Flintlock speed

[jbullard1]

Do flintlocks inherently have a delay longer than a caplock or do I need to do some tuning. I have a Durrs Egg and since I changed to R. Pierce flints I have not had a misfire, Just seems like I hear the hammer fall, and whooosh Bang. Just hard for me to hold steady during all this
Thanks

[FG1]

You will need to play with the amount of prime in pan and position of prime. Most times its around just enough to cover bottom of pan and just outside of funnel area of pan .

[Hank in WV]

What size is your touchhole? Most rifles shoot best with a 1/16 or 5/64 hole.

[Two Steps]

JB1...I have a Durrs Egg that I have opened the touch hole to about 5/64s.  Hank in WV can tell ya that if I close the frizzen, it will self prime and is plenty fast.  Now, if only it could help me see the targets  
Like FG1 said...try different amounts of priming and don't pile it up..
Al

[Ohio Joe]

The small John Bailes lock I have is the closest I have to a Durs Egg, but I guess they are similiar enough to be called a "baby" Durs Egg and Manton...

I have found that the 5/64ths touch hole works best for all my flintlocks.  I've developed the habbit of "pick and prime" with each shot and don't experience any "swoosh-bang" it seems to go right off even if I do get a bit to much prime in the pan.

For those that are use to shooting percussion, if I recall when one is making the transition to flint, you do have a tendancey to notice a small delay in ignition.  However, the more a person shoots a flintlock that small delay seems to disappear as we develope a familiarity with the flintlocks working system.  Stay with it.  

[jbullard1]

Joe
what do you mean by pick and prime?
As to the touch hole I havent measured it but its what came in the liner. This is the first flinter I've been around, and in my transition from centerfire to caplock I had to relearn to shoot, same thing with a flinter it looks like, good excuse to shoot more  

[Ohio Joe]

Morning Jerry,

Two ways to pick and prime;

#1 - Before loading powder you could stick a feather quil or vent pick in the touch hole, then load powder patch & ball - remove the feather quil or vent pick from the vent hole and prime, then take your shot... or...

#2 - Load powder patch & ball - then take your vent pick and pick the vent hole before priming - then prime and take your shot.

Either way should ensure a clear vent hole to the main charge with the priming powder.

Before opening the vent to 5/64ths, take some more shots with the pick and prime method(s) and see if this helps.  If not, then it may be time to get a 5/64ths bit and see if the vent hole needs to be enlarged.

Hope this helps my friend!

[jbullard1]

Thanks Joe
Will give the pick a try

[MikeC]

The Durs Egg Lock is inherintly a fast lock.  Make sure you have a good flint properly seated and tight in the jaws.  I have opened all my liners to 1/16 and experience no problem.  I wouldn't go bigger unless you absolutely feel that is necessary.

Joe is correct there is a curve that needs to be overcome when switching from percussion to flintlocks and only shooting takes care of that.

Position of prime shouldn't make a difference since you don't check it while carring the gun before taking a shot, amount of prime does make a difference and I found less is better.  A properly setup flintlock should fire when shot upside down.

[Bigsmoke]

Jerry,
Going into the "Pick and Prime" thought a little deeper, the real thing you are doing there is not clearing the vent hole.  In actuality, prior to picking, the surface area that is being looked at is whatever can be accessed through the vent - not much.
However, when you use the pick, you are actually opening up a conical area in the compressed powder which greatly increases the surface area the flash has access to.  Hence, the ignition characterics of the firearm are increased.
Regarding hole size, personally, I like to protect the threads of the touchhole and that's about it.
It should not go click, whoosh, bang.  If you can identify those various steps, it's toooooo slow.

[mike rumping]

How long is your hammer fall for the Cock also?  this can make it seem forever to set off.  also if hunting, always clean eveything thouroughly with 91% alcohol, then dry it, and let sit overnigt, do not reoil!!!  you'll never have another misfire when in the woods if you protect the lock w a cows knee and put a davb of wax on the barrel channel in front of the lock and around the pan as well.  ALWAYS PUT IN A NEW FLINT  Sorry, I know this wasn't really the question, but in hunting, i've lost a couple bucks before this dawned on me.

[jbullard1]

Thanks that makes sense John. Normally a grain of powder blocks the hole. I just checked the hole and its right at 3/64" not quite 1/16. I will work with the prime and pick a while before drilling to 1/16. I guess I need to lower the charge some until I get this worked out. 90 gr ffg and a .690 rb pretty rough on my old shoulder. Should be good load for the hog hunt coming up

[FG1]

Another little tidbit , after carrying while afield , when raising rifle for a shot give the gun a tipping to the right to clear any powder that may have stacked against touchhole before shouldering. Any powder stacked there will fuze or may even cause a charcoal blockage to hole. That ruins any chance of a follow up reprime . I lost out on a nice antelope from a hasty shot try. It just walked out of site while I was trying to clear the vent .

[Ohio Joe]

How long is your hammer fall for the Cock also?  this can make it seem forever to set off.  also if hunting, always clean eveything thouroughly with 91% alcohol, then dry it, and let sit overnigt, do not reoil!!!  you'll never have another misfire when in the woods if you protect the lock w a cows knee and put a davb of wax on the barrel channel in front of the lock and around the pan as well.  ALWAYS PUT IN A NEW FLINT  Sorry, I know this wasn't really the question, but in hunting, i've lost a couple bucks before this dawned on me.

You bet!!! :lt th

[sniper68]

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