Flintlock!

[KLRKeith]

I picked up a nice Lyman .50 cal flintlock the other day.  It's shooting 1" groups at 50 yards with a patched round ball and 60gr of 3F.  I must say it's been one of the ''funest" rifles I've owned.  
I have a old Lyman "black powder" book 1975 and the loads shown as max are way up there.  Is that data still safe to use?
Today missed a coyote at around 75 yards right at sunrise.  You should've seen the ball of flame shooting out of the pan and barrel in that low of light!  Pretty spectacular..lol...

[carpsniperg2]

Very nice looking gun

[lonedave]

The load tables are pretty much unchanged for Lyman Great Plains Rifles, so you should be able to go up to 85 gr of 3f or 100 gr of 2f pretty easily.  That said, you'll probably have your best accuracy below that, but guns do vary.  I know what you mean about fun.  I was out today chuckar hunting with my .62 fowler.  That flash in your face and smoke blocking your view takes a bit to get used to.  I need to adjust to the slight ignition delay!  It was chuckars 4 and me 0 today, but I had a great time.

Dave

[patton1]

Beautiful rifle!

[ser300wsm]

Very cool rifle.... 

[KLRKeith]

Thanks fellows.  This is my first flintlock so it's been fun.  I'm trying like crazy to wack a yote with it but nothing yet.  I missed one the other day with it and today they would'nt come closer than 100 yards.  Public land hunting so they are a bit scared..lol..
Take a look at this cleaning patch and tell me what you think those red specks are?  It only does that with a max load so it must be a powder issue.

[Skillet]

Pretty sure it is partially oxidized but unburt powder.  Happened in my old barrel too when I went max charge with a PRB.  You should see some in the snow in front of the gun, too.

What is the twist on that gun?  I have been really thinking about a Lyman .54 flash-boomer as a round-ball deer hunter...

Another thing I don't need but gotta have!

[Heredoggydoggy]

Rust, maybe?  Looks like you might be using real black powder?  If you are, make sure you clean it thoroughly SOON after it's fired.  I always follow the hot water baths with a liberal dose of WD-40 to displace water from the crevices, and blow out the excess with compressed air.  I use the substitute powder now, maily because I don't like to smell like rotten eggs for a week after I shoot blackpowder guns.

[KLRKeith]

Not rust; the pic doesnt show it but the color is like bright red like a garnet.  I'm thinking its the powder charge since it doesnt show up with light loads.
Twist is 1-66; very accurate round ball shooter.  In fact thats all I shoot. 
I also have a .54cal percussion cap round ball shooter that I've taken two mule deer with these past two years and they both droped in their tracks.  Distance to both around 60 yards.  I'll post a picture of a dead coyote soon..I hope..lol,

[Slenk]

substitute powder. Does mot work well in Flintlocks!!!!!!!!!!
I have hunted with flintlocks for around 25 yrs.Caplocks for 20yrs.before that.
Built several Smooth bore as well as rifles. Not from Kits.
If you have slow ignition you do not have a well tuned lock.

KLRKeith cut back on your charge a little and the red spots will go away
it is unburned powder that you are seeing.
 

[Heredoggydoggy]

substitute powder. Does mot work well in Flintlocks!!!!!!!!!!
I have hunted with flintlocks for around 25 yrs.Caplocks for 20yrs.before that.
Built several Smooth bore as well as rifles. Not from Kits.
If you have slow ignition you do not have a well tuned lock.

KLRKeith cut back on your charge a little and the red spots will go away
it is unburned powder that you are seeing.
 

I wondered about the powder subs in flintlocks.  Built my first .58 cal. Hawken back in the early '70's from parts out of Dixie Gun Works.  Got a couple of deer with it, and won a turkey at a blackpowder shoot with it.  Got tired of lugging a cannon around, so now I hunt with a .54 cal. carbine. Have 5 cap-and-ball replica revolvers for fun.  Never got a flinter, though, so my education is lacking on that part.

[Slenk]

Biggest mistake most people make with a flintlock is they prime with to much powder in the pan. Also a lot of the pans are not shapped right . They need to be a teardrop shape, with the small end to the barrel.Not to say the other won't work . I have some of each and they all work.
Then use a pick to make sure the touch hole is open with no powder in it. Some flintlocks have to small of a touch hole also, they can be drilled out a little for better ignition.
Don't drill to large though.
Also the Flint needs to be sharp , and needs to come right to the center of the pan. Can not be to long or short. with the frizzen closed on the pan the flint needs to be pointed about 2/3-3/4 of the way up the frizzen when the cock or hammer as we call it now days is at 1/2 cock and just clear the frizzen 1/16 to1/8"
If you use 3f powder for your load you can use the same for prime in place of 4f.
In my fowler I use 2f for both and it works fine.