Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Traditional Firearms => Flintlock Long Guns => Topic started by: Hawken on December 09, 2016, 07:07:46 PM
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http://nmlra.org/wp-content/uploads/201 ... BERGER.pdf (http://nmlra.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MuzzleBlasts-DEC-2013-STUTZENBERGER.pdf)
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Good info Hawken!
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Thank you, Hawken!
I have seen that information in pieces here and there, but it is very helpful to have it all in one document.
Ron
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That was eye opening.I think the old Dog lernd some new tricks.Thanke for sharing Hawken.
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Hows'about we make this post / link a "stickie"?
Uncle Russ...
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Hows'about we make this post / link a "stickie"?
Uncle Russ...
Perfect Uncle Russ,great idea
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Excellent idea!
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A "sticky" to Larry Pletcher's analysis on touch hole location and priming powder positioning should be attached with it.
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A "sticky" to Larry Pletcher's analysis on touch hole location and priming powder positioning should be attached with it.
Here is his site:
BlackPowderMag.com | Flintlock Rifles and Black Powder Guns (http://www.blackpowdermag.com/)
And further into it, here are his articles (not necessarily the ones from Muzzle Blasts) on vent liners:
Vent Liners | BlackPowderMag.com (http://www.blackpowdermag.com/category/articles/vent-liners/)
~WH~
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Thanks WH, when you posted the links they become a part of this same "sticky".
Thank you!
Uncle Russ...
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Larry Pletcher has done some fine work in flintlock ignition timing. Have always enjoyed following his tests.
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Thanks Hawken, very good info!
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https://youtu.be/HPPS8lo4Q9g Like this? :lol sign
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every gun is at least a bit unique, sorta like humans.
for the most part, the defacto touch hole diameter is .062" (1/16"). most offshore guns have slotted removable touch hole liners that are well under that diameter and it's more than worthwhile to get you a 1/16" drill bit and SLOWLY drill out the touch hole while it's still screwed in. you can drill it out fast if you slide down an appropriate size wood dowel, so you don't inadvertently punch through with too much force and drill the barrel innards. or just remove the liner and drill it. it will pay to use anti-seize lube (permatex, at all auto stores) on liner threads. in fact, use anti-seize grease on anything that screws into the barrel - this will pay big dividends years later.
keep the chamber CLEAN and DRY. the slightest bit of moisture will yield a pan flash or fizzled ignition. if you use a wet patch for fouling control you must follow with a dry patch or all bets are off.
compact your powder charge. this is particularly important as the chamber area gets built up with caked BP residue. what does "compact" mean? it means bouncing the ramrod to send a patched ball down the tube and properly seat it onto the chamber powder. this will insure that there is no air space 'tween the patched ball and the chamber powder. pounding on the ramrod may NOT insure there is no air space! the Best method is "bouncing the rod". flick the ramrod down on the patched ball - when the rod trampolines upwards, that is the indication that the patched ball is seated and the chamber powder has been properly compacted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w4cQDS58PY
you MUST pick the touch hole after the barrel has been charged and before the pan is filled! pick DEEP into the touch hole. this does two really good things - (1) it increases the area (amount) of chamber powder that the ignited pan will heat up for ignition explosion, and (2) it insures that any touch hole crud gets pushed out of the way. a Great touch hole pick is a piece of ACOUSTIC guitar string, perhaps .040 to .056 gauge. acoustic strings have a steel core that is wrapped with phosphor bronze wire (non sparking) and that saw-like wrapping digs in well to the compacted chamber powder.
special attention MUST be given to guns with "patent breeches" - this means literally all offshore built guns. patent breeches mean that there's an ante-chamber behind the real chamber, and its narrow flue will not allow a bore sized cleaning rod to get in there and scrub out the BP residue. swap out the rod's jag for a small .22 to .38 brush draped with a cleaning patch to get into that ante-chamber, and don't forget a drying patch afterwards!
as to the flint itself, thin "fine" flints (with a single beveled cutting edge) are usually better than fat "common" flints (dual edged). TOTW will send fine flints if specified in yer order.
flintlock geometry is important for both consistent ignition and the life of the flint itself. finding the sweet spot for where the flint hits the hammer steel (frizzen) is important and may mean the flint will need to be in the cock jaws bevel down instead of up. at half cock the flint's edge should be very close to the hammer steel and aimed at least 2/3rds to 3/4ths up.
the difference between using null-B and 3f for pan charging ain't worth a hoot to be concerned about. finer powder WILL be more susceptible to air moisture than coarser powder, and that could mean no pan flash. back in the day, most powder was about 1f granulation, and today most folks are scrambling to pan charge with 4f - not needed and maybe should NOT be used! i use one powder for both tube and pan - 3f - don't matter what bore size, either. food for thought? ;)
r.
:*:
PS - it helps to keep the pan, flint, and hammer steel clean 'tween loads, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AYDRUm_i8E
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Has anyone noticed that the link at the top is now dead? :Doh!
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A "sticky" to Larry Pletcher's analysis on touch hole location and priming powder positioning should be attached with it.
Here is his site:
BlackPowderMag.com | Flintlock Rifles and Black Powder Guns (http://www.blackpowdermag.com/)
And further into it, here are his articles (not necessarily the ones from Muzzle Blasts) on vent liners:
Vent Liners | BlackPowderMag.com (http://www.blackpowdermag.com/category/articles/vent-liners/)
~WH~
I'd take a look at these links Winter Hawk posted, and be sure to checkout the "Flintlock Videos" that Larry shows igniting powder.
Have no idea where Hawken's link led to? Perhaps he'll stop by and recall for us what it was.
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http://nmlra.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MuzzleBlasts-DEC-2013-STUTZENBERGER.pdf
Flast flintlocks by Fred Stutzenberger PDF File, in Dec @013 Muzzleblasts. Very informative on Flintlock locks, touch holes etc., I have it if anyone needs it.Peashooterjoe
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http://nmlra.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MuzzleBlasts-DEC-2013-STUTZENBERGER.pdf
Flast flintlocks by Fred Stutzenberger PDF File, in Dec @013 Muzzleblasts. Very informative on Flintlock locks, touch holes etc., I have it if anyone needs it.Peashooterjoe
When I click that link, it goes to a 404 or whatever. If you have the pdf, can you email or pm it to me?
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http://nmlra.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MuzzleBlasts-DEC-2013-STUTZENBERGER.pdf
Flast flintlocks by Fred Stutzenberger PDF File, in Dec @013 Muzzleblasts. Very informative on Flintlock locks, touch holes etc., I have it if anyone needs it.Peashooterjoe
When I click that link, it goes to a 404 or whatever. If you have the pdf, can you email or pm it to me?
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Like wise. I am having the same problem. When I click on the link I get a code 404, and the page is not available??
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Like wise. I am having the same problem. When I click on the link I get a code 404, and the page is not available??
My guess is that they changed their website and didn't tell anyone.
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Okay, I GOT IT, but I had to do a google search for "Fast flintlocks by Fred Stutzenberger" just like so and it will give you a link that drops the pdf file (after looking at other stuff)