sabotloader

It is Saturday and another local Rondy to attend. The Colfax, WA club PHML has their get together in a large meadow located in Basalt lined canyon along Palouse River. Some really neat landscapes on the drive in, really large oceanic volcanic walls of Basalt, even an old covered railroad bridge...



I did the walking trail once again but it was a long morning as well as thought I did last week in Troy with the PRB Renegade - i shot that bad this week again it was the long targets that did me in. There were 19 targets total this week along the trail. We started off shooting our tie breaker card. Then you move to various targets - they really had some strange and difficult ones this week. #3 was a very large old coil spring hung horizontally and painted orange. You were of course suppose to hit a coil on the spring. When I looked at I thought it should not be to difficult - but I managed to shoot through it without hitting a coil... I am sure if I had been shooting a 62 cal the ball would not have fit between the coils - but the 50 did.

4 of the six remaining targets I missed were long shots and the other two that I missed were very small gongs... It was still a very fun day, and there was some great stories being told around the 'gossip ring' bunch of us old guys sitting on blocks of wood in the shade hoping it would cool off some.



I did get one thing done that I really wanted to do. I had taken a TC Hawken flinter over with me hoping to get some help to try to flatten the learning curve a little bit. I talked to a couple of guys and they gave me some thoughts and idea's about how to use the lock, flint, and pan. So I gathered up some GOEX and headed to the paper target area. I really thought I had bore sighted this gun when I got - but either I didn't or I did a terible job. Remember this gun has been stored in a closest for 15/16 years. It had been sent back to TC during that period sometime because Ed could not get the flint to work. All he ever did with it was shoot a few pan loads of powder.

When I got to the target area. Experimented loading the pan and shooting the powder. Did this exactly 5 time and each time the pan fired right up - worked great. I thought I was good to go... Loaded up the gun 60 grain GOEX-3f, Speer .490, and a .015 cotton patch. Filled the pan, I dropped 3 grains right next to the vent hole and another three in the pan closed the pan... shoulder it - pulled the trigger - nothing - not even the pan fired up. Pulled the hammer back and tried again... pssst - the pan ignited but the gun did not go boom. So I ran a nipple pick through the vent liner - loaded the pan again touched it off the pan went phsst and then what seemed like seconds later BOOM - my first flinter shot.... did not hit the target but I am pretty sure I hit the basalt wall on the otherside of the river.

Reloaded and tried to repeat the process only hopefully better... well now I could not get any spark from the flint - none. Tried 5 or 6 more times an finally it went Kaaaaaboom. Thought I would change the flint and see if that would do any good. Grouse had sent me some flints that he swore by so I thought I would try them. He gave me pretty decent over the phone instructions on how to get in right. Anyway after the new flint never had a problem with spark - but could never achieve a quick discharge it was always a delayed boom.

But i do feel good about shooting my first flinter - I am going to try to get it to the farm and play some more - see if I can figure out how to get it to go off like a percussion cap. I know it can be down cause I see guys and gals shooting thiers without a problem...

Another thing I gotta learn... it never ends..

TNHagies

Looks like a ton of fun. I wish they had those around these parts.

sabotloader

TNHagies


Here is a group of folks from Troy last year...

There are some really good stories in those outfits....

Grouse45

Sabotloader,
The pics and the report are very good. Thanks....

The Frizzen might need cleaned with some alchohol or you could be putting two much powder in the pan for that flint????? Flintlocks are alot of fun, but it will be a new learning curve for you. If you stay patient i'm sure you will adapt quickly.

sabotloader

Grouse45

Dave, Cayugad, made the same coments you have suggested... I had alcohol with me but never thougt about cleaning the frizzen or pan - but now that I think about it after that first shot finally went off I thought I got some oily blow back from the breech... with a percussion I get rid of that with popping caps... So next time before the first shot -should I load a reduced squib shot?

Dave also suggested getting new Touch Hole liners from RMC - the one that is in there is the original old TC liner?

Oh Ya! me patient - sure right!!!!

you already know how patient I am...

MountainDevil54

Email this guy. I believe TC uses the 3/4" flints. These spark excellent and last a long time. I got well over 60 shots on my traditions before the flint got to short for me to use.

Made from local white to gray rock, these are rough, tough, and sparky.
1/2" wide x 5/8" long are $8 per dozen.
5/8" wide x 3/4" long are $10 per dozen
3/4" wide x 7/8" long are $12 per dozen
7/8" wide x 1" long are $12 per dozen
1" wide x 1 and 1/8" long are $15 per dozen
1 and 1/8" wide x 1 and 1/4" long are $15 per dozen.
Shipping and handling is generally $1 per dozen, more for larger sizes.
I'll need your name and address in an email with "flints" in the subject
line, and will send you the flints for your inspection with an invoice. If
these work for you, you can pay by check. If not what you need, just return them, no questions asked.
Please email me directly: [email protected][/align]

sabotloader

MountainDevil54

Thanks FG i will look into that... the ones that Tom sent, well at least the new one that i used, really worked well. The original one was a really black rock - do not know enough to know what it really is or where it was from...

Grouse45

That part is the same as an inline. Before going hunting/shooting load up and shoot a fouling shot. The larger touch hole is not a bad idea. I will say i never changed mine. Alway's used the factory one with my Renegade and DeerStalker. If you dont have them locally let me know. The store right up the road has them cheap.

Grouse45

BTW- I noticed you are using 3F. I had better results with 2F. I then used 4F in the pan.

sabotloader

Grouse45

ya but! then i would have to spend money and stock two different powders! That's why i went with 3f - one powder - one can...