Many misfires first time shooting

[deerstalkert]

Ok. I do have a scraper and will do that when I clean it tonight. I did notice that the main charge was visible through the flash hole

just how large is your flash hole? granted my eyes will never see 70 again (pun intended) but i sure can't see my main charge through the touch hole.
shouldn't be much over 1/16 inch.

 

[david w]

Is your flint really as dull as it looks in those photos?

Same thing I saw. The flint needs to be sharp to throw good sparks. It has to be able to dig into the steel to remove tiny hot sparks of metal. If your flint is dull, it can't shave steel off the frizzen, no hot sparks.

 

[david w]

Lol. Sound like I need a new flint. How do I know what size is right for the lock?

Your flint should be the same width as the frizzen. These are the best flints I' used.

Tom Fuller's English Gun Flints are the best in the world! - Track of the Wolf

 

[Antonio Ferraioli]

You need to try 4f in the pan, better spark

 

[Cattywompuss]

Alright there lads!

The flint is definitely dull as has been well established by others here. I've found that most of my flints, when well knapped, will be sharp enough to cut skin if one tries. That's about all I've got. The only misfires I've ever had were due to a dull flint.

Adendum: and the time ramming the ball home blew the powder out of an overlarge touchhole.

 

[Steve Martin]

When you hear that the flint needs to be sharp, that means a flint edge that you would not want to hit your finger! A properly sharp flint needs to be "scary" sharp. That's why a flint only last a limited amount of strikes before it needs to be knapped or replaced. The flint in your photo doesn't look sharp at all.

 

[Zutt-man]

no different than firing it loaded. you can even put priming in the pan to see if it ignites.
best not to do it in the living room if the wife is home though. don't ask.

The night (around 10 pm) before opening day of deer season this year, I ran a dry patch down the barrel. Put in a small charge of powder and primed the gun (wanted to make sure I burned off any extra oil so there wasn’t any chance of a misfire or hang fire the day next day) Pulled the trigger and boom. Took the gun inside to find a very upset wife. I hadn’t taken into account how loud it would be and and I was about 20’ from our bedroom window

 

[deerstalkert]

i totally forgot the volume of smoke even 20g of fffg produces. now the wife won't ever let me forget again.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

In addition to what has already been suggested:

How much priming powder are you placing in the pan? Most new shooters use way too much. Switch to 4F for your priming powder.

Is the touchhole clear of any debris or burnt powder?

Is the barrel and breech free of oil? When you load the rifle with the main charge, give the barrel a rap with the palm of your hand at the breech area to settle the charge.

 

[fillwa]

Here is an excellent article on shooting a flintlock. Flintlocks: How to Shoot Them

 

[Juice Jaws]

New flint and maybe a little smaller one. Looks like its hitting the barrel

 

[Tumbledown]

Flints need to be sharp, but not razor-sharp. You should definitely be able to feel an edge when dragging your finger over it.

The angle it hits the frizzen matters, too. Sometimes a flint can push the frizzen open before it has a chance to generate much spark.

The grain in the pan is less important than the amount and placement. I have a 50cal Traditions Kentucky, I use 2F to charge and prime.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

just how large is your flash hole? granted my eyes will never see 70 again (pun intended) but i sure can't see my main charge through the touch hole.
shouldn't be much over 1/16 inch.

So the flashole is 1/16” using the butt end of my drill bits to measure. When I said I see the charge, I noticed some grains of powder trickled out into the pan after I set the charge and ball. Not much, but enough to know it wasn’t clogged up.

 

[Ed Pilkington]

Great advice from gifted, loyal friends. Is your touch hole at sundown position and 1/16 size?

 

[Andrewmtnman]

I thank you all for the advice!! This forum is great. I replaced the flint. I now know what a sharp flint looks like and when the hammer drops now it looks like Independence Day in my dark hallway, with no powder. I aligned the flint to be perfectly parallel with the frizzen when it strikes. Also, many have commented on the placement of the powder in the pan, I was piling it up too much around the touchole, and probably using to much powder. If it’s not raining later I will test fire the pan with primer OUTSIDE

 

[Andrewmtnman]

Great advice from gifted, loyal friends. Is your touch hole at sundown position and 1/16 size?

Yes on 1/16”. Not sure what sundown position is?

 

[david w]

Yes on 1/16”. Not sure what sundown position is?

It is the relative position of the touch hole in relation to the top of the pan. The hole should be centered at the top of the pan. When a spark reaches the powder, the surface of the powder burns first, and burns down.

 

[Alexitt]

Mike Beliveu(?) Duelist1954 has a lot of information on Flints and Flintlocks on his youtube channel, I'm not sure if this link shows up correctly but the video is called "Putting the Flint in Flintlock"
Another great channel is Black Powder TV and his new shooter series for flintlocks, lots of info on orienting, sharpening loading etc from these 2 guys...

 

[gerryherd]

Misfire, as in the pan flashed but the main charge didn’t go , or the pan didn’t flash? A sharp flint should address the pan not flashing. If you work the lock in a dark room with the barrel empty, you want to see lots of white yellow sparks falling into the pan and dancing around. If not, flint or frizzen need some attention. Flint bevel up or down can make a difference and is a matter for experimentation. If pan is flashing but no boom, run a vent pick in before every shot and work on being sure breech is clean and dry. And for sure learn to knap- flints are too expensive not to squeeze all the life out you can.

 

[harleynut]

No it’s not striking the barrel but I thought it was off to the left of center on the frizzen. Should it be centered?

I have a pedersoli frontier. 45 the hammer and frizzen are not aligned on mine i have to set the flint about an 1/8" outside the jaws. It drives me nuts! I had same issue as you i was taught real quick how to nap my flint pretty simple and i have learned to tap the side of my barrel to make sure powder makes it to the flash hole As per filling the pan from what have been taught a little is more on powder amount i also turn rifle and tap lock to get powder up to the vent hole im learning as well thought id share my experience in hopes itll help! So far its helped me