Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Flinter problems

Back in the fall, I found a CVA Hawken on a used rack for 99 bucks. I knew my brother wanted one, so I picked it up, and afeter checking it all over, brought it along home.

It worked fine the first two days we had it out. Consistent ignition, accuracy good with rnd ball and buff bullets. Christmas eve, we tried again. Worked good for 8 or 10 shots, then quit sparking. Probably the flint, so I put a new one on it. Nope. Tried my last white agate. Still no good. Put the flint off of my Hawken on it. Uh-uh.Got a cheapo machine cut flint, and tried that. Worked ok for 6 or 8 shots, then the same thing

My brother gave up ML hunting by now. No matter what I put on there, it's only good about 6 or 10 shots, then no spark. Any body got any ideas? I thought about using course sand paper to rough up the frizzen face, but another friend told me they work better smooth.

I've never hade a bit of problem with either of mine, (Heck I can put oil on the frizzen and still get good spark!) but this one has me puzzled.
7mm

7,
I shoot flinters I've heard that on some flinters you have to at times reharden the frizzen or replace it.Now that being a CVA send it back to cva or call them their actions are supposed to be guarrenteed for life.They just might be able to give you a fix for the old rocklock.
FRONT STUFFER LOVER,
zark

Thanks, Ozark. I thought that's what we'd end up doing. What happens here? Do thet lose their hardness or what?

I got in touch with CVA, and figure on getting a new one. It'll be too late for this season, as it ends the 11th of January.

Welcome aboard the Campfire. Always glad to have another traditional shooter!
7mm

The way I understand it, the cheaper fizzens are only hardened on the surface and when it wears off, you are into soft metal. T/C guns are known for this, many people fit Lyman fizzens to their guns-(TC) because they hold up better.

Doug

on my CVA mountain rifle I seem to get a build of soot on the frizzen so I got in the habit of wiping the face every shot or so just to keep it clean. the carbon build up seems to kill the spark....seems if you can put another flint in and get sparks its hard enough.

I stopped by the local gun shop today after work. They have them in stock. I'll try a new one tomorow. Might not be too late for a Saturday hunt, weather permiting.
7mm

7mm:

Keep the old frizzen if you buy a new one. Have one of your local knife makers case harden a piece of steel for you and braize it on the frizzen. Makes a good spare to carry.

Also I keep a small bottle of alcohol in my bag and occasionally wipe the frizzen face down. Seems as if mine likes to gunk up on occasion and the alcohol takes care of the problem.

Wall, a small bottle of alchohal goes along with me too. I've got a plastic box from those Buffalo Bullets. The Inside is padded with cleaning patches to quiet the noise, and I got my cleaning jag, brush, T-handle, and the alchohal. It's a little bigger than a pack of ciggerettes, It fits nicely in a pocket or a "possibles bag".

I got a new frizzen and flint on it now. Seems like it's going to work OK. Now if I can twist his arm enough, maybe we can hunt the mountain Saturday. That's the end of the season.

Hey, we've got a torch set. How hot would you have to get the old one, and what would a fellow quench it in to re-harden it?
7mm

7mm:

I've never done the hardening thing myself. I have a knife maker friend that has done it for me a couple of times. However you could ask how it is done on this website:

http://www.dream-tools.com/tools/messages.mv?index+friends_muzzleloading_forum

These fellers are very knowledgeable when it come to building and shooting muzzleloaders. Just don't talk about politics of any kind.

I'm going to post another website from the MLML the gives some detail about tempering steel.

http://members.aol.com/illinewek/faqs.htm

Good luck!!

bring up to red heat and quence in old motor oil when cool polish the face then in dim light put the torch back on the face and watch the color when starts to turn blue put back in the oil. re clean an re-install should work ok.

Thanks, Jim. I'll give it a shot and see what happens.
7mm

Fit (weld, braze, solder) Depending on skill or desired appearance small section of file grind smooth. [color:"blue"] [/color]

7mmBuster,

Another thing to consider is that some locks require the bevel to be up and others require the bevel to be down for both best spark and flint life. CVA and Traditions both normally case harden their frizzens so once you get past the case hardedning you do indeeen get to softer metal. Replaceing with a Lyman frizzen will help. If flint life still does not improve the agle of the cock to the frizzen may be to abrupt adn is dulling the flint by striking at too blunt an angle. THe best thing to do is go here http://www.lr-rpl.com/ and buy one of there replacement locks for your rifle. It is often said the barrel is the heart of a rifle. Well for flinters the flintlock is the central newrous system. If it don't work the heart can't pump.