TNHagies

Well I took the ol' flintlock out again today just for fun. The flintlock world is somewhat new to me. I'm trying to get mine tuned in and was wondering if anyone had any tips for faster ignition.

I've found using less pan powder works better.
I've experiemented with powder in the middle, outer edge ect
I've made sure the touch hole is clear before every shot
I wipe the frizzen between every shot
I wipe the edge of the flint between every shot
I keep the flint as sharp as I can (using TC Agate flints)

I'm kind of out of ideas as this point...

It'll go off everytime, but I can still hear/feel the lock before it goes boom. Is it just wishful thinkin' to believe I can get it as fast as a caplock?

Blue Ridge (Pedersoli) flintlock in .54
Goex FFG and Goex FFFFG
.18 pillow ticking
.530 round ball

Thanks in advance!
Scott

MountainDevil54

dribble a little 4f into the vent and give it a few smacks to mix it into the main powder charge.

May also help to switch to 3f in the barrel as the main charge.

cayugad

You are doing everything right. Wipe the frizzen and flint with alcohol will keep them nice and clean. I put the primer on the outside edge of the pan. The other thing you can try... put a fuzzy pipe cleaner into the touch hole. Close the frizzen. Now load your main charge. Open the frizzen, and SLOWLY pull that fuzzy pipe cleaner out of the touch hole. This will drag powder to the inside edge of the touch hole.

Be it know a flintlock does have a slight delay, but when done right there is very little and you get used to it. Just make sure to follow through. I was shooting my Lyman Trade rifle yesterday and it was very fast.

Muley Hunter

Maybe the touch hole is a bit too small?

bronko22000

Like Cayugad said. You're doing everything right. Your flinter will never be as fast as a percussion or inline. And again, the most important thing to do shooting a flinter is follow through on your shot. Trya nd keep that bead on the target until the recoil pulls it off.

HEAD0001

A flintlock is going to have a slight delay. That is just the nature of the beast. But a percussion also has a slight delay as well. You gotta hold that rifle. It really is that simple.

Personally I use 3F in the barrel, and either 7F or Null-B in the pan. That is some pretty fast powder. And should give about as fast of an ignition as possible.

Also your lock might need a good polishing. Some locks are definitely slower than others. Tom.

cayugad

Muley Hunter mentioned something I forgot. On all my flintlocks, I replace the factory touch hole with a RMC touch hole. They are a little bigger in their vent. Plus I then move to the allen head type. Much easier to get out for cleaning.

Semisane

Yep. I'd bet a case of beer that a RMC liner will solve your problem, and the difference may even amaze you. I use 3F Goex in the bore and the pan and hardly ever get what I would call a noticeable delay. Ignition with my Great Plains flinter seems pretty much like my caplocks.

TNHagies

Thanks for the info. I'll pick up an RMC liner. I had thought about geting one but this one has a pretty good size hole in it. Never hurts to try though.

MD, I'm going to try your dribble of 4f in the liner as well.

I haven't shot over 50g in it yet just because I'm trying to train myself to follow through with the shot. I'm getting better, but I still have room for improvement that's for certain.

I know it'll never be as fast as an inline, but I've heard/read about folks who claim they get "instant" igniton. I was just curious if that's possible or if "instant" is open to interpertation.

Semisane

If you're getting a WHOOSH-BANG, it should not be doing that. Too much powder in the pan may cause it, or too small a touch hole, or poor sparks from the flint. Dribbling powder into the touch hole is more likely to slow ignition than to speed it up. You don't want a fuse. You want a blast of hot gas through the touch hole to the main charge.

I tend to wipe the frizzen and flint after every couple of shots, and after every shot in Summer heat and humidity. But I can go ten or fifteen shots without having to poke the touch hole.

Powder in the pan should be below the bottom of the touch hole, not blocking it. In both of my flinters, a level layer across the entire pan seems to work best, and it doesn't take much. I would call my pans about 1/3 full. You should also consider some black English flints instead of the Agates. Some folks seem to have good luck with Agates, but I'm not one.