Hello.... new guy with a new old flintlock.....

[Hooch]

Hello, I have been an avid reader but don’t post much...... I’m still learning. After owning a TC hawken 50 for years I sent it down the road and awhile back I finally bought a nice hawken/plains style full stock flintlock made by Jim Searles back in the 70’s. It is 58 caliber. Beautiful old rifle with a piece of timber that makes my jaw drop. Now I’m real good at looking at it but need to get going in the right direction so I can be proficient with it and having never owned a flintlock I could sure use some direction. Not sure what grade powder to use as far as loading and priming...... optimum size ball and ticking etc. and grain/load?  So if someone has time to explain things to this greenhorn I’d be mighty appreciative!!! Craig

[Tilefish]

Greetings Hooch, 2f for the rifle 4f for the pan. .570 ball would be a good starting point.

[Hooch]

Thank you kindly!!

[MuskratMike]

I agree 2F for the rifle, 4F for the pan. Post some pictures of the rifle. Welcome and keep at it.

[Daryl]

With that .570" ball, I would suggest 10oz. or 11oz. denim (Joanne's Fabrics).  10oz. denim will also work well with a .575" ball, which would be my preference.
A water based lube for target shooting, where the gun does not sit a long time loaded.  Use an oil or grease-type lube for hunting, like Track's mink oil
or Neetsfoot Oil (the real stuff, not the synthetic) are the best for that use.  Make sure you develop loads for a different lubricant, if switching lubes.  Oft
times they do not shoot to the same point of impact.

[Hooch]

Thank you gentlemen this helps a lot. I’ll get some pics taken and figure out how to post them here before long

[Craig Wilcox]

Craig - from another Craig - I started with a .58 cal back in 1960 - we would have target matches all around the DC area in VA and MD.  We used a standard load of 100 gr, but that was with a lubed Minie' "ball".

You might want to start at about 75 gr with a PRB, then work up and down to determine the most accurae load for you.

[Hooch]

Thank you Craig

[satwel]

Buy at least half a dozen black English flints for your rifle. I get mine from Track of the Wolf. Back in the 70's when I bought my first flintlock (Thompson Center hawken), I didn't know any better and I bought the cut agate flints in the blister packs. They were a colossal waste of time and money. My rifle would fire only 50% of the time. I was so frustrated I nearly gave up on flintlocks. Then I came across a gun store that had a large muzzleloading department. They sold loose, black, hand-knapped flints from big plastic trays so I could sort through and pick out the best ones. Viola! All ignition problems vanished.

You also want to make sure you have a fairly thick piece of leather to pad the jaws of the flintcock. Do not use lead! Search the archives for instructions on how to knap your flint to keep it sparking. It's not difficult, but it is essential to keep your flintlock firing reliably.

 

[Hooch]

Thank you Sir will do!!!! 

[WadePatton]

Don't hesitate to try 2F in the pan. It works just fine for many of us-and is less affected by wind, moisture, or residues.  Don't take -one- load and accept it as best. Work up a load that actually is best.  Also, until your patching is perfectly re-shootable, don't fret over lousy targets.  Blown patches will blow up groups.  I hate to continue "being negative" but also don't mistake D's recommendation for 10oz denim to mean .010" patching--it's closer to .020" patching (if you're measuring--always measure-don't just read the size off a package. 

Thicker patching with more lube is generally a good answer to blown patches and crud problems. This may take a ball starter to get the combo swaged into the muzzle. Reason:  Any combo that goes down "easy" will allow crud build up in the bore and prevent you from making too many shots without swabbing/wiping.  A tighter combo will clean this up and allow more shots, a properly snug combo will allow you to shoot all day long without wiping.  It should also allow better accuracy via consistency of bore condition. 

If you can find any flintlock shooters near you it might be worth a little drive to shoot with them-they might be able to help if you have lock issues. My first lock needed some tuning and that's how I found out. Hard to do things like that over the phone...  Use water (plain tepid) to clean and some sort of water displacing oil to dry it out, and perhaps a heavier oil for long-term protection.  Store it muzzle down after cleaning for a few days and to drain excesses out and keep them from causing problems or saturating the wood.

Get shootin!  Have fun.

[Hooch]

Thanks for the help!!! 

[moleeyes36]

Hooch, for someone new to flintlocks, this is a good book to have and it's reasonably priced.

https://www.nmlra.org/store/flintlocks-a-practical-guide-for-their-use-and-appreciation


Mole Eyes

[Hooch]

This is my rifle......Appreciate the help again many thanks!!!

[Daryl]

Nice rifle Hooch. Bit of an upgrade from the TC. Many of us started on TC's.

[Hooch]

Thank you Daryl!!!! Yes it is a purty rifle. I enjoyed the TC Hawken it was a real shooter!!! I’m actually trying to sell it as I over extended myself a bit..... I have a terrible addiction to firearms that have cylinders and levers and “might” have got a little deeper on them recently than I should. If it doesn’t sell I won’t be heart broken LOL..... might be eating dirt and grass for awhile though  ...... after much thought I’m keeping the rifle and will abstain from any new revolvers or leverguns for awhile. Cause if I sold it I’d still want another  so why LOL

[OldMtnMan]

Beautiful gun. If you don't want to carry two powders you could try 3F for both pan and load. That always worked for me.

[Hooch]

Thank you Sir

[Hooch]

Well just wanted to thank you all again for your helpful suggestions. Gonna take a little drive and pick up a few lbs of powder here in the next couple days .... have ordered flints, jags, a mold etc and they are on their way and will be ordering the book that was suggested this evening. Thanks again everyone you’ve been a great help!!! Stay healthy and God Bless

[Craig Wilcox]

Hooch, we are all happy as clams in mud to welcome a new shooter, especially one who wants to learn all about Flinters and long rifles.

[Hooch]

It’s sure appreciated Craig..... got pointed in the right direction by several good folks here and it’s making my learning curve much easier.... and at my age easy is a good thing 😁

[Bob McBride]

Welcome Hooch.

[smylee grouch]

Hooch, great advice so far. I might add that keeping a note book with your load development info in it for future reference will be a good idea and also save the targets that you shot for comparison will also help you down the road.

[oldtravler61]

  Hooch welcome...an when you get to shooting that flinter...remember to keep your sight on the target all the way through the shot..  The flash in the pan DOESN'T mean the ball has left the barrel... So stay on that sight picture..
Oldtravler

[Hooch]

Yes I keep a range book on any revolver or lever action I hunt with and will do so with this one as well as they are a great benefit. Getting used to the flask in the pan will definitely take some getting used to......hopefully it will come easier than harder