[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Amber v. black flints

Posted: 9/20/2016 10:49:24 AM EDT

I began reading the book, The Queen's American Rangers. It mentioned how the Brown Bess could throw a ball out to 200 yards but that it was accurate only out to 100 yards. Yeah, sure.

Anyway, the author, Donald Gara, also said that black flints last longer than amber flints. I've never heard this before and never used amber flints and all the flints I ever used were black. Thoughts?

Posted: 9/20/2016 7:15:55 PM EDT

[#1]

Its true. The French used amber flints and theyre typically more brittle than the dark English flints. They wear out in about 15-20 shots in my bess to 30 or so on an English flint.

Posted: 9/23/2016 7:24:55 AM EDT

[#2]

I tried amber flints for a while, wore out fast.

Went back to the black English flints.

Posted: 9/23/2016 10:10:48 PM EDT

[#3]

Anybody got a picture of some examples of these black or amber flints?

Posted: 9/23/2016 11:27:18 PM EDT

[#4]

This guy on Facebook is selling amber flints and has pics of them
Passagassawakeag-18th-19th-Century-Objects-For-Sale

Posted: 9/24/2016 10:48:08 AM EDT

[#5]

Ebay photo

Posted: 9/28/2016 8:35:21 PM EDT

[#6]

I've used them both, no difference. Grey chalky flints? I stay away from those. No spark!

BTW you can find amber, black, gray and brown flints all over southern England. There they are so common, that they use them as wall decorations on the outside of houses, as well as for riprap in culverts.

Google: flints on english houses

Posted: 10/5/2016 3:03:32 PM EDT

[#7]

Had to put the book down. I'm working on a book on the history of sharpshooting.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Amber v. black flints

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Amber v. black flints

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Amber v. black flints