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powder in the pan ignites powder in chamber

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GregLaRoche

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I have been under the impression, that the sparks from the burning priming powder ignited the powder in the chamber. I have experienced keeping the touch hole open and using the minimum of priming powder shortened the delay between, when the frizzen is struck and the gun goes off.

I recently watched a video and it was stated, that it was not the sparks from the burning priming powder that ignited the powder in the chamber, but the radiant heat from the burning powder, that caused the ignition. Will someone care to elaborate on this concept?

Thanks
 
Its the radiant heat from the burning powder in the pan going through the touch hole that ignites the charge most reliably. Yes, about 10% of the time you will ignite the main charge with no powder in the pan. Often there is a grain or two of powder near the touch hole that starts burning sending a blast of heat into the main charge.

I had a failure to fire. So I knapped the flint to restore a sharp edge. I wanted to see if I had sparks when the flint scraped the frizzen. Pointing the loaded gun in a safe direction, I pulled the trigger. Its sort of funny how time just slows down at the most unusual of circumstances. I watched the lazy sparks sort of dance around in the pan and then I saw what might have been a grain or two of powder that one of the sparks landed next to. Slowly a ball of orange burning powder started to glow. Then I felt the recoil of my fowling gun against my side. The ball bouncing around in the trees down range. I turned to the onlookers and said, "Yup, got spark now."
 
I’m not trying to start a conflict. I would just really like to know the truth. I believed one thing until yesterday and now I think I was wrong. I hope someone can bring in some knowledge to find the right answer.
 
You don’t need a flame or even a spark to ignite something. Take the example of lighting a piece of paper on fire with the sun and a magnifying glass.
 
If you relied on burning powder to light the main charge you get the fuse effect as others have said. A flash of heat travels at a much higher speed thus the quick ignition we all seek.
 
You don’t need a flame or even a spark to ignite something. Take the example of lighting a piece of paper on fire with the sun and a magnifying glass.
But in this case... you do, your talking about igniting priming powder in your pan... with sparks, or tiny bits of molten embers.. definitely not sun from the magnifying glass..
 
You are igniting the priming Powder with sparks, but it is the radiant heat from the burning primer powder that creates the radiant heat, that finds its way into the chamber. It’s not like a fuse burning. At least that is what I think this theory is suggesting.
 
Powder has to be ignited by the tiny bits of molten embers coming from
The flint... from there the main charge has to be ignited from one of those tiny molten embers ( if there is no powder in the pan) or from the ignition of the priming powder. It’s as simple as that. Thanks for the thread...
 
Yes, of course the powder in the chamber is ignited from the burning of the powder in the pan, but what is actual mechanism that makes it happen? Is it the radiant heat from the burning powder or sparks and embers finding there way through the touch hole to the powder? That is the question I hope can be answered.
 
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