Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: Thunderhawk1828 on March 15, 2016, 12:14:21 AM
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OK - stupid question: in talking about flints sizes for my GPR Track of the Wolf has the size as 5/8 x 3/4. OK when I go to another site, they say 5/8 & 3/4. My question is 5/8 x 3/4 the width x length or are they not figured that way? Or is it just the length of the flint only?
Also I've read that the flint at half cock should either touch or just fall shy of touching the Hammer / frizzen. If so, then after shooting for a while it would need to be knapped for sharpness. When done, the length obviously shortens and the sparks lessen, etc. This was after only 15 -17 shots when I understand that a flint should last approx. 100 shots??
OK - what am I doing wrong?
Thanks.
Thunderhawk1828
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OK - stupid question:
no questions are stupid ... answers are another story, and i'll try my best not to screw up 8)
OK - what am I doing wrong?
imho, not a thing.
Thanks.
yer most welcome, sir. hope i've helped a bit. please do carry on and enjoy yer flinter!
Thunderhawk1828
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The flint should have it's rear portion touching the jaw screw, with the front edge (when new) almost touching the face of the frizzen. As you noted, as it wears down that distance increases. However, in most cases it's a very short change over time, and it does cause the frizzen to be struck lower on the face, but should not significantly reduce the spark production.
My flints usually last more than 30 shots, sometimes as much as 70+....including knapping, but after that such a flint might be used at a range (to be frugal), but never for hunting or in a target shooting contest, and not at a reenactment. I base those numbers off an average of 35 rounds fired each day from my musket, over a two-day reenactment. I normally install a fresh flint Saturday morning, and it's usually "done" by Sunday afternoon...., and muskets tend to be hard on flints. For my rifles, which are much better locks with much better geometry, the flints don't nearly take such a beating.
Now, flint is a natural product, so yes some will fail quickly, and sometimes you get ones that are "miracle" flints that seem to last a very long time.
IF you're chewing them up on a regular basis at less than 20 shots, meaning you cannot knap them sharp enough to continue use, I'd say perhaps you need to change some lock geometry. Try a small piece of a wooden match stick under the back end of the flint at the jaw screw to cant the front edge of the flint downward just a tad and see if that doesn't increase your flint's life.
Doing something wrong? Naw, I agree, you're simply learning how your flinter acts. Each one you use or own will be different, and have it's own quirks.
LD
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All good answers, Rob. The only thing I would add is "bevel up or bevel down". The experts will argue for up or down til the cows come home and never agree. I'm a bevel down guy just because I think it keeps the flint scraping on the frizzen longer thus producing more sparks. I could be wrong but I've done this for many years with good results. However, I have had some locks that work better with the bevel up. Go figger... So I guess it's just up to the particular lock that will dictate the size, which way & where the flint is located. Like Rob said, the flint works good if it's no wider than the frizzen and has a bit of clearance when it's on half cock.
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Gents:
thank you all for your responses. I will continue on and learn - to the range Saturday
to learn some more about this new weapon. While I shoot a cap lock with good accuracy and results, I really do just enjoy the Flinter - much more then I thought I would.
In any event I thank you all
Thunderhawk1828
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As your Flint gets shorter try moving it forward a bit. Article in this month's Muzzleloader says you can do that with no problems. Never tried that but plan to in the future to see how it works.