A few questions on Pedersoli 69cal Flintlock pistol

[hogship]

I recently purchased a Pedersoli AN IX 17.5mm (69cal) flintlock pistol.

I've never had, or shot a flintlock before, so pardon me if my questions seem basic.

Is it OK to use the same fffg BP for the pan, as for the charge? (Yes, I understand that ffffg is the recomended powder, but I don't have any....and hate to buy a whole pound for this limited purpose.)

How much powder should be used for the pan. I purchased a spring loaded pan charger for it, but nowhere in the directions do I see how much to use.

The information supplied with this pistol lists a charge of 30gr for the main charge. No minimum or maximum....just 30gr of fffg. It has been my experience that manufacturer's data is usually very much on the conservative side. I have a Lyman loading manual, but it doesn't list any data for this pistol. Does anyone have reliable data for it?

Any other recomendations, or suggestions you might offer will be appreciated. Are there any special considerations for cleaning? Does the barrel need to be removed for this?

thanks

hog

 

[jim gray]

recently purchased a Pedersoli AN IX 17.5mm (69cal) flintlock pistol.

I've never had, or shot a flintlock before, so pardon me if my questions seem basic.

Congratulations, I think you’ll like the flinter.

Is it OK to use the same fffg BP for the pan, as for the charge? (Yes, I understand that ffffg is the recomended powder, but I don't have any....and hate to buy a whole pound for this limited purpose.)

FFFg will be fine as the priming charge. It may be a little slower than FFFFg, but if it is I have never notice. You could probably use FFg in a bore of that size, but if FFFg works don’t mess with it/

How much powder should be used for the pan. I purchased a spring loaded pan charger for it, but nowhere in the directions do I see how much to use.

Don’t worry about measuring it just put in enough powder to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Do not fill it above the touchhole. Once you close the powder tilt the pistol to shift the powder away from the touchhole and you are ready to go.

The information supplied with this pistol lists a charge of 30gr for the main charge. No minimum or maximum....just 30gr of fffg. It has been my experience that manufacturer's data is usually very much on the conservative side. I have a Lyman loading manual, but it doesn't list any data for this pistol. Does anyone have reliable data for it?

It does seem kind of conservative, but I’m not sure what the maximum would actually be. Did you see what DGW lists for a max charge for your Walker. :haha: . I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending a load for you, but if you send me the gun to test for a couple of months I'll let you know what worked for me. :rotf:

Any other recomendations, or suggestions you might offer will be appreciated. Are there any special considerations for cleaning? Does the barrel need to be removed for this?

Clean the gun as you would any other BP weapon, but be careful not to let the black soapy water from your touchhole run out on to the wood. I don’t think that the barrel of your pistol can be readily removed for cleaning.

My other suggestion would be read the thread in the Flintlock forum entitled Flintlock Shooting Tips. Good Luck and have fun with that pistol.

 

[mec]

WE've found that 3f in the pan is faster and more consistent than 4f in most of the pistols we've tried.

 

[Zonie]

Although these are the powder loads for the original guns, they may help you get a feel for the proper powder charge.
The data came from the Dixie 2005 Catalog.

.67 Tower Flint Pistol .650 ball 35 grains FFFg
.54 U.S. Pistol model 1819 .535 ball 35 grains FFg

 

[hogship]

.67 Tower Flint Pistol .650 ball 35 grains FFFg
.54 U.S. Pistol model 1819 .535 ball 35 grains FFg

Thanks Zonie.....

Well then, I guess 30gn of fffg might be pretty close to the truth after all!

I'll take this AN IX out to shoot it in the springtime. I expect I'll shoot it a few times, then it'll become a "safe queen".

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. :bow:

hog

 

[mec]

we used 50 goex 2fg in a .67" japanese Tower copy. Velocities ran 630 fps.

 

[unspellable]

Back in the day, pistols of this type were loaded with a rather modest powder charge. The idea was to keep recoil down. They figured with a .69 ball at a range of only a few feet, a lot of velocity was not all that necessary. (The other guy would tend to get a bit peaked carrying that much lead around in his gizzard.)

 

[smoothshooter]

I recently purchased a Pedersoli AN IX 17.5mm (69cal) flintlock pistol.

I've never had, or shot a flintlock before, so pardon me if my questions seem basic.

Is it OK to use the same fffg BP for the pan, as for the charge? (Yes, I understand that ffffg is the recomended powder, but I don't have any....and hate to buy a whole pound for this limited purpose.)

