First day with first flintlock. Didnt go well...

[flntlokr]

Took my Pedersoli Frontier Deluxe out today, but only had a short time. I had already made sure that the touch hole was 1/16". I thought I'd sanded the pick enough to get to the powder charge.

Carefully loaded up, rammed the ball home, and primed the pan. Fizzle. Over and over again. Sometimes the flint didn't spark, and I tried adjusting it. I pulled the touch hole plug, and checked the pick. It is not going beyond the end of the plug. In the end, I pulled the ball, and tried to fire the charge...which worked. Damn.

So, I need to thin the pick more, it seems. Maybe that will help get air and spark to the charge.. Not sure if the flint is an issue, since I tried two, but I'm getting something wrong here, with very slow ignition of the primer. And I mean, almost a second.

Any thoughts, tips?

You just learned why I reccommend not ramming a ball into a flinter without testing it with a blank charge first. If the blank doesn't ignite, a projectile on top won't make it better; just more fuss to get it to go. If your priming powder isn't going off with a 'pop', there is something wrong with it; probably damp. FFFG powder is ok for priming; I have never noticed any difference from 4F, except the residue doesn't seem to suck up as much moisture on damp days. As some have suggested, there was probably some grease left in the flame path; should be gone now. Have fun!

 

[Griz44Mag]

I have never had any issues with using the powder I use in the barrel for priming.
Those pesky patent and semi-patent breeches though - a totally different story.
You have to learn how to clean them, dry them and keep them clear.
Once you learn that - they work just fine.

 

[Phfinneuss]

My learning curve was similar.

I ve cut myself on the flints, realized the flint has to be r e a l sharp, after firing I blow through the bore to ensure flash hole is free/smoke is cleared, flint angled slightly so as to dig into the steel, rough steel is better than smoothe (as soon as a few shots were fired, the steel (frizzen) got roughed good. No more misfires), when charging the powder, I shake the rifle to get some powder into the flash hole, I shake the rifle slightly with the priming flask in the pan/against the flash hole, then draw the flask to lay the priming charge.

Anyway, I can fire with no more misfires and I can recharge/fire many times before wiping.

Good fun. Took a bit before I stopped flinching and so on, and got used to the,- click, shkkk, woof, BA, BOOM!

 

[Matthew323]

I have been away from shooting muzzleloading rifles since 1994, and am just returning to the sport.

I learned something new today which was that Goex marketed a black powder substitute name Pinnacle. I have been lurking at, or been a member of, muzzleloading forums since 2004, and this is the first time I can recall Goex Pinnacle being mentioned.

Thanks for the heads up warning.

As much as I am tempted to purchase a less expensive flintlock rifle, such as a Pedersoli, I do believe that I will wait until I can afford a used custom rifle with a Siler flintlock on it. All three of my previous rifles had RH Siler locks on them that were assembled by the builders of the longrifles.

In a conversation with Brad Emig, about 4 months ago, concerning his possibly tuning a lock for me, I found it interesting that he considers the standard Siler flintlock, after he is finished working his magic upon the lock, to be as fast & reliable as any other flintlock currently available for purchase. To include all three of the CNC machined locks now on the market. Chris Laubach's 1740's German flintlock from Firelocks, LLC; as well as the late Ketland & round-faced English flintlocks from Jim Kibler's, Kibler's Longrifles. And, in addition to all of Jim Chambers's other flintlock offerings.

That's high praise for what many people now consider a not very desirable lock to use for a custom build.

 

[Woody Morgan]

Wait, wait,,,, you mean there is 4f mixed in 3f and your gun doesn't blow up!
But I thought it blows up guns and causes death and or injury!
Well I'll be..........

Like a moth to the flame.

wm

 

[Sun City]

Make sure the flint is square to the face of the frizzen and such that it won’t hit the side of the barrel on downward travel! Keep face of frizzen clean as well as the flint itself! Make certain the flint is tight in the cock and retighten with screwdriver after a couple of strikes! It will get loose! A flat flint is best; one that is just touching the face of the frizzen with it closed or just off the face of fizzen a tat! IMO FF powder is best for .54 caliber! I use 530 Hornady swaged ball with .018” pillow ticking patch with Canola oil lube or spit patch!

 

[Griz44Mag]

the,- click, shkkk, woof, BA, BOOM!

LOL - yup - flinter music for sure .........

 

[Sun City]

I have been away from shooting muzzleloading rifles since 1994, and am just returning to the sport.

I learned something new today which was that Goex marketed a black powder substitute name Pinnacle. I have been lurking at, or been a member of, muzzleloading forums since 2004, and this is the first time I can recall Goex Pinnacle being mentioned.

Thanks for the heads up warning.

As much as I am tempted to purchase a less expensive flintlock rifle, such as a Pedersoli, I do believe that I will wait until I can afford a used custom rifle with a Siler flintlock on it. All three of my previous rifles had RH Siler locks on them that were assembled by the builders of the longrifles.

In a conversation with Brad Emig, about 4 months ago, concerning his possibly tuning a lock for me, I found it interesting that he considers the standard Siler flintlock, after he is finished working his magic upon the lock, to be as fast & reliable as any other flintlock currently available for purchase. To include all three of the CNC machined locks now on the market. Chris Laubach's 1740's German flintlock from Firelocks, LLC; as well as the late Ketland & round-faced English flintlocks from Jim Kibler's, Kibler's Longrifles. And, in addition to all of Jim Chambers's other flintlock offerings.

That's high praise for what many people now consider a not very desirable lock to use for a custom build.

Frankly I haven’t found anything bad about L&R and Davis Locks!!

 

[Spikebuck]

Besides "gunk" in a patent breech, another thing to be careful of on the guns with really small diameter patent breeches is "bridging" of the powder as the barrel starts to foul. You may pour powder down the barrel, but sometimes when the barrel is dirty, it can just pile up at the entrance of the patent breech and not really get down into it. On my Pedersoli's I got in the habit of "slapping" the side of the lock area with the palm of my hand after pouring the powder down to try to avoid bridging of the powder.