Flintlock pistols - loading like my rifle?

[MIOutdoorsman]

Hello Gents.
As I continue to build my Pendersoli Kentucky .54 flint pistol kit, I’m beginning to think about loads and the loading process. I got this pistol to match my .54 hunting rifle caliber, and wanted to build a beginner-level kit. Loads of fun on that aspect!

As this is my first pistol, I wonder if you can educate me... Is the process in terms of using a greased patch and round ball the same with pistols? I’ve read of using dry patches on pistols, but can’t understand the logic there.... maybe that’s for black powder revolvers?

Also, I use FF in my rifle, but wonder if I need to switch to FFF in a pistol due to the shorter barrel and less burn time? (Both are .54)

 

[Eterry]

The ffg will go bang just like your rifle. I was surprised at how much recoil my Kentucky pistol made until i cut my loads down. My 1st thoughts was to use the same load as my rifle, that was a bad idea. I ended up reducing my pistol load by half. Even that is a stout load. You might wanna start at 1/3 your rifle load, or less.

I use the same patch, lube, ball and powder for my pistol and rifle.
Keeps things simple.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

The ffg will go bang just like your rifle. I was surprised at how much recoil my Kentucky pistol made until i cut my loads down. My 1st thoughts was to use the same load as my rifle, that was a bad idea. I ended up reducing my pistol load by half. Even that is a stout load. You might wanna start at 1/3 your rifle load, or less.

I use the same patch, lube, ball and powder for my pistol and rifle.
Keeps things simple.

Thanks for this. My hope is that the same ball and patch will work well too, and would be great if same powder works well too. That’s why I chose the same caliber. Like you said—keep it simple.

I had read that the load for this pistol is about 25-35 grains of FFF, per the Pendersoli website (they call for that in Swiss, which I believe to be FFF). So I guess that translates to “a little more FF”

 

[Phil Coffins]

I shoot my 54 pistol by loading from the same pouch as I use for my 54 rifle. Mine likes 30 grains of 2fg and all the same componates as the rifle. Dumb luck maybe but it’s good enough for hunting and wins some matches.

 

[Zonie]

Loading a muzzleloading pistol is done just like loading a muzzleloading rifle. There are a couple of things that I recommend that are different about it though.

First, the patch thickness should only be about .010 to .012 thick. This makes starting and ramming the patched ball much easier.

Second, the powder load doesn't need to be greater than about 30 grains to get all of the useful power out of the powder load. Powder loads larger than that don't add much power to the shot but they do make a much larger ball of fire coming out of the end of the barrel. Unless you like large balls of fire, use a smaller load. Actually, a 20 to 25 grain powder load will give the pistol just about all of the power it was made to handle.

Getting back to the thinner patch: Rifles shoot large powder loads that make high breech pressures. To contain this, a thick patch is needed. Rifles are also easy to get a grasp on so the more difficult to start and ram thicker patches we use in them isn't a big problem.

Pistols on the other hand don't have a lot of weight to them and they are hard to hold with one hand while ramming with the other. That makes loading a pistol with the thinner patch much easier than loading it with a thick one.

 

[Bill Bryan]

I absolutely agree on the lighter load. More black powder is wasted in a pistol. You might think about a set trigger during you build. It will make a difference when you go to shooting. Bill

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I wonder if you can educate me...

You have received some good direction already, but a pistol needs a loading stand. Make a good one that configures the curve of the Kentucky grip.
Flintlocklar

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Thanks guys. This is excellent info and logic behind it all.

I definitely want to make a box with a built in loading stand too. I’ll start researching those next!!

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

my first attempt to load my Great Plains pistol "like a rifle" ended up with Lyman graciously replacing the stock. Split at the wrist. My second attempt was with my Pedersoli "Bounty Hunter" with 50 grains FFFg. Stout and hard to hold. 40 grains and a proper patched round ball is very effective without the damage. This pistol requires a rest to shoot well. One handed it is too heavy to hold through a proper squeeze.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Zonie]

Here's a picture of a couple of little folding loading stands I made for one of my Cap & Ball pistols.

The cap & ball guns are a little bit easier to make a stand for. Ones for a flintlock pistol need to support the back of the grip well as well as have a block to keep the bottom of the gun from moving out away from the vertical support on the stand.

 

[FishDFly]

A loading stand as mentioned makes the pistol easier to load and it also makes it easier to clean.

Depending on how much effort a person puts into making a loading stand it can hold your loading/ram rod, ball starter, powder measure, caps and powder flask, etc.. Some folks have very well thought out loading stands. Barry Strickland has one of the best that I have seen.

At some ranges, a loading stand is required, pistols must be benched in the upright position when not being fired and during cease fires, a safety requirement.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

A loading stand as mentioned makes the pistol easier to load and it also makes it easier to clean.

Depending on how much effort a person puts into making a loading stand it can hold your loading/ram rod, ball starter, powder measure, caps and powder flask, etc.. Some folks have very well thought out loading stands. Barry Strickland has one of the best that I have seen.

At some ranges, a loading stand is required, pistols must be benched in the upright position when not being fired and during cease fires, a safety requirement.

Unfortunately at my range, barrels are not permitted to point upwards for fear of an accidental fire, and then who knows where that lead flies?! The rules were made with modern guns and shooters in mind. They do “make an exception” for muzzloaders—we are allowed to briefly load our rifle (and so I assume pistol) as we must, barrel pointed to the moon, but then as soon as we’re loaded, down range it goes.

I think I’ll be able to use a loading box/block, but it will have to be just for loading, and not to rest there foreven a second when nit necessary.

BTW, I haven’t seen another flintlock at our range yet, nor an in-line for that matter. But it’s a nearby range that is laid out pretty well, and a reasonable bunch of guys.

 

[FishDFly]

You have to follow the rules, even if at times they do not always make sense. At lease you have a place to shoot with folks you are comfortable with.

Unfortunately there are less and less folks who shoot muzzleloaders.

 

[hanshi]

2F works fine in both long and short guns. I just happen to use 3F. A pistol can be a handful to load using the same thick patch as a rifle. My .50 rifle shoots a .024" patch but the pistol gets .015" ticking.

 

[MichaelPetersen]

I too have a Pendersoli Kentucky .54 flint pistol, my load is 23 gr 2F or 21 gr 3F, same patch (0.015) and ball (.535) as my Pedersoli jäger target rifle, i load Holding the pistol in One hand, and doing everything else with the other, which is a bit difficult.