Flinter's ffffg

Skinny 1950

Skinny 1950

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For priming a flint lock could you grind some fffg and use that instead of trying to find ffffg primer??
Also if anyone knows where to get # 10 caps I would be forever grateful.
Not for the same gun.
 
Skinny 1950 said:
For priming a flint lock could you grind some fffg and use that instead of trying to find ffffg primer??
Also if anyone knows where to get # 10 caps I would be forever grateful.
Not for the same gun.
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I have been told that grinding black powder is hazardous. It can be set off by pressure or grinding...this from experienced black powder people.

Be careful with it.

For the most powerful black powder meal, a wood charcoal is used. The best wood for the purpose is Pacific willow,[63] but others such as alder or buckthorn can be used. The ingredients are mixed as thoroughly as possible. This is achieved using a ball mill with non-sparking grinding apparatus (e.g., bronze or lead), or similar device. Historically, a marble or limestone edge runner mill, running on a limestone bed was used in Great Britain; however, by the mid 19th century CE this had changed to either an iron shod stone wheel or a cast iron wheel running on an iron bed.[9] The mix is sometimes dampened with alcohol or water during grinding to prevent accidental ignition.

Around the late 14th century CE, European powdermakers began adding damp to the constituents of gunpowder to reduce dust and with it the risk of explosion.
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Skinny 1950 said:
Goex fffg that I use in my revolvers,got a flint pistol coming so trying to gear up for it.
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ok goex is good you dont need 4f the 3f will do the same

or if you want fine stuff you can take a piece of 3/4" copper pipe and solder a cap on one end let it cool put powder and a round ball in it put the other cap on it just push it on and shake it a bit do this till you have enough to fill you priming flask

but in a well tuned flintlock with just the right amount of powder in the pan it should go off no problem with 3f
 
I keep a small amount of 4F with me in case I dryball (easier to get into the vent and barrel) but for many years have primed with the same powder I am shooting with. I notice no difference with 3F and a slightly slower ignition with 2F

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
I keep a small amount of 4F with me in case I dryball (easier to get into the vent and barrel) but for many years have primed with the same powder I am shooting with. I notice no difference with 3F and a slightly slower ignition with 2F

cheers mooncoon
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Has anyone had any success using Pioneer FFG for priming and main charge, in a flintlock?

Or what about real BP FFG for priming, and Pioneer in the barrel?

I keep hearing it won't work...I do realize Pioneer doesn't ignite as easily as BP.

Mooncoon- you are saying you don't really need FFFFG for priming?

Prefer not to use BP unless I have to. :(

Anyone have any comments on the safety of grinding BP to make a finer priming mixture?
I was told that is a hazardous activity.
 
cantom said:
I have been told that grinding black powder is hazardous. It can be set off by pressure or grinding...this from experienced black powder people.

Be careful with it.
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I've done it. Often. BUT... with very small quantities at a time - less than 1/2 tsp. I used a marble mortar and pestle, went GENTLY and emptied out the bowl (still don't know if it's the mortar or the pestle :confused:) every time. I also stored the powder (both bulk and ground) several feet away, and I never did it indoors. That way, if it did go off, all I'd end up with is a bit of the jitters. that being said, it is risky, so do it at your own risk.

BTW, a little goes a long way.
 
cantom said:
Mooncoon- you are saying you don't really need FFFFG for priming?

.
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In almost all of my guns I shoot 3F and use the same for priming. I did use it for a while when I first started shooting but have not for many years now. It is usefull if you have a wet charge or a dry ball because being fine you can get it into the barrel through the vent hole better than 3F. It may be a few microseconds slower than 4F but I certainly cannot blame it when I miss a target


cheers Doug
 
cantom said:
Has anyone had any success using Pioneer FFG for priming and main charge, in a flintlock?

Or what about real BP FFG for priming, and Pioneer in the barrel?

I keep hearing it won't work...I do realize Pioneer doesn't ignite as easily as BP.

