First shots

[Mike Lyons]

This is a 45 cal with 70 g of 3 fff goex withI used 4 ffff for priming with a .440 BP Hornady ball. I filed a little off and walked it up to where I stopped.  I'll take it out some other day and fine tune it.   I had several misfires.  Should I adjust the flint? I have the flint 3/32 from the frizzed level across. 

[stubshaft]

Not too bad for 100yds..  With respect to your misfires, what type of lock is it? type of flint? maybe a photo of the lock side of the rifle to check the arc of the cock and the touch hole placement.

[ltdann]

misfire as in flash in the pan, or failure to flash?

[Mike Lyons]

Failure to flash. 

[smylee grouch]

There could be several reasons for how your rifle shoots or performs. I would start at 50 yds. and keep track of all the load variables, ball size/patch thickness/lube powder brand,grade and charge. How you hold your sights on the aiming spot and how you hold the rifle on the rest. May be more but keep track in a load book and when you are don e pick the best combo and move to 100 before you do any final sight adjustments.

[Ky-Flinter]

Failure to flash.

Needs more sparks, or sparks in the right place, or good dry powder.

Is your flint mounted bevel up or bevel down?  Flip it over and see if it sparks better or worse.

Are the sparks mostly landing in the pan or somewheres else?

-Ron

[Mike Lyons]

[Carney Pace]

Take your target and a black magic marker.  Make a heavy "X": from corner to corner, 3/8"  wide at least.  Will allow better aiming point than a dot.

Carney

[ltdann]

I'm kinda curious where your flint ends up when the triggers pulled.  Is the leading edge of the flint hovering over the pan?  To my eyes, that flint looks a bit long.  I use 7/8 English flints  and they don't stick out from jaws that far.

Whenever I fail to flash, I knap a fresh edge on with a brass rod (actually a brass valve stem with a step in it) and that seems to do the trick.

[Mike Lyons]

That's snapped down.

[ltdann]

Yeah, i'd start by flipping the flint over.  Mine seem to almost end up in the pan.

Nice finish on that lock by the way....makes easy to clean.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Yup:  turn the flint over.  With the bevel on the bottom, your flint is shooting the sparks ahead of the pan instead of into it.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Another good way to sight in your rifle is to make your targets with a black bar wide enough for you =to see clearly at 50 yards.  Shoot it horizontally until you keep all your shots in the bar, filing the sights until you achieve that.  Now shoot it vertically and adjust for windage.  Now when you shot an "X" or a dot, you'll be dead centre.  Always put your sights where you want your ball to strike (no 6 o'clock hold)

[Martin S.]

Another good way to sight in your rifle is to make your targets with a black bar wide enough for you =to see clearly at 50 yards.  Shoot it horizontally until you keep all your shots in the bar, filing the sights until you achieve that.  Now shoot it vertically and adjust for windage.  Now when you shot an "X" or a dot, you'll be dead centre.  Always put your sights where you want your ball to strike (no 6 o'clock hold)

Taylor,

This is why I read nearly everything on this board.

I have a couple rifles I need to dial in.

I'll try this technique the next time I go to the range.

To the OP, you built a very nice rifle, congrats.

Martin

[Arcturus]

Like others said, I'd try flipping that flint.  When the hammer completes its travel and comes to rest, the edge of the flint should be pointing straight into the pan.  Looks like currently if it is sparking well, the majority of your shower of sparks will land beyond the pan.

[Daryl]

Flint hold is sometimes quite dependent on the thickness of the flint, therefore the exact placement of the sharp edge if mounted bevel down.  My smoothbore lock prefers some flints bevel up, while other flints need to be mounted bevel down as the striking edge will strike over or at the top of the frizzen with extra-thick flints.

It throws these all, into the pan. I don't know if it is the thickness, or the angles on the top of the frizzen. Since I still am using a lot of Rich's river rocks, I have learned to
put them the way they need to be mounted.  Some, I've ground the crown off with a green wheel - but be careful not to overheat the chert or it may crack.