Flintlocks

[Hillmann]

In going through the older post I see that some of you shoot blackpowder, I am wondering if anyone here shoots smoothbore flintlocks.

[FVR]

Naaaaa........I'm strickly a perc. rifle kind'a guy.

Plan on building a trade gun...........oneday. Both TOW and Sitting Fox have great supplies.

[Hillmann]

Any expereance with smoothbores?

[FVR]

Why, you having problems with a smoothy?

[Beo]

I shoot smoothbore flinter, got a French Tulle that I love, named it "Jeremiah" after one of my mostest favorite movies, Frank you know which one that is.
The specs are:
Barrel- .62 cal., 44 1/2 inch long, oct. to round with 2 wedding bands.
Hardware - brass, with wood rammer.
OA Length: 62 1/2 inches

Nothing better than a good smoke pole to take some deer down.
Beo,

[gryffynklm]

Hi hillman & beo, I shot a 1777 french Charleville 68 cal. smooth bore. Have you gone hunting with it? Accuracy is sort of iffy. At 250 ft I'm about 75 % at a pie plate. I wouldn't feel comfortable hunting with it. I haven't fired buck and ball so i don't if that would change my attitude about hunting with it.

[Hillmann]

I have a 20 gauge sxs that I have used for small game, #6 lead or#2 steal, that I am hopping to use for deer hunting. I was wondering how you load your smoothbores with roundballs.
PRB?
PRB with Cow?
PRB with a coushion wad?
PRB with a powder wad and cushion wad?
Round ball with a cushion wad and over shot wad?
Round ball with a powder wad, cushion wad and overshot wad?
Round ball with cow and an overshot wad?
There are just so many ways to load it that I figured what gives you the best accuracy?
Also any sugestions on how to cure a flinch when the left barrel goes off, other than lots of practice?

[FVR]

LOL.

You left out using lubed maxi balls.

Looks like you're in for some range time for testing.


Beo, maybe oneday I will be able to get out with my smokepole for deer. It's always something.

[gryffynklm]

Hillman, I have only used cotton patch spit soaked. That may be my problem. I didn't realize there were that many options. I've never had the opportunity to experiment with loading options.

[Hillmann]

Here are the loads I use most often.
Small Game
80 grains FFG, .125 overpowder wad, .500 cushion wad, 80 grains(by volume) #6 lead, and 1/3 of a cushion wad for an overshot wad.

Waterfoul
80 grains FFG,.125 overpowder wad, .500 cushion wad, a shot cup ment for reloading 20gauge shells(sometimes I cut off the bottom part that is ment to cushion it, sometimes not), enough #4 steal shot to fill cup, and 1/3 of a cushion wad for an overshot wad. The reason for the shot cup is to prevent contact with the steal shot and barrel.

Roundball
80 grains FFG, and .600 PRB lubed with crisco.

Roundball(I use this one more often)
80 grains FFG, .125 overpowder wad, .500 cushion wad, and .600 PRB lubed with crisco.

All loads are primed with FFG(it is just easyer and dosen't seem to make any diffrence with speed of ignition) and all cushion wads are lubed with crisco.


I would like to try replacing the wads with cow with a PRB and see what the results are.

[SARKY]

One of my 3 black powder rifle is a flinty but it isn't a smoothie

[Beo]

real simple, I make an old fashioned paper cartridge: turm the paper around a dow rod, fold in bottom of paper, place the round ball in the bottom and twist shut, dump in the 90 grains of 2f, fold the top over and smear a little bees wax on it to keep it closed. Or dump the 2f down the barrel, place round ball in pillow ticking lubed patches, and shove down barrel (usually I keep six in my bullet block around my neck.) fill flashpan and then shoot... fishhhh-Kaboooooom!!!!! In the 10 ring.

[Hillmann]

What do you get for accuracy when loaded like that?

I understand that the reason for using cow (cream of wheat) or and overpowder and cushion wad is to seal the gasses in behind the bullet and prevent the round ball from being deformed.
When using the paper cartridges do you use any lube?

I tried making nitrated paper cartridges containing shot and after the first shot I was unable to reload because of fouling wasen't softened by the greased wad.

How often to you swab the barrel?

[Hillmann]

Beowouf,
Do you cast your own roundballs. Can wheelweights be used safely in a smoothbore?
Have you ever tried casting your own shot?

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Since you are talking about Flintlocks. I'm curious as to how big of a piece of flint you need. Dime size, quarter size?? Never even seen one except museums.

[Hillmann]

The left barrel takes 5/8 x 3/4 the left takes 5/8 x 5/8 and that is fairley small for a long gun. Here is a website that shows them full sized.


http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(ror...=29&styleID=83

[hunter63]

I'm in the market for a T/C Hawken flinter, if any one comes across one.

[aflineman]

My new (to me) Trade Gun. Smoothbore flint .62 caliber (20ga). Shoots nice so far. We are heade out today to look for some late season Grouse.
IMG_2243.jpg

[hunter63]

Very cool, thank's for posting.

[crashdive123]

Very cool indeed. Good luck today.