Thread: The FLintlock Shooter

Originally Posted by Carlsen Highway

I don't flinch with it as a general thing, but if I have a misfire, like if the flint gets blunt, and it doesn't go off, then after that I will have flinches I have to wilfully control. I suspect I may find it harder to shoot offhand because of the slight delay I think. I have it shooting pretty quick though. I will have to practice that more.

I bought this one new and did the stock carving myself. Didn't look right without some carved decoration from the period. I also changed the shape of the buttsotck, which had an unsightly hump on it for some reason, which had always put me off getting a Pedersoli Kentucky rifle, because it just looked wrong. But I figured I could correct it myself, and now the buttstock shape looks right to my eye for a roman nose style long rifle.

The gun shoots to point of aim at 50 metres as per those targets, I am using a six oclock hold there. I could make it shoot higher, and may yet.

What kind of quality powder are you making? What kind of load are you using -how many grains will give you the equivalent of 80 grains of Holy Smoke 3F for example? How much fouling does it have?

Also what do you use for flints and what kind of life do you get out of them, they are bloody expensive down here. I am wondering if I can use obsidian and make my own, which gave rise to the notion of making my own from bottle glass. I looked that up and found records of people doing that in the old days too, not sure how may shots you would get from glass.

If you have a look on the Fishnhunt forum My black powder recipe is on there in the Black Powder hunting section. I use about double the thrown flask amount per shot as mine is not compressed to get the Fg sizes ( will shoot hole in hole so no constancy issues) . The idea of F granulation only came along when cartridge guns were invented. So I use a flask with a 40gr spout and throw 4 spouts for the T/C Hawken for about equal to 80gr FF. I use the same load in Pedersoli Kentucky and Pedersoli Hawken. For the 58 cal CVA Mountain rifle (pictured) I use 6 spouts for equal to 120gr FF and a bruised shoulder, certainly has a crunch when it goes off. Get your flints from Track of the wolf in the U.S.A , about $2us each plus freight. Much cheaper than Hayes at $20nz each!!!