Getting Started

[Dillon W.]

Hello again guys, hope I don’t drive you nuts with too many questions. And this one might be a doozy. So to put things into perspective, back when I started reloading for unmentionables, after five or so years I had a core group of tools that I used and worked well for me. I also had a great deal of various other things that I had acquired along the way that were either a gimmick or just flat out unnecessary. Fast forward a few years, and if you were me, you’ve got your first flintlock on the way and you want to get as much as you can together before it arrives, what would you need? Not unlike that core group of tools I mentioned.
I’ve got a bag coming from The Leatherman, a few flints and leathers coming from TOTW, one of those brass pan chargers and a short starter. I like the Treso starters. Anyways, could anyone expand on this?

 

[Sidney Smith]

A short starter, range rod, powder measure, vent pick, pan brush, knife to cut bulk patching.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Patch lube, patch material, cleaning patches and your choice of supplies( we all do it differently, take your pick), ball puller, cleaning jag. You may already have a way to drift your sights if necessary if they aren't adjustable.

 

[Grenadier1758]

You need a cleaning/loading jag for the range rod, either the dental flossing brushes, thin pipe cleaners or the Harbor Freight spray paint tip brushes, a funnel to pour the powder from your measure into the muzzle, and an inexpensive bag to carry the gear to the range. You will need more than a few flints, a leather strip to wrap around the flints, and a screwdriver to tighten those flints in the jaws in the hammer.

 

[Dillon W.]

You need a cleaning/loading jag for the range rod, either the dental flossing brushes, thin pipe cleaners or the Harbor Freight spray paint tip brushes, a funnel to pour the powder from your measure into the muzzle, and an inexpensive bag to carry the gear to the range. You will need more than a few flints, a leather strip to wrap around the flints, and a screwdriver to tighten those flints in the jaws in the hammer.

How long is a flint good for? Obviously, depending on it being set up right in the cock. And how tight do you tighten them? I wouldn’t think more than firmly snug but who knows

 

[Grenadier1758]

There are many threads on flint life, which is very dependent on the flint, the lock geometry, and the knapping skill of the user. The range is from one use to more than fifty. The flint needs to be secure in the jaws of the hammer. I tighten the flint to the level where the flint doesn't move in the jaws.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Hello again guys, hope I don’t drive you nuts with too many questions. And this one might be a doozy. So to put things into perspective, back when I started reloading for unmentionables, after five or so years I had a core group of tools that I used and worked well for me. I also had a great deal of various other things that I had acquired along the way that were either a gimmick or just flat out unnecessary. Fast forward a few years, and if you were me, you’ve got your first flintlock on the way and you want to get as much as you can together before it arrives, what would you need? Not unlike that core group of tools I mentioned.
I’ve got a bag coming from The Leatherman, a few flints and leathers coming from TOTW, one of those brass pan chargers and a short starter. I like the Treso starters. Anyways, could anyone expand on this?

Some good suggestions already! One item I always have and did not see listed.............A fouling scraper for cleaning the breech plug face.

 

[Flintlock]

You can throw away the short starter and pan primer, just more junk in the bag, should have used that money to by a dozen more flints. Much better to by a mold a few thousands of a inch undersize so the balls start and load easy. Olive oil is a great patch lube as well as authentic, in a pinch when hunting-trekking you can use it in and outside of the rife as well. A good unbreakable rang rod is nice but not a necessity ( if the balls are not so tight they will pull easier too), your going to need a couple cleaning jags (in case one is lost) and a ball puller or two. Vent picks can be made from old wire or I've heated old sewing needles red hot and let them cool then stick them in a tiny antler tip or. Keep it simple, I shoot constantly and prime all my rifles with FFG without a hitch.

 

[oldwood]

Find someone who can show you the ropes , and go to a range and shoot.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Besides this forum, having a book on flinters is always nice. Something you can read to put you to sleep.

 

[Dillon W.]

Besides this forum, having a book on flinters is always nice. Something you can read to put you to sleep.

That’s a fantastic idea to bud

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I agree with oldwood. You can teach yourself but you will learn a lot quicker from an experienced shooter at the range. I know I did.

That said a range rod made of steel or brass with a ball on the end and a brass muzzle guide is a must. I love the little brass pan primers filled with 4f, I think you said you ordered one. You can't beat Ballistol for lube, swabbing and oiling. I use an aluminum starter and little hammer to start a ball. Short staters hurt your palm after 40 of 50 shots. A patch knife. Murphy's oil soap and water for a wet patch lube. Small scissors to cut strips for patches and cleaning patches. A wooden range box to carry everything in.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I was going to recommend that you get "Flintlocks" by Eric Bye. The price of the paperbound book on Amazon is ridiculously high and the price of the E-Reader edition is much more reasonable and the book is sold out on the NMLRA website.

 

[Cattywompuss]

Well... lot of good advice thus far. Get a short starter. No one gets the patch/ball combo figured out immediately and a short starter will build your confidence. Second, don't use a short starter as advertised. The ball end is a ram and you should dispense with the the tiny tip meant to get the ball into the muzzle. Just use the bald ball end to pound that bad boy flush with the crown, then use the rod on the starter to get it past the constriction nigh the muzzle. It's soft wood compared to relatively dense lead and very hard steel. You won't hurt the gun.