Mooncoon- you are saying you don't really need FFFFG for priming?

Prefer not to use BP unless I have to. :(

Anyone have any comments on the safety of grinding BP to make a finer priming mixture?
I was told that is a hazardous activity.
Click to expand...

in flintlocks you need real blackpowder using subs will make firing slow
 
Use only FFFFG for priming. I tried FFFG a couple of times in my custom built rock-lock and it was freaking nightmare. It acquired the nickname..."Klatch-goddamn". The only sounds you heard while I was trying to fire it. I had been shooting the rock-lock for about 15 years at that time and the Siler lock which was fitted to the gun was tuned to perfection. When I finally remembered to put the FFFFG flask in the shooting box, the next match I shot with the gun scored several perfect scores off the sticks and bench.
If you use the coarser granulation you will find it un-reliable and very frustrating. Look for the FFFFg and use it exclusively in the pan, you will be surprised. But make sure the frizzen is clean of fouling and the flint is squared with the face of the frizzen with about a 1/32" gap with the frizzen closed. Watch your sights not the flash in the pan!!!
Cheers
 
Rock-lock...:D that is a good one.
When I order some flints what is a good number to have on hand ie: how long do they last. Also they are available in " English " or " French " which is going to work better.
Thanks for the replies everyone this is great.
 
"...primed with the same powder..." That's what was done when a Brown Bess was a battle musket. Hard to argue with 150 or so years of experience.
 
Skinny 1950 said:
Rock-lock...:D that is a good one.
When I order some flints what is a good number to have on hand ie: how long do they last. Also they are available in " English " or " French " which is going to work better.
Thanks for the replies everyone this is great.
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get english flints that fit your gun get enough to last you a bit

thay should last a good bit but each on is differnt we are talking about rock here most are hand knaped

a knaping hammer will work to resharpen the flint
 
Alonzo said:
Use only FFFFG for priming. I tried FFFG a couple of times in my custom built rock-lock and it was freaking nightmare. It acquired the nickname..."Klatch-goddamn". The only sounds you heard while I was trying to fire it. I had been shooting the rock-lock for about 15 years at that time and the Siler lock which was fitted to the gun was tuned to perfection.
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Strange because I have a Siler lock on both of the principle guns that I have shot and shot the first one for about 20 years and the present one for the last 5 or so. I prime exclusively with 3F except a few times when I tried 2F just to see how it worked. Works fine in my guns (3F)

In answer to the question on longevity of flint: it varies considerably with individual locks. I used a very light frizzen spring on one Siler lock and got close to 30 shots between knapping and 2 knaps for a total of about 90 shots. On the present Siler lock with a stiffer frizzen spring, about 20 shots or a few less for a total of about 60 shots. If you expect to be doing much shooting I would buy 15 or 20 flints; they never go bad

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
Strange because I have a Siler lock on both of the principle guns that I have shot and shot the first one for about 20 years and the present one for the last 5 or so. I prime exclusively with 3F except a few times when I tried 2F just to see how it worked. Works fine in my guns (3F)

In answer to the question on longevity of flint: it varies considerably with individual locks. I used a very light frizzen spring on one Siler lock and got close to 30 shots between knapping and 2 knaps for a total of about 90 shots. On the present Siler lock with a stiffer frizzen spring, about 20 shots or a few less for a total of about 60 shots. If you expect to be doing much shooting I would buy 15 or 20 flints; they never go bad

cheers mooncoon
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or you could learn how to knap your own from cunks of flint (its easyer to buy them but its good to learn to make your own)
 
Something else occured to me re shooting flinters. I would avoid or replace vent liners with a screw driver slot in them. A couple of years ago, I was shooting in the rain and drowned the gun but good. Had to wait until the rain stopped then direct a BBQ lighter flame into the vent hole for about 1 minute to dump the charge. I replace the liner with a new one that was filed flush with no slot and have not had any problem since. My impression is that the screw slot acts like a wick and sucks water into the vent hole by surface tension.

cheers mooncoon
 
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