What do I need to rev up a flintlock?

[RichardH]

I've just bought a pair of Kentucky smoothbores in .45

Now the percussion job is straightforward enough I have Pyrodex for my pistols and caps etc

Apart from changing to Pyrodex R that should be pretty much as per my percussion revolver, however I also bought a similar flintlock.

So where can I get flints?

What do I use as priming powder can I use the same as the main charge or does it need to be finer?

Do I really need proper BP rather than pyrodex?

All help appreciated

Richard

[RichardH]

Robin?

[loiner1965]

henry kranks in leeds will sell you everything you need....even has an online catalogue

[robinghewitt]

All reports I've heard of Pyrodex and flints have been famine and frustration. It doesn't want to light in the pan and it doesn't light reliably through the touch hole. BP contains sulphur to drop the flash point, it works fine if you omit the sulphur but not in a flinter. On the down side, using BP does mean you have to get the explosive certificate, the RCA document, the box and the only dealer who will ship it is Peter Starley.

Fine priming powder seems to work a bit better than coarse but you don't have to go anal about it. I use Swiss #1 in the pan and TPPH everywhere else.

I hear that someone has taken over knapping the Brandon flint now that Tom Fuller has retired but I haven't bought since. If you just want a few to try and find the right size then Krank's is good. If you want 50 or more than go to the source

[RichardH]

Robin

Is there a reason my ramrod wont go as far down as the touch hole?

It seems to stop about an inch and a half short in the flintlock

I hope the damn thing isnt still loaded as dozens of people were snapping it at the auction viewing

Thanks for the advice BP application in the post

Cheers

Richard

[robinghewitt]

I hope the damn thing isnt still loaded as dozens of people were snapping it at the auction viewing

Sounds loaded, or rusted to sch you know what. You need a CO2 discharger

[robinghewitt]

I got bogged down in whys and wherefors. If you just want a couple of flints to try, PM me an address

[RichardH]

Flints arrived Robin

Many many thanks

Richard

[Charles Moore]

Just a thought. Your pistol could have a patent breech as my Pedersoli Charles Moore has (hence my log in name). There is a constriction at the breech end between where the ball sits and the powder chamber. To find out if your pistol has this system, put a .177 cleaning rod down the barrel. If it goes right down that is the answer. My Pedersoli has a removable touch hole and if yours has one too, take it out and you can see the end of the rod in the powder chamber.

Regarding powder, I always use black powder for all my ML pistols, and would never use Pyrodex in any of them - too hydroscopic. As said before only black powder will work in a flint. I use Swiss no 2 for priming and main charge and it is quicker at igniting the charge.

Hope this helps.

[Born Again]

Re flints, on my old Brown Bess I used to use amethyst and a section of industrial hacksaw blade araldited to the frizzen (I think that's what it was called). It was quite reliable as long as I wiped it thoroughly after each shot.