How much powder should be used for the pan. I purchased a spring loaded pan charger for it, but nowhere in the directions do I see how much to use.

The information supplied with this pistol lists a charge of 30gr for the main charge. No minimum or maximum....just 30gr of fffg. It has been my experience that manufacturer's data is usually very much on the conservative side. I have a Lyman loading manual, but it doesn't list any data for this pistol. Does anyone have reliable data for it?

Any other recomendations, or suggestions you might offer will be appreciated. Are there any special considerations for cleaning? Does the barrel need to be removed for this?

thanks

hog

Dixie Gun Works,'and especially the Italians, are known for only recommending mousefart loads for their guns. For liability concerns, I presume.
I would start at 50 grains of powder and work my way up, but of course you must do what you feel safe with.

 

[tenngun]

Pistols were often called belly guns. I had thought this was because they were stuffed in to a sash or belt on the belly. Another explanation is in hand to hand combat the gun would be shoved into or at least close to the enemies belly or groin to shoot.
Horse men wold fire right at enemy beside the horse or just a few feet away. A big charge just wasn’t needed.

 

[Stony Broke]

Just to shoot for fun, I wouldn't worry too much about heavy loads. In fact 25 grains would probably work just fine. Lots of recoil with heavy loads isn't going to be doing you any good. Shoot some paper with it and have fun...

 

[bang]

Stick with 30 grains. 69 is chunk of lead. Back in mid 70s I saw some guys shooting a 69. I asked to fire it. It was quickly obvious they were not loading it with proper amount. Brawn over brain. I tried to explan it to them but to no result. A gal with them smarted off that she would shoot it because I did. I told her I wouldn't again unless I loaded it. I went back to my shooting while they loaded it for her. Well, it wasn't pretty. It went off. The recoil slammed the pistol right between her eyes. The hammer finger grip went right through the bridge of her nose. Blood squirted like 2 feet and down she went. Don't know if she survived. Projectiles, particularly large ones are thrown not shot.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Keep in mind smoothbore pistols, like muskets, can shoot best with a healthier charge.

What were regulation early 19th century French pistol cartridge charge levels? Lots of speculation and nonsense in this thread. I know for a fact U.S. .54 cartridges were loaded with about 50 grains of powder. They weren't light.

 

[Stantheman86]

These were horse pistols and were likely loaded with a healthy charge.

Did French Officers and Cavalry use paper cartridges for these, like with the muskets ? I don't know, I would think they did. The charge for a .69 Musket was 90 gr. of what would equate to 1 1/2 f. But blackpowder was made differently back then so "service loads" from the 1760s may not equate to a load of Goex 3f.

My Pedersoli Kentucky .45 pistol has a brisk pop to it with 50 gr. of 3f, I would imagine 60 gr of 3f behind a .69 round ball would be kind of a wrist bender.

 

[Rat]

Any charge that you can manage the recoil, is "safe" in most of these pistols. The recommended max loads are really more like starting, or minimum loads. But, unless you have a need for a very heavy charge, something in the 40-50 grain range should serve all purposes. I have my Plains Pistol loaded up, sighted in, and shooting accurately with as heavy a charge that I can, and still manage the recoil...but I plan to keep the pistol on my right side, cocked and on the ground, when calling in Cougar and Bear, and use it if something comes in very close on my right, instead of trying to swing around with my rifle, which would be both awkward and most likely spook the game. Otherwise, I would not load it heavy. Have fun, wish I had one of them!

 

[Rat]

Thanks Zonie.....

Well then, I guess 30gn of fffg might be pretty close to the truth after all!

I'll take this AN IX out to shoot it in the springtime. I expect I'll shoot it a few times, then it'll become a "safe queen".

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. :bow:

hog

SAFE QUEEN??? Do you realize what a cool small game gun that would be, loaded with shot???? I'd be popping grouse with it, while out deer or elk hunting. !!!

 

[Stantheman86]

I think Pedersoli makes, or made a percussion conversion repro of that pistol.

 

[PluggedNickel]

Nice, enjoy! I hope to build the earlier 1763 version of that pistol some time in the future. I'm getting a kit from The Rifle Shop. The earlier pistol is required for SAR re-enactment, it is a bit longer barreled than the AN IX.
I do have a Pedersoli 1766 Charleville musket. Love it! It too is .69 caliber. I will use TOTW English flints for SAR re-enacting. The white German agate is easier on the frizzen for plinking on my musket. Seems to spark just as well too.