Traditions Deerhunter .50 Flintlock
I don't know if this is appropriate for this forum. I just wanted an experts opinion or help.
I was given this muzzle loader. The guy got an inline and didn't want this. All I got is the gun. Not even the ramrod. I checked and it is not loaded. I have since bought a ramrod. What all will I need to get in order to use it for PA's late muzzleloader season. Any advice would be welcomed. I have never shot a muzzleloader and know very little. what powders, lube, balls or sabots, wads etc. What accessories do I need?
Thank You in advance.
I do have someone who can show me but, he is short on patience and I want to make sure I have everything before I ask him.
I was given this muzzle loader. The guy got an inline and didn't want this. All I got is the gun. Not even the ramrod. I checked and it is not loaded. I have since bought a ramrod. What all will I need to get in order to use it for PA's late muzzleloader season. Any advice would be welcomed. I have never shot a muzzleloader and know very little. what powders, lube, balls or sabots, wads etc. What accessories do I need?
Thank You in advance.
I do have someone who can show me but, he is short on patience and I want to make sure I have everything before I ask him.
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quote:Originally posted by 1923model12win
I don't know if this is appropriate for this forum. I just wanted an experts opinion or help.
I was given this muzzle loader. The guy got an inline and didn't want this. All I got is the gun. Not even the ramrod. I checked and it is not loaded. I have since bought a ramrod. What all will I need to get in order to use it for PA's late muzzleloader season. Any advice would be welcomed. I have never shot a muzzleloader and know very little. what powders, lube, balls or sabots, wads etc. What accessories do I need?
Thank You in advance.
I do have someone who can show me but, he is short on patience and I want to make sure I have everything before I ask him.
well alot of the info you want is kinda different for everyone. but i can tell ya if it is a TRUE smooth bore Flint lock, i would ONLY USE ROUND BALLS. last time i shot a real one was prob 15+yrs ago, but iirc we used 90grns of black powder, cloth patch (old flannel jacket/sweatshirt), and what ever size ballyou use. but that being said there may be some Ready to go setups availble at local stores were u live. Meaning-- proper powder charge, wad, and ball just drop in and ram it home and fire away0 -
What about the frizzen pan? What do you use there? It is rifled 1:48 twist. Anybody have any info. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 1923model12win
What about the frizzen pan? What do you use there? It is rifled 1:48 twist. Anybody have any info.
as far as the beig twisted i have no personal info sorry. but i would suppect that if yo go to a hunting store/guns store locally they would prob have a drop in and shoot setup minus the bit of powder for the pan. you will still need to do that
gl0 -
Generally for a flintlock rifle you need two types of black powder. 4F for the pan and 2f under the ball.
With a 1 in 48 twist you would normally load a lead ball with a greased cloth patch. The patch and ball combination has to be a tight fit in the bore. Figure the lead ball to be approximately .010 under bore diameter.
Because black powder fouls so badly the bore should be swabed out at least after every other shot, or risk having a ball stuck half way down the bore during loading.
Do a GOOGLE search for loading and shooting flintlock rifles for more specific instructions. I wouldn't take it out hunting without plenty of test firing and practice. Shooting a flintlock rifle is a lot of fun, but get complicated if you don't have all your ducks in a row.0 -
Thank You! for the info. Yeah I would defineately shoot it a lot before hunting. 0 -
Alot of good advice above.
Here is a list of stuff for you possibles:
Ball starter
powder horn
bore butter
powder measure & maybe funnel if needed
.490 balls w/ .010-.015 patch to start with
4f for pan, FFG/ pyrodex rs for barrel
Good luck. Have fun & be safe.0 -
Go to www.traditionsfirearms.com then mouse over the 'support' bar in the header, then find traditions product owners manuals. If your particular model isn't there, try emailing them for a download of the manual. It is in their interest to keep you safe, happy, and hopefully have you buy more from them after a good experience, and most companies I have dealt with are more than willing to keep you as a customer, even the older guns. 0 -
1923model12win,
You have been given good advice already. Most manufacturer's reccommend, for a 50 cal, a 0.490" ball, and a 0.015-0.020" well greased(Thompson Center Bore Butter works well) patch. The 1 in 48 twist is a little fast for a round ball, as most round ball barrels are 1 in 60-66 twist rates. By having the faster twist, you will have to back off the powder charge to 70-90 grains of FFg, to find your most accurate load. this is because, any faster loads will spin the patch around the ball, and not stabalize it properly. Think of the patch as a type of sabot, if you will, that does not have much bearing surface to grip, so you have to be gentle with it. You will need FFFFg for the pan, to lite everything.
Once you get into the swing of things, you may want to find someone with the know ho, and remove your breech plug, and slug the barrel. this will give you your barrel's land and groove dimensions, and you can search for a patch and ball combination, where the bally actually engraves the rifling slightly, and the patch is just used for a gas seal. I done that with a TC Cherokee in 45 cal, where the factory reccommended load was a 0.440" ball, and a 0.015-0.020" patch. I ended up using a 0.007" patch and a 0.451" ball. It too had a 1 in 48" twist. I was able to increase my velocity and energy, significantly to get better accuracy, and hunting performance...all the way around.
Best0 -
I use FFF both in rifle and the pan........ easier than carrying two different powder horns, mine still goes bang most everytime. I do drop the rifle charge from 90 grains to 75 though. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
Generally for a flintlock rifle you need two types of black powder. 4F for the pan and 2f under the ball.
With a 1 in 48 twist you would normally load a lead ball with a greased cloth patch. The patch and ball combination has to be a tight fit in the bore. Figure the lead ball to be approximately .010 under bore diameter.
Because black powder fouls so badly the bore should be swabed out at least after every other shot, or risk having a ball stuck half way down the bore during loading. BULLSHEIT !!
Do a GOOGLE search for loading and shooting flintlock rifles for more specific instructions. I wouldn't take it out hunting without plenty of test firing and practice. Shooting a flintlock rifle is a lot of fun, but get complicated if you don't have all your ducks in a row.
you apparently have never shot a B.P. rifle with real DuPont Black Powder0 -
quote:Originally posted by 1923model12win
Thank You! for the info. Yeah I would defineately shoot it a lot before hunting.
SIR !! you have been given some good advice and some really bad advice, first let me give you my qualifications, i have been loading, shooting, competing AND making flintlock rifles for over 50 years.
is your rifle a custom made or a factory production ? if it is truly a 1-48 i suspect it is a CVA or T.C. or Lyman, loading your rifle you should try to find real black powder, forget all this crappy new fangled BP substitutes, most will NOT function in the pan, then buy or mold some.490 RB's, as far as priming the pan stick with FFFg powder and your chosen load which i personally recommend 80 to 90 Gr., buy or make patches from cotton, i make mine from mattress cloth or from an old worn out pair of "Levis", buy a brass or copper powder flask
that has a 80 - 90 Gr. drop tube "Track Of The Wolf" is an excellent place to shop for your needed accruements.
loading your rifle is thus: pour your powder in the barrel, place a SPIT (yes, saliva is best patch lubricant) saturated patch centered over the muzzle, place the ball on the patch and ram it in the bore with a ball starter then ram the ball snuggly on the powder charge DO NOT pound it down as you may have seen in the movies, doing so will deprive the powder charge of the air need for proper ignition, bring your rifle level and charge the pan so that the priming is level with the flash hole, over charging your pans flash hole will cause delayed ignition, thus causing "flinch" and THAT you do not need when taking that shot at your trophy Buck, always remember this old quote: "first the powder, then the ball, or the damn thing won't shoot at all"
if you have any further questions please PM me..., OK ??0
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