Smashing flints

[deerstalkert]

I am not familiar with the traditions lock's but if it is a leaf spring vs a coil like TC's it will work. even works on frizzen springs.

 

[Jake2454]

I am not familiar with the traditions lock's but if it is a leaf spring vs a coil like TC's it will work. even works on frizzen springs.

thank you

 

[Rock Home Isle]

do you know if this works on the traditions ky rifle lock?
for that matter if anyone knows of one that does please let us know.

If the lock has a mainspring…it will work.
If the lock has a coil spring, then yeah, you'll need a different solution.

 

[sdilts]

Tom Curran makes the best mainspring vise. It's the only one I use now.
Machinery and Tools | Machine shop products and services (wordpress.com)

 

[sturmkatze]

Mine worked best when I filled it about 1/2 full, closed the frizzen and then holding the rifle by its wrist I would quickly twist my wrist with a snapping motion to the right.

I tell people, new guys especially, about this all the time. Do not fill the pan and after you close the frozen rotate the gun a bit to the right and give the side plate a small "rap" to move the powder away from the touch hole. That and wipe the frizzen and flint (top and bottom) with my thumb, helps ensure good ignition. My first ml rifle was a CVA Kentucky. Shoots great, but lock is as you say. Little things, done each time, helps ensure consistent ignition.

 

[Dphar1950]

Hello all. I am very new to the forum. Have spent hours here and there reading about Flintlocks. I am not new to muzzleloading but I am new to flintlock. I was given a traditions Kentucky. The previous owner put a tvm lock on it. It's seems to be striking the frizzen at a good angle the spring tension seems good. 3.1 lb on the frizzen and 9.6 on the cock. Numbers courtesy of my fish scale. The flint strikes about 3/4 up the frizzen and slides completely down the face ending about center of the pan. The flints measure 5/8x3/4. The problem I'm having is the flint is getting smashed, I only get 5-7 shots before the top cock jaw contacts the frizzen. What is going on here?
Any ideas would help

Often this is the result of the frizzen rebounding and striking the flint. Usually caused by a weak frizzen spring. Made a leather that extends out to the end of the flint on top and see if this gets marked by the frizzen on rebound.

 

[Dphar1950]

I tell people, new guys especially, about this all the time. Do not fill the pan and after you close the frozen rotate the gun a bit to the right and give the side plate a small "rap" to move the powder away from the touch hole. That and wipe the frizzen and flint (top and bottom) with my thumb, helps ensure good ignition. My first ml rifle was a CVA Kentucky. Shoots great, but lock is as you say. Little things, done each time, helps ensure consistent ignition.

You need to look at Larry Pletcher’s flintlock timing videos. Blackpowder mag.com
I thick you will find it here
Experiments & Tests | BlackPowderMag.com. But there is a lot of info on the site.
A lot of what some people “know” about flintlock priming is wrong. I always put plenty of prime in the pan. Something I have learned over 50 plus years of shooting FL arms.

 

[Surfinator58]

I use one of these from Muzzleloader Builders Supply I

 

[sturmkatze]

You need to look at Larry Pletcher’s flintlock timing videos. Blackpowder mag.com
I thick you will find it here
Experiments & Tests | BlackPowderMag.com. But there is a lot of info on the site.
A lot of what some people “know” about flintlock priming is wrong. I always put plenty of prime in the pan. Something I have learned over 50 plus years of shooting FL arms.

I guess my 40 some years shooting them is wrong. Filming the pan up makes ignition slower.

 

[Dphar1950]

I guess my 40 some years shooting them is wrong. Filming the pan up makes ignition slower.

Filming with pan up?
50 years plus for me. I m once owned a very fine FL long rifle. Killed deer with it, won matches. Great, fast reliable rifle. Needed to pay a doctor bill. Guy that bought it was one of the “just a little powder in the pan” adherents. So he crudely hogs out the vent liner. All he had to do was put enough powder in the pan. I started stocking FLs in the 1960s. I build flint and percussion “patent“ breeches from bar stock. I can make swivel breech actions from bar stock. I learned a lot from Larry’s articles and videos. The grouse photo is from 40 odd years ago. In ridden out with my riding horse and my pack horse from a camp to a trail head and the horse trailer was due in the AM. 14 miles as a crow flies. Most of a day on the trails. The grouse was supper. Shot with a FL pistol. Not everyone here shoots imports and is new to the sport.

 

[Woods wanderer]

How long is a frizzen supposed to last? I think the one on my gun is soft. It throws sparks but nothing like some of the other Flintlocks iv seen I recent days. Upon very close inspection my frizzen appears to be "cupped". I got out the hardness files and have determined that my frizzen is very close to 55hrc. And I can't forget about the original reason I started this thread, I am now over 60 shots on 1 flint. From 5ish to 60+. When I installed the flint I measured it at .780" it now measures .736". I would like to measure what all the spring tensions are now after modification but I'm afraid that once I know it will stop working like it is for some strange mysterious reason.