New to me flint lock. 1st time question!!

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czscotia

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Hi
I just picked up a used lyman great plains flintlock in .50
Wondering if I should get 2f or 3f powder?
Can I use 3f to prime with as well or do I need finer ?
Can black powder be ordered? Delivered?
Thanks
Many Questions! I need to read up a bit first of course
 
I have a GP in 54 flintlock. 2 f I find gives better accuracy. 4f is used in the pan for priming. As far a finding black powder I have local gun shop that always has some on hand. BP prices at different shops can be crazy. Here in NS prices are 35 to 75 taxes in. So it's a no brainer, buy the $35 stuff. You say you need to read up on this. I would start with 50 grs of 2f for a target load. Your going to need accessories. Power measure,ball puller,bench rod,jags, patches,balls and a possibles bag to put everything in. A power flask or powder horn. Patching can be store bought or made from pillow ticking. Needs to have a BP lube added to it. Store bought stuff comes pre lubed. This should give you a started. Don't forget to buy extra flints.
 
Suggestion:

https://www.amazon.ca/Powder-Handbo...wder+handbook&qid=1560646081&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Welcome to the Dark Side and the Holy Black!

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Lots of people do use 3F for both priming and main charge. Should work fine. 2F might give less sharp recoil and better accuracy but may also be slightly dirtier though it's not always obvious with black powder.

Today I forgot my priming powder and used 2F in the pan for 25 shots. Mostly okay but had a few hang-fires. Going to remember the 4F tomorrow.

See if there's a local club that orders in bulk. We do a yearly shipment of 300lb+ and that drops it to somewhat less than $35/lb.
 
czscotia said:
Is there a good online source for this Stuff? In Canada I guess?
Click to expand...

Loyalist Arms, Marstar or go US to Track of the Wolf, Dixie Gun Works etc.
Gun shows can be good.

ValleyView had a club and Edmonton has one. Can't think of what else is active in that part of the province.
Google the Alberta Black Powder Association.
 
Do you know the twist rate ?

Those Lyman Great Planes can be very accurate. Most of them have the twist rate for a patched round ball. I use 2F and prime with 4F in my 50 cal Great Plains.
 
Thanks for the info. Book is ordered.one thing I am wondering is
What do you do if you're out shooting and can't get it to Shoot and you still have it loaded??does this ever happen?
How do you diss arm the thing?
 
czscotia said:
Thanks for the info. Book is ordered.one thing I am wondering is
What do you do if you're out shooting and can't get it to Shoot and you still have it loaded??does this ever happen?
How do you diss arm the thing?
Click to expand...

There are a couple ways. If you have inserted a ball with no powder behind it, you can force powder (it's handy to carry a small amount of 4f for this purpose) into the barrel through the touch hole until there is enough to blow the ball out. If you find your charge has gotten wet, you can discard your priming charge and use a ball screw attached to the end of your ram rod to screw into the soft lead of the ball and pull it out.
The frequency of these events for myself at least has been minimal (I've only dry balled a couple times over the years) but can happen. Chances are though that removal of a ball when shooting normally will never happen, most stoppages come from the lock or touch hole and not the bore.
 
czscotia said:
Thanks for the info. Book is ordered.one thing I am wondering is
What do you do if you're out shooting and can't get it to Shoot and you still have it loaded??does this ever happen?
How do you diss arm the thing?
Click to expand...
Two routes here.
A ball puller,a course screw that threads onto your cleaning rod. Push the rod down hard against the ball and spin it into the ball. A heavier bench rod works well. A lot of times a second person pulling on the rod helps while you hold the gun.
The touch on the GP has a thread piece which can be removed and some powder can be dumped in , insert screwed back in and fire it.
Almost forgot,you can get a kit that will attach to the touch hole with insert removed and the ball can be blown out with compressed CO2.
I might have dry loaded a time or two so you soon learn how to get a ball out.
Last year at our club rendezvous I believe I set a personal record,4dry loads on the line shoot. But I did place first overall for the weekend. When I had powder in I couldn't miss. LoL


Welcome to the Darkside.
 
czscotia said:
Thanks for the info. Book is ordered.one thing I am wondering is
What do you do if you're out shooting and can't get it to Shoot and you still have it loaded??does this ever happen?
How do you diss arm the thing?
Click to expand...

Ahhh! You have asked the correct question, Grasshopper. If you have loaded and it does not fire, especially after multiple primes, you have probably "Dry Balled" it; meaning there is no powder under the ball, to go bang. It is not a matter of "if" you will do this; it is only a matter of "when" you will do this. Since there is no powder charge in the gun, it is quite safe to transport.

Take it home, your shooting day is basically over for that gun. There are screw like attachments that go on the end of the ram rod, that are supposed to extract the ball. I have never found one that actually works, most of them just tear the center out of the ball. What you need to do is "clear" the ball.