I don't personally have a range rod. They are great, and it is not a bad idea to have one, but I load with my gun's rods. I clean with my guns rod. Provided I'm not pretending I'm using a modern tool, a wood rod is fine. Don't try to use it the way you see reenactors using steel Springfield ramrods in Gettysburg. I got a rod stuck once. It was about fifteen years ago trying to use a wood rod to pull a ball. First mistake was leaving a load in the gun that required pulling. Second mistake was using a 30 year old wood rod to try to pull it. Don't leave a load in a gun and you won't need to pull a ball.

Flints are not a dime a dozen. Get a bunch for your lock size and keep them sharp with hammer knapping on occasion.

Buy a vent pic. One of the wire ones, and one of the medieval metal toothpick looking ones. Get a few or a lot of everything. It's always good to have extras, provided it is in your budget. A lot of our hobby is fluff and modern convenience. Our ancestors didn't have all this stuff all the time, if at all. So don't be freaked out when you lack that super magic item that all the cool kids have hanging from their bag.

PS: the Leatherman's bags are fantastic products, all historical accuracy aside. They will last you a lifetime, and are well engineered.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I REALLY tighten the flint inn the jaws, as tight as I can get it, if you don't it will shoot loose. Flint tightness should be checked before you go to the woods to hunt, it is something we forget. I cocked my rifle to sight in on a fat doe once and the flint fell out of the jaws, I had done some practicing the day before and forgot to tighten the flint after the shooting session. Another time I dropped the hammer on another fat doe and the loose flint shifted in the jaws and the lock didn't spark, I had forgotten to check it before I went out.

 

[Grenadier1758]

...

I don't personally have a range rod. They are great, and it is not a bad idea to have one, but I load with my gun's rods. I clean with my guns rod. Provided I'm not pretending I'm using a modern tool, a wood rod is fine. Don't try to use it the way you see reenactors using steel Springfield ramrods in Gettysburg. I got a rod stuck once. It was about fifteen years ago trying to use a wood rod to pull a ball. First mistake was leaving a load in the gun that required pulling. Second mistake was using a 30 year old wood rod to try to pull it. Don't leave a load in a gun and you won't need to pull a ball.

Flints are not a dime a dozen. Get a bunch for your lock size and keep them sharp with hammer knapping on occasion.

Buy a vent pic. One of the wire ones, and one of the medieval metal toothpick looking ones. Get a few or a lot of everything. It's always good to have extras, provided it is in your budget. A lot of our hobby is fluff and modern convenience. Our ancestors didn't have all this stuff all the time, if at all. So don't be freaked out when you lack that super magic item that all the cool kids have hanging from their bag.

PS: the Leatherman's bags are fantastic products, all historical accuracy aside. They will last you a lifetime, and are well engineered.

You will find needs for having a range rod. Save the wooden rod for use when hunting. Pulling a ball is one of those instances where you need a brass or stainless steel range rod with bore protector. Get the ball puller and patch puller to go with the rod.

Vent picks are cheap. For a tiny expense a very good vent pick can be made from 0.43" diameter music wire or copper wire for virtually all vent holes.

 

[Reno]

You have great advice here from many experts. I use a short starter, but I have made mine, After all they are a short dowel or cut off piece of ramrod. You only need to get it started in the bore. Purists will say that short starters were not used and they are correct. We also tend to use a tighter ball and patch combo than they did. That said it can be done. I also have a steel range rod. What you will notice is that you will have more torque or pounds of seating power with a steel rod over a wooden ramrod. Does this matter? Not really unless you are shooting for absolute consistency in a load. Which you will get with the ramrod, while hunting or on a woods walk. And you may not notice any difference in accuracy.
Overall you will begin to accumulate various items that are necessary at one time or another. I do recommend a flint wallet, instead of flints finding their way to the bottom of your bag or even in a pocket of the bag the flint wallet keeps them separate and does protect them and protects the edge. I also have a small brass headed flint hammer, but also a pair of nippers seems to be what I use the most. You do not need to take a lot off a flint, but freshen the edge. I put my finger under the flint and then tap or nip the edge to freshen the flint. I always wipe the edge of my flint after each shot with a dry patch, gets the black crud off.

 

[charlesk]

How long is a flint good for? Obviously, depending on it being set up right in the cock. And how tight do you tighten them? I wouldn’t think more than firmly snug but who knows

You should get like 60 shots from one flint if you flint knapping is correct these are the tools you realy need and learn knapping well

 

[Darto]

Flintlocks, Eric Bye.
Last year this book was in stock at CrazyCrow at $30 and worth every penny. Sadly, sold out. The paper version used has sold for over $200 on some sites.
It is on Kindle but I'm not sure if the Kindle version is good enough. Depends on if the images can be enlarged, depends on how the Kindle version was published. If somebody here has the Kindle version, they would know.
https://www.crazycrow.com/muzzleloa...ractical-guide-for-their-use-and-appreciation
Tall, wide, 232 pages published by NMLRA, original publication was 2013, it is a modern book. Some scalper on Amazon wants $900 for the print edition.
https://www.amazon.com/Flintlocks-P...00GR60EYI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

[user 49399]

Get all the things together you think you will need. Go shooting 5 times. Then take out anything you didn’t use during those trips. Make note of what you needed and didn’t have. Some guys need a truck to haul their gear. Others not so much.

I started out carrying way to much stuff. Now, when plinking or hunting, I carry rifle, powder horn, and a small possibles bag with enough makings for about 50 shots.