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

[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

[RichardH]

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

Its not rusted they are pretty much as new, I have a flinter and percussion both made by Adler of Italy both in .45 calibre (any idea who Adler are they may well be kit guns?).

I have tried a worm type affair (self tapper on a stick) but its solid so I'm guessing a ball rather than shot load

I'll have the black powder chap at the gunshop use his co2 kit on it

I've dropped you a PM about the flints

Cheers

Rich

[Smokeless Coal]

Pyro and 777 are propellants not explosives. They dont work well in open air nor if you have an airgap between powder and ball.

BP is a must for a flintlock and as fine as you can get for the pan so ffffg if you can get it.

A ball extractor is a must for a single shot, no so needed for a revolver coz you can undo a nipple and push a ball out. If you think it blocked then use your ball extractor as a first option.

[robinghewitt]

I have tried a worm type affair (self tapper on a stick) but its solid so I'm guessing a ball rather than shot load

A ball puller wants one of those new fangled wood screws with the extremely sharp point and very fine flutes. You want to set it in to a brass rod that nearly fits the bore so it can't possibly go down 'twixt ball and barrel. You have to make sure it can't possibly pull out of the rod. You want something at the other end you can tie to a tree and then yank for all you're worth. A pre-soak can work wonders.

If it wasn't dry-balled, easiest to could shoot it out (OTOH, can we be sure some moron hasn't loaded it with Red Dot?).

Failing that you have to pull the breech plug. Not easy without defacing the barrel if you don't have the right kit for the job.

Good luck, flints on the way, perhaps I should have included some Bickford fuse

[Smokeless Coal]

To assist a ball puller you can make up a rod with a drill on the end or possibly some of those hex shaped toolkits hav a small drill in a hex that will go down the barrel.

Drilling the ball can help the screw get a good grip so you can pull it out.

This is assuming the pistol has not been deactivated by welding a rod in it

The breeches are screwed in but you have to be careful, as stated, not to chew the barrel up.

[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.