This following procedure needs to be done where it is safe and legal to discharge a firearm:

This involves taking the gun apart, so you can access the "touch hole" insert.

Carefully, unscrew the "touch hole". Shake some powder into the hole and tap the barrel to get some powder behind the ball (it will not be very much). Replace the "touch hole" and reassemble the gun. Tamp the ball down onto the charge in the chamber so there is no air space This is very important.

Prime the pan, aim in a safe direction or into a backstop and fire. There will most likely be a small pop, but nothing comes out of the end of the barrel. This has moved the ball and made more room in the chamber. If the ball comes out, the Holy Black Gods have smiled upon you, clean your gun up and go have fun, if not continue with the next step.

Take the gun apart again, remove the "touch hole" and shake in about 10 grains of Black powder. Replace the "touch hole" and reassemble. Tamp the ball down onto the charge in the chamber so there is no air space This is very important.

Prime the pan, aim in a safe direction or into a backstop and fire. This time it should spit the ball out. If it does not, repeat and increase the charge by 5 grains. Remember to tamp the ball down on the new charge each time or you may bulge the barrel.

I cannot express the importance of NEVER having an airspace between the powder and the ball. Black Powder is very different from smokeless powder. Smokeless Powder is a deflegrant, that means it burns very fast. Black Powder is a class A explosive. This means that any airspace in a black powder charge runs the risk of a detonation. This causes extreme chamber pressures and can bulge a barrel.

Good luck! Yes it is a PITA, but that teaches us to not do it again. BP flinters have a definite learning curve, but the end results are just so much fun.

Again Welcome to the Holy Black and the Dark Side.
 
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Thanks everyone for the info!!
That's a pretty nice rifle there Captain Phillips!

Not sure of the twist rate, I have downloaded the manual but haven't got there yet.
 
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I recieved my first flintlock last fall, & the thing i had to work out was the proper flint size for my lock, & how to place it in the jaws so it would work . I now get lots of shots per flint & very reliable ignition. If you order from track of the wolf they will advise you of the proper size if you ask. I would also order a few thicknesses of patches to try out.
 
czscotia said:
Hi
I just picked up a used lyman great plains flintlock in .50
Wondering if I should get 2f or 3f powder?
Can I use 3f to prime with as well or do I need finer ?
Can black powder be ordered? Delivered?
Thanks
Many Questions! I need to read up a bit first of course
Click to expand...

2F - there is a charge/load chart on the GOEX site - yes, you can still use 3F in a pinch and either will work as a priming powder - if you buy 4F just for priming, you will have it for years and years and years. I find it gives less 'splatter'

Track of the wolf has everything you could possibly need (except powder - that is a hazardous material and no one will ship it (that I know of))

as far as stuck balls, failures to fire and dryballing. make sure you can get the touch hole liner out easy - wrap it with some teflon thread tape. (track also sells replacement liners) - basically everyone's advise on that was pretty good/accurate.

HOWEVER, you do have another option.... the Lyman rifles have a hook breach, meaning you can get the barrel on and off pretty quickly and easily. Your other option is to pull the barrel and yank the breech plug off - drive the ball the rest of the way through. (wrap it's threads in teflon tape as well)
Try that at home first to be sure you can get the plug in and out easily enough.

Also - that is fine for a dry ball, but should only be a last resort if you have a charge in the barrel ...
 
Have a friend that made a 1/4x28 thread insert with a tire valve stem brazed on. Removes the touch hole liner inserts this and applies a small compressor that plugs in to the cigar lighter of his vehicle. Locks it on to the valve - points the barrel in a safe direction and waits- somewhere around 70 psi the ball exits the barrel with some force-saw it bounce off a truck tire and disappear. Cute idea!
 
I think I going to get some fff but I have to drive a couple hours to obtain some real black.
Pyrodex is available local but I read it does not ignite as readily as black.
And I think i need it to light easy since I am new at this!!
 
I have found, over the years that none of the "replacements" for the true Holy Black are quite up to the task. Some foul excessively and most do do not light as easily, this gives a more sensitive loading, more misfires, and longer lock time. One "trick" I have found is to use a tight fitting feather inserted into the touch hole, leave it there and load your charge, this makes a very small tunnel in the main charge. Remove the feather and prime the pan as normal; what happens is when you touch off the pan, there is a larger surface of the charge exposed to the burning gasses from the pan coming through the touch hole; this sets off the charge much faster and more reliably. It also stops any powder from getting jammed into the touch hole, preventing a "fuze fire" which is very slow to ignite the main charge.
 
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You are almost definitely going to need some real black powder for priming the pan. You might best get some for both the charge and the pan. 3fg should do for both.

Not sure what your contact is with Edmonton but if you are having trouble finding powder maybe pm ken1989. I believe he brings some to many guns shows.

I haven't played much with substitute powders in muzzleloaders of any kind but suspect that most won't be sensitive enough for priming.
 
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