Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

new flintlock.......

hillbille
I have been shooting muzzleloaders for years just never got the urge for a flintlock, till today. Old friend of mine in his 70's made me a deal on a renegade he had laying in his garage. Lots of surface rust, no major pitting still good spark.

My first question is I have lots of 3f powder, I use it in all my rifles , pistols and shotgun. Will it work for the pan primer??

It will take some tinkering, but for the next month or so, I'll be playing with it to tune in charge and bullets. will start with patch and ball, never had any luck with maxi balls.

any other tricks????
0

Comments

13 comments

Date Votes
  • He Dog
    Most flinters use FFFF. If you write TC a short letter requesting an owners manual for your used Renegade, they will send one. Be sure to tell them the serial number of the rifle.
    0
  • navc130
    As I understand it, 3F should work fine, especially with good sparks.
    In the "old days," the pioneers and armies did not carry a separate priming powder. 4F is supposed to give faster ignition. If you want finer powder, you can grind up some 3F (safely). I am not an experienced flintlock shooter - yet.
    0
  • Chief Shaway
    3FFF Will work. 4FFFF is better though for a more consitant ignition.
    You can use 3 FFF for pan powder, heck I've used 2FF for my Bess.
    It will fire the gun but, the miniscule time difference does make a difference.
    Patch and ball should be the best bet with that rifle.
    Start around 60 grains and work up find out what the rifle likes.
    0
  • john12668
    3f should work as a pan charge. but the secret to a "flinch" lock is to not put too much powder in the pan. more powder= bigger flash and longer delay in ignition. but if it where my choice i would just go and get some 4f and take all the guess work out of it. as far as loads go, if you go to t/cs web page you can find archived downloadable manuals. hope this helps.
    0
  • coltpax
    I would use 4f, just cause it works better as a priming powder. I've got your rifle's percussion brother. If the bore's good, it's an accurate rifle. I can put 3 shots into a fist sized group at 100 yards using patch and ball. But, you got a good one (older one). The new T/C traditional style muzzleloaders made by cabelas are, imo, crap. Mine's an oldie.



    cc518b19.jpg
    0
  • He Dog
    quote:Originally posted by coltpax
    I would use 4f, just cause it works better as a priming powder. I've got your rifle's percussion brother. If the bore's good, it's an accurate rifle. I can put 3 shots into a fist sized group at 100 yards using patch and ball. But, you got a good one (older one). The new T/C traditional style muzzleloaders made by cabelas are, imo, crap. Mine's an oldie.



    cc518b19.jpg



    Cabela's is a retailer and does not build anything, The "Traditional Hawken" they sell is not a TC product, and appears to be a Traditions rifle. Budget is a polite way to describe it.
    0
  • coltpax
    Don't matter who builds them now, they suck. But is TC still making the traditional front stuffers?
    0
  • stankemp
    4F is better. Use a morter and pestal to grind some 3F to a finer consistancy as mentioned previously. Get a small spring loaded brass priming tool to keep it in. Allows for a quick reprime when POOF dosen't go BANG.
    0
  • He Dog
    quote:Originally posted by coltpax
    Don't matter who builds them now, they suck. But is TC still making the traditional front stuffers?


    Yes, TC, now owned by S&W still builds their version of a Hawken, and I think one or two others.
    0
  • Katstee
    Yup, they still do, still make a nice rifle, but I agree with you, imo the wood on the older T/C Hawkens just is better.
    BTW, Nice rifle, I have the same rifle, if I remember correctly, I think mine was bought back in the late 70's.
    0
  • krazy4krags
    quote:Use a morter and pestal to grind some 3F to a finer consistancy as mentioned previously. Get a small spring loaded brass priming tool to keep it in. Allows for a quick reprime when POOF dosen't go BANG.


    Just want you to know that mortar and pestle grinding of black powder is a precarious prospect if you are not EXTREMELY careful!![B)] Putting less powder in the pan (about 1/3 full) is about right. I use FFFFg if I got it because the touch hole doesn't clog as quickly as it does with FFFg. Depends on how tight the hole is, *ahem* but if you shake the rifle so that the powder in the pan is furthest from the touch hole you get a great ignition. At least in my experience this has been the case.

    Best,
    Hutch
    0
  • Beauhooligan
    I've been shooting flinters since the late '80s, and on a couple of occasions I have had no ffffg pan powder in my shooting box. I took a plastic coffee cup, poured in some fffg, and gently ground it finer using a plastic spatula handle. I did this in very small quantities, never more than a half ounce, and wore a face shield while I did the work. I scare easy, and take precautions, which is why I still have all my digits and both eyes. Here's the lock on my favorite old Hatfield flinter. Hatfield-flinter.jpg
    0
  • He Dog
    Very nice grade III Beau! Mine is percussion, but maybe I am working my way up, or back or toward a flinter.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity