... NEW GUN I NEED HELP .......

[hawgslayer]

My hunting buddy gave me a flint lock today. It's brand new and never been fired. I don't know the first thing about them. Can you guys list all the new accessories I'm going to need to shoot this rifle. It's .54 cal. Has a wooden stock and adjustable sights. I was at the range today when he gave it to me and a few guru's at the range explained a few things, cleaned the rifle, took off the hammer and checked everything and they used their powder, patch and ball and let me fire it 3 times. I seen I'm going to need lubed patches. What thickness for what size ball :?: :?: One of the guys had this little powder holder that he used to put some fine powder in the hole. What's that thing called :?: :?: What size ball or is determined by the patch :?: Can I use Blackhorn. The bull octagon barrel says black powder only. It's stamped made in Italy and has Cabala's on the barrel also. I also need the tip that goes on the ram rod. That's the only thing that was missing. What about flints? Are they all the same?
I think the rifle is around $500.00.
THANKS,

Ray................ :wink:

 

[cayuga]

My hunting buddy gave me a flint lock today. It's brand new and never been fired. I don't know the first thing about them. Can you guys list all the new accessories I'm going to need to shoot this rifle. It's .54 cal. Has a wooden stock and adjustable sights. I was at the range today when he gave it to me and a few guru's at the range explained a few things, cleaned the rifle, took off the hammer and checked everything and they used their powder, patch and ball and let me fire it 3 times. I seen I'm going to need lubed patches. What thickness for what size ball :?: :?: One of the guys had this little powder holder that he used to put some fine powder in the hole. What's that thing called :?: :?: What size ball or is determined by the patch :?: Can I use Blackhorn. The bull octagon barrel says black powder only. It's stamped made in Italy and has Cabala's on the barrel also. I also need the tip that goes on the ram rod. That's the only thing that was missing. What about flints? Are they all the same?
I think the rifle is around $500.00.
THANKS,

Ray................ :wink:

The bull octagon barrel says black powder only. It's stamped made in Italy and has Cabala's on the barrel also. That would mean it is an Investarms Inc. Lyman is made by them. The Cabela's Hawkens is the Lyman Trade Rifle other then the Lyman does not have the brass.

this little powder holder that he used to put some fine powder in the hole. What's that thing called That is called a Primer flask or pan primer flask. They are made to dump 3 grains of 4f powder.

What size ball or is determined by the patch :?: Can I use Blackhorn. the rifle can shoot a .535 ball with a .018 patch. They can also shoot a .530 with the same patch. A good patch material is red or blue stripe pillow tick you purchase at a fabric store. That usually measures out to .018 thickness. You can not shoot BlackHorn in the flintlock. You need to get some real black powder. Since you want to shoot and primer you can use 3f black powder in both the main charge and the pan primer.

What about flints? Are they all the same? No they vary in size and length. If you want an easy way to shoot, get some Lyman Agate Flints. Go to RMC Sports and they carry Lyman Agates, primer flasks, and get an allen head touch hole liner. Its a little bigger then the one in that rifle currently, and will give you better ignition. You can also purchase ball and patch there if you like. Get a good loading, cleaning jag also. Your really going to like that rifle. Mine likes 90 grains of 2f Black powder and a .535 ball and patch.

 

[hawgslayer]

Thank you sir for the info rayer: I know I'll have more questions so get ready. I shot the rifle 3 times yesterday but it has to be sighted in. At 50 yards I was high left at 11 o'clock. I took the last shot at 25 yards and aimed dead center at a 15" steel plate and it hit the plate at 10 o'clock.
When you said I could use 3f for charge and primer, are you saying I can use 80 or 90 grains of the 3f like you use 90 grains of 2f. I think what I'm asking is, does 2f and 3f have any difference except how fine it is. Can I measure it out the same way :?: Starting out Dave, what do you suggest I start out with as a charge goes :?: For plinking out to 50 yards, what would be the lowest charge I could go and maybe next year if I wanted to hunt deer with it, what would be the max. I didn't get any owners manual with it. Is goex and pinnacle about the same?

Thanks again,
Ray.......... :wink:

 

[guitarpicva]

Cayuga rocks . He is the go-to guy for sidelock questions. Hope you will have fun with the flinty!

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

 

[cayuga]

Thank you sir for the info rayer: I know I'll have more questions so get ready. I shot the rifle 3 times yesterday but it has to be sighted in. At 50 yards I was high left at 11 o'clock. I took the last shot at 25 yards and aimed dead center at a 15" steel plate and it hit the plate at 10 o'clock.
When you said I could use 3f for charge and primer, are you saying I can use 80 or 90 grains of the 3f like you use 90 grains of 2f. I think what I'm asking is, does 2f and 3f have any difference except how fine it is. Can I measure it out the same way :?: Starting out Dave, what do you suggest I start out with as a charge goes :?: For plinking out to 50 yards, what would be the lowest charge I could go and maybe next year if I wanted to hunt deer with it, what would be the max. I didn't get any owners manual with it. Is goex and pinnacle about the same?

Thanks again,
Ray.......... :wink:

When you said I could use 3f for charge and primer, are you saying I can use 80 or 90 grains of the 3f like you use 90 grains of 2f. lots of side lock shooters use 3f powder. It is just as accurate. There is suppose to be a 15% difference in power, but I really don't find all that much difference. I like 2f in my flintlocks, but often times shoot 3f. And you can primer a pan with 3f. You can even prime the pan with 2f if you like. It just changes the ignition speed. But you might never notice the difference. The one thing you might find, depending on the brand of the powder, it will not come out easily from your pan primer flask. 4f does a much better job. But you can use 3f to load and prime the rifle. When you use 3f cut the charge by 10 grains as you start working the load. But I have shot 110 grains of 3f out of my sidelocks.

Starting out Dave, what do you suggest I start out with as a charge goes When you are going to start working up a load for plinking... 60 grains of 3f is a good place to start. I have a book written about flintlocks by Dan Davis. His favorite 50 caliber flintlock deer hunting load was 50 grains of 2f and a patched roundball. His thinking was, the ball would enter and then loose all its energy in the deer. I shot 80-90 grains of powder for my hunting load. The max load is 110 grains of powder. But 90 grains at 80 yards will put a round ball through one deer with enough power to break the spine of a second. (experience here). These roundball guns are deadly with even 90 grains of black powder. On a different forum there was a person who told of shooting a moose with 90 grains of black powder and a .54 caliber roundball. Killing the moose. The kicker was, he did it at over 150 yards away. Ball went in the heart, moose dead.

My friend lets his kids shoot 30 grains of powder and a patched ball. And out to 25 yards, they are deadly shooters. That to me is a plinking load.

 

[hawgslayer]

Thank you sir. I think you have answered all my questions and I appreciate it very much.

Thanks,
Ray............ :wink:

 

[cayuga]

No problem. Anything I can help you with, just ask.