Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Shopping for a flinchlock...

Since I'm in Pa, looks like I'll be needing a flintlock. I doubt I'll be using round ball, so I'm looking at 1:48, and if I can find a Lyman GP Hunter, a 1:32. No scopes allowed, so prolly throw a Lyman 57SML on it. I have a few caplocks, and use 777 in them. Am I correct in thinking I will need real black for the flintlock? As far as projectiles, probably an XTP of some sort, or maybe even a powerbelt. Probably will keep loads in the 80 - 90 gr range, since shots will almost certainly be sub 100 yds. Currently not a huge fan of Traditions, and have Investarms/Lyman experience. Never had a flintlock. Any other suggestions?

The best production flintlock available is the RMC Accusporter, but they're a little pricey. The Lyman rifles are probably the next best choice.

Yes, a flintlock has its best reliability with real black powder. If the substitute powders were reliable, Washington would have asked the Continental Congress to supply them to his troops.

Ha! Yeah, pretty sure he could used a lot of stuff unavailable at the time! Thanks, I was leaning toward Lyman, as they are nearly identical to the investarms I have. Don't like real black, but looks like I'll have to get used to it. Don't want to mess with duplex loads. The 1:32 barrel is something I think I would like.

So how bad are the black powder substitutes in flintlocks? I've been thinking about a Lyman Great Plains in .54 and would like to know. Thanks.

RMC Accusporter. Had to look that one up. At least they have an L&R lock. That's good. I always feel the heart of any flintlock is in the lock.

Just not my kind of rifle. But I do understand all the why's.

I'm my case $800 would get me enough primo parts to build a really nice rifle.

Good luck in your endeavor!!!

I'm curious about the objection to real blackpowder? I've been using it for years in my flint and caplock rifles and prefer it. Both my current rifles (a flint 32 and a caplock 62) shoot more accurately with black than any of the substitutes. Frequent cleaning is necessary I know but not difficult. Kaywoodie is right. The lock is the heart of a flintlock and L&R is a good lock. I like 4f for a priming powder and 3f for the main charge. I also use 3f in my 62 and get better accuracy with it than 2f.

Not trying to hijack Benchman's thread Mart (just keeping it going) but I like to see your .62 rifle.

Here's mine! With a new sling I fingerwove for it last week out of heavy hemp yarn!



Shoots great with 90 Grains of FFFG!

kaywoodie,

I'm on the slope right now and won't be home for a couple weeks but will get a picture of it then. It's just a TC renegade with a Green Mountain barrel. They did a bunch of smooth bore 62's a few years back. I bought one on close out from them for $100 and sent it to Ed Rayle to be rifled. It's far and away the most accurate muzzleloader I've ever had. I shoot strictly round balls in it but with a 62 that's a big chunk of lead. My general load is 80 grains of 3f and my moose load is 120 grains of the same. I keep applying for the Fort Rich muzzleloader moose hunt but so far (14 years) have not been drawn.

That is one good looking flinter.

Mart

I have shot primarily investarms caplocks for the last 20 or so years. Black was kinda hard to get, where I was, so I used pyrodex. Ignition was a bit of a problem in some of the rifles, so I went to musket caps. When 777 became available, I tried it, and had very good results. It seemed to be better for ignition, and shot a good bit harder. I don't have a chronograph, but the drop was less. Clean up was easier, but to tell the truth, it's not a big deal, ya gotta clean thoroughly anyways. Tried some black last year. Found it to be stinky, dirty, less accurate, and didn't shoot near as hard. 100 grains of black seemed about the same as 75 or so of 777. Accuracy was certainly good enough for deer out to 100, but the 777 was far superior in my rifles. All 5 of mine shot harder, cleaner, and more accurately with 777. Black will do, though. I have no desire to have a misfire, when I finally drop the hammer on a deer. Too hard to come by up here! Shot many, many muzzleloader deer in Southern Md, where I was.

I've never tried the 777 so cannot speak to that. I have noticed all the muzzleloaders I've had over the years have been more accurate with 3f black than 2f, cap or flintlock. In my 62, the 3f black is head and shoulders above Pyrodex in accuracy. I can honestly say I've never had a failure to fire with black in a caplock with either musket or #11 caps. I use musket caps simply because their easier to handle with cold hands. I have had failures with my flint but always due to a dull flint/damp frizzen or a damp priming charge. Never had trouble with the main charge if the prime was good and the flint sharp.

Thanks Mart!

As far as powder goes Ive shot nothing but black since 1969 when I got my first muzzleloader. I have probably owned 3 Or 4 dozen Rifles And muskets over the years in everything from .32 on up to .69. Shot 3FG in most all of them. Also primed with 3FG. There was a 20 Year or so stretch all I hunted with were traditional Muzzleloaders. Never saw any need to Shoot any other powder. Never had any issues with cleaning. Some of my guns I clean with flax tow and a tow worm.

No need to mess with success! Should be fun, anyways. Black definitely has more reliable ignition. I will be hunting in pretty cold weather, as well. The 777 was a lot better than the pyrodex.

Do What ya like, with what ya like and with what works for Ya! But most important is to get out and an enjoy the hunt and the outdoors!!

Plus one on that. Any time in the field with a gun and/or a fishing pole is good.

Love both my Traditions Hawken Woodsman and the Traditions Mountain Rifle. Both are 50cals

MR,

Well that's not a bad looking rifle bigblock!!!

With flintlocks black 3F works the best for me. I prime with 3F as well and have no problems. My smoothbore trade rifle has a Chambers lock and after I got the flints set right the ignition is reliable to the point I don't think about it much. I shoot shot during Turkey season and use patched round balls in deer season. My gun is accurate to 50 yards with a PRB and about 25 yards with shot.

Synthetic black is rumored to be unreliable in ignition in a flint gun and is supposed to be more corrosive as well. I have no problem cleaning the gun it just takes a little more time than smokeless guns do.

The new Old Eynsford BP is supposed to be relatively clean and also powerful, very close to the excellent powders from the old days. Gonna get me some for my new Renegade. Fortunately, there's a distributor close by.

The BP I tried was Goex. I'll explore the different ones a bit. First, I gotta get a rifle! Surprised to learn I could try 3f in the pan. Actually sounds like fun. Can't be in a hurry, is all. Once shot 6 deer in a row, that came by, one after the other. Thought I might have to swab the bore, before another showed up! A flinter woulda kept me pretty busy. The caplock was pretty speedy.

The powder brands I've used over the years are in this order, DuPont, Curtis &Harvey, and Goex.

Still have a lifetime supply of DuPont FFFFG (inherited from somewhere). And funny story, the Curtis&Harvey powder was purchased in the day's after the DuPont disaster by the pound in a brown paper lunch sack! Shop got Black powder by the keg, measured it out, and poured it into the paper sack. Then it was all stacked on a shelf, in the open, by the back door of the shop. My how times changed! 😂

Postscript!

Later, I also seem to remember getting C & H in a 1 pound can under the Hodgon label.