher power. The word "freak" as in "freak accident" wasn't an afterthought. If one can commit dreadful sins merely by chronographing, anything is possible, I suppose.

 

[tenngun]

If you are concerned about historical accuracy, 18th century priming horns are virtually non-existent.

And yet there is good evidence that priming powder and priming horns were used in the early 17th century by the English army and in the 16th century by the French army. If it's a fact that they were not used in the 18th century, but were used again in the 19th, then we have a gap in the story, and don't understand the proper sequence of events.

Spence

Many folks don't think short starters or ball boards were used in the old days. We also have records of Boone or others pouring powder in a palm and pouring that down. Folks not using a measure though measures were known. Small pairing knifes were known but no'patch knifes'. So...
Now I prime with what's in the horn. Could it be that missing powder horns are just a case of 'too much junk' to carry? Extra priming flask of the nineteenth century in use mostly by folks just doing some afternoon upland hunting as opposed to hunting professional hunters who live on horse back or canoe?

 

[FishDFly]

Why does the NMLRA have it's rules in place?

 

[hanshi]

I admit to giving the (too short) answer in my post. I know many shooters, clubs and organizations are totally opposed to "blowing down the barrel" after firing. I'm not going to get involved with the whys and why nots but will mention this. I blow down the barrel for more than just one reason. But one of those reasons is to insure no live spark is hiding somewhere down there. While I still don't (of course) charge the barrel directly from the horn, I also think it is quite safe to PRIME directly from the horn once the shooter has blown down the barrel. I still don't prime from the horn simply because I use small priming tools and 4F.


My favorite hand made priming tool gifted a few years ago by a forum member on another site.

 

[tenngun]

The osaha cowboy?

 

[tenngun]

I too blow down the barrel tween shots, for lots of reasons

 

[scott taylor]

I three blow down the barrel, its a personal thing. Burnt pider is delicious.

 

[faste350]

laughed my butt off!!!! that was a good one!!!!!!!!!!