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Posted: 7/1/2006 6:34:41 PM EDT
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Hello all. Just a little history before the question. I purchased a CVA 50 cal Flintlock last year to try something new. My oldest son and I hunt every year with 50 cal sidelocks and decided to give a spark thrower a try. He is into Rev War reenacting and while not old enough to carry a rifle yet, he wanted to understand all about the flintlock. We did some shooting today and are still having a problem with ignition of the main charge. I think I know what the problem is but want to run it by you all. We are using 60-80 grains of 2F Pyrodex as the main charge, and 4F Goex black powder for the pan. We can get the main charge to light after about 3-4 tries. Either the touch hole is to small, or I need to change to 2F Goex for the main charge. Right now I have a pound of 3F Goex. How much would I need to reduce the load to use it as the main? What do you say? 
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The Pyrodex is probably the problem. Generally considered bad mojo for flintlocks. It can be done, I'm told, by using a very small (5-10 grain) charge behind the Pyrodex, and using the usual 4f bp for the pan. Of course, the load of Pyrodex would have to be reduced by whatever the charge of bp used was. I'd recommend going with all bp, but then I'm notoriously biased on that subject. I'd probably start out with a 50 grain charge of 3f bp and go from there. My .50 CVA flintlock seems to like 55 grains of 3f, but ymmv. Cpt. Redleg |
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+1 on only real black powder with a flinter. 2d prior to priming run a pick in the touch hole 3d dont overprime. As to charges you have to find what works with your gun, there is no one standard load. I have 25 & 50 yard charges that I use in My flinters. In my Brown Bess I use only 2F, for both main charge and prime |
I picked up a whisk and pick for the pan and touch hole. I make sure to clean it out after every shot. I am going to have to be looking for a Brown Bess in the next year or 2. My son is in the 7th Fusiliers and he can start carrying one next year. Any ideas on a good place to pick one up? I want to get a firing model, not just a reenactor replica. |
All depends on the unit standards. They might require all members to have weapons from one specific maker so as to put forth a proper military impression. That will have to be your guide. |
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You can also try using 5-10grs of 2F as a kicker charge behind the pyrodex. That works reasonably well,and produces less fouling than regular black powder alone. Lest anyone yell at me about duplex charges, Hodgdon themselves recommend this at the bottom under "flintlock": www.hodgdon.com/data/muzzleloading/using.php It also works for 777. Keep the pan 1/3 full or less,and keep the powder away from the touchhole. I usually tip my rifle to the right after closing the frizzen,to shift the powder clear of the touchhole. FFF works just fine in larger calibers. I use it in my .50 for light target loads. It is essentially like reloading with a faster powder. Reduce the charge by about 20% and experiment with a chronograph. |
+1 As far as the 3F/2F thing I use 3F in most everything.People notoriuosly over charge BP rifles. I've watched people on the line at Friendship shooting paper @ 25 yards loading heavy "hunting loads." Most of the powder is burning/blown out of the bore. Very impressive, not very effective. I've never heard of a well made BP rifle blowing up from a charge of BP; however I have heard of it happening with "white powder"(smokeless) and "duplex loads." If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it! Use BP, sharp flints, and keep her clean. JMHO & YMMV(but not by much, I'd figure.  ) Hessian-1
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Thanks for all the help. The pyrodex seemed to be the problem. The 3F Goex is working great. As far as the musket for his reenactment, his unit commander said it didn't have to be a particular model (India ect) just a Brown Bess. Still looking from one. Hessian, did you move back to TN? I thought you were in the NC hills. |
Took up with a "strong mtn woman" from down on the nolichucky. We fit each other to a T. We spend a lot of weekends over in NC at my "van down by the river."Thinking about selling the house in JC when we retire & building a cabin. We both got a few more productive years in us though. I really like it over here in TN. Kinda wish "the van down by the river" was here, but it's nice to have a place to get away to. Hessian-1
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