4 f pan ignition

[Texas Gil]

My trade gun either fails to ignite 4f or I get delayed hang fire. 4 f is not damp. So I switched to
2 f and get almost instant ignition? I’m at a loss . Need some help here! Any thoughts?

 

[Art Caputo]

This is strange. I would probably try some more testing to confirm what you are experiencing. Check 4F powder, pan charge, flash hole, and flint/sparking consistency,

 

[user 48679]

I've long used the same grade powder (FFFg) in both the main charge and the prime, eschewing FFFFg for anything - aka K.I.S.S.

I would respectfully suggest that you:

1) Consider that you may be over-filling the pan with priming powder ( I use very little prime, just enough to give a spark reliable enough to get through the vent & ignite the main charge.

or

2) Since it works, just use FFg

or

2) Use the same grade powder for your prime as your main charge.

.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Try some 4f from a different supply.

 

[Woody Morgan]

As Petro said, K.I.S.S.
I would imagine our forefathers did too.

wm

 

[Brokennock]

My trade gun either fails to ignite 4f or I get delayed hang fire. 4 f is not damp. So I switched to
2 f and get almost instant ignition? I’m at a loss . Need some help here! Any thoughts?

This is very strange. Can we please see pics of your lock? Would like to see where the edge of the flint is at the end of it's arc, flintcock fully forward. Also pics of flash hole and how much priming powder you are using may be helpful.
The part that baffles me isn't the hangfire, I can think of many reasons for this. It is the failure to ignite 4f at all,,, but it will ignite the 2f reliably.

 

[TreeMan]

If your 4f is and 2F are both quality powders in good condition then both should ignite. Unglazed 4f should ignite easier and somewhat faster. Tests prove that whether we can physically see or feel it. Hang fires and ignition are two separate situations. If you’re setting off 2F consistently then your 4f powder has something amiss. I don’t think there is any explanation other than bad powder. If you start with a new flint, clean pan and frizzen and continue to get the same results I’d blame it on the powder.

 

[Sam squanch]

Take a pinch of your 4 f and set a match to it. See what it does. If it poofs fast , you may have a lock or touch hole problem. If it is hard to ignite, it may be something other than 4f…

 

[Grenadier1758]

I'm in with those that think your 4f powder is the problem. Try a different source of 4f or just continue to use the 2f.

 

[mooman76]

Be careful if you match light it. It burns hot and fast.

 

[fishmusic]

I had a similar experience. Was having intermittent luck with ffffg even though I was using 3 gr. I tried lowering the amount but would often get nothing but a flash in the pan. The two weeks ago I forgot my little ffffg priming flask. C$@p, I'll have to use fffg. Wow, what a difference! Almost instant ignition and no misfires for 30 rounds! I think most of the problem was the lock which is now being tuned but I was so surprised that I might stop using ffffg entirely.

 

[EC121]

Pletcher says that 4F & Null-B measure slightly faster than 3f, BUT they are all under the human perception time. 3f work fine. 2f while it masures slower yet will still work.

 

[ohio ramrod]

FFFF being finer has more surface area which allows for a faster burn time, but also makes it more suseptable to drawing moisture. I believe your FFFF could have drawn moisture and it is affecting its burn.

 

[hanshi]

This is a real curiosity. I've always used mostly 4F and 3F when that's all I had. Both ignited great and burned fast. Your can of 4F is likely bad, and it's the culprit.

 

[ML48]

Take a pinch of your 4 f and set a match to it. See what it does. If it poofs fast , you may have a lock or touch hole problem. If it is hard to ignite, it may be something other than 4f…

I was thinking the same thing. Possibly that touch hole a little cruddy. Good thought.

 

[Texas Gil]

I had a similar experience. Was having intermittent luck with ffffg even though I was using 3 gr. I tried lowering the amount but would often get nothing but a flash in the pan. The two weeks ago I forgot my little ffffg priming flask. C$@p, I'll have to use fffg. Wow, what a difference! Almost instant ignition and no misfires for 30 rounds! I think most of the problem was the lock which is now being tuned but I was so surprised that I might stop using ffffg entirely.

I’m like you, I’ll just use what works but I do suspect the 4f as degraded somehow.

 

[Fly103]

I noticed a similar thing on accident with my pedersoli. Ignition with 2f, while slightly slower is more consistent than 4f and it requires less volume in the pan.

Chris

 

[Sidney Smith]

Since I've started shooting my .32 caliber. I've used only 3fg in the pan. I get lightning fast ignition and have had zero misfires due to the powder. I did have one failure to spark issue, but that turned out to be a dirty Frizzen and flint, not the powder.

 

[Texas Gil]

I noticed a similar thing on accident with my pedersoli. Ignition with 2f, while slightly slower is more consistent than 4f and it requires less volume in the pan.

Chris

You are right. I like the idea of 2f for both jobs. Problem solved. I’m super happy about the 2f ignition time and not willing to try to examine it further. Right now it’s fixed. Thanks

 

[deerstalkert]

in my mortimer i use 3f, when i charge i close the frisson and smack the stock on the lock side before seating the ball.
8 out of 10 times i get enough through the vent to fire the charge. don't get simpler than that.