Well finally got to the range with the GPR and start my journey down the Flinter's road.
First mistake I made was to try the Pyrodex instead of the holy black. After about five no fires I was praying to the BP gods to just be able to get the shot off and get that damned Pyrodex out of the barrel. Now after I got that stupid idea of trying to use the pyrodex out of my system I grabbed the Goex 2f. Now that was much better!!!!!!!!!!
I am still having trouble getting used to the right amount of powder in the flash pan. Sometimes too much and then other times, too little.
I suprisingly, had no flinch factor to deal with. All shots were from a rest, but I just concentrated on the target and all went fine. I didn't take a piture yet of the target, but for the first time shooting her, she grouped pretty good. I want to take her out to the range for more practice and then will worry about the groups and sighting her in proper. As soon as my battery recharges I will take that picture of the target and post.
So, after my first trip to the range with the new gun was a good experience and I am really happy
__________________
Just Another Voice in the Crowd!!!
I had my virgin trip with the GP flintlock a couple of weeks ago, but had the good sense to start off with real black. Used 3F GOEXfor the charge and in the pan. Went 13 shots before I had a failure to spark. Wiped the flintand away she goes. Went somewhere around 25 shots before my first flash in the pan. Mine seems to like about 2/3 pan full of powder. Ain't they grand!
__________________
My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
Things I've Learned: (1) It's not possible to please everyone, but quite easy to piss everyone off. (2) If you love animals as I do, then you're not a vegetarian. (3) There's no need to act stupid, even if you're very good at it. (4) If you eat right and exercise, don't smoke or drink, you're going to die anyway.
If you shoot 3f black powder, many use it as the main charge and the pan charge. Especially when hunting in damp conditions. People claim the 3f is better then the 4f in the pan. I use 3f when I hunt. It works fine for both. If you ever get the urge to shoot Pyrodex RS again, dump 20 grains of black powder down the barrel first, tap the butt of the rifle on your toe to level and settle the charge over the touch hole. Then add your pyrodex RS. This is a duplex load. What basically happens is the pan flash starts that 20 grains in the chamber which explodes setting off the Pyrodex RS.
Also a word of warning.. if you ever get a charge that will not go off...if your going to light it with a lighter... be careful. Use a long nose grilllighter to do it and make sure no part of your fingers is near that touch hole. When that thing fires it will shoot flame out of there and give you a burn you will never forget. Also remember the location of your powder horn when your shooting. If it is on the right side of you which it normally is for right hand people, be sure to put the top on the can, horn, what ever... If that vent throws a shower of flame and spark out, and one happens to land in your main stash you could be in for a lot of trouble.
An easier way it to remove a stubborn load is take outthe touch hole liner, take some 4f or 3f and with a pick, pack some in there... then replace the touch hole liner and then trail it out the liner into the pan. This is a fuse and it will seem like the load takes for ever to fire, but it will set the main charge off. This is handy when you get a damp charge that just does not want to cooperate.
It sounds like you had a great first time experience. Also the fact you concentrated through the flash means you will have no problems with that primary flash in the pan. That's what I do as well. Concentrate on the target and actually tell myself I want to see the ball go down range,through the paper. I'm still looking for it, but having a lot of fun doing it.
__________________
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Mine seems to like about 2/3 pan full of powder. Ain't they grand!
I read one of the BP books from a guy named Fadala I think. He said to make sure that thepowder was away from the flash hole and kept to the right side of the pan. Well that got me more miss fires then anything else. So much for theexperts!
I found success with 2/3 pan full and just under the hole. That worked fine. Someonesaid I should get a replacement plug from RMC I thinkit was. I think it was supposed to be a larger hole. Don'tknow about that though.
It is a fun gun, but will need a lot of practice to master. But that is thefun part, isn't it?
__________________
Just Another Voice in the Crowd!!!
Someonesaid I should get a replacement plug from RMC I thinkit was.
Forgot to mention that. I ordered an RMC touch hole liner the day afterI ordered the rifle just because of all the forum reports on how much better they were than the Lyman factory liners. Put the RMC one in before I ever shot the gun. The hole in the RMC one is slightly larger than the hole in the Lyman. Got the Lyman one in my range box, unused.
__________________
My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
Things I've Learned: (1) It's not possible to please everyone, but quite easy to piss everyone off. (2) If you love animals as I do, then you're not a vegetarian. (3) There's no need to act stupid, even if you're very good at it. (4) If you eat right and exercise, don't smoke or drink, you're going to die anyway.
I also shoot a RMC touch hole liner in all my rifles. When I ordered the rifle, I order the touch hole. I keep the factory as a spare. As for powder placement in the pan, mine work best with about 3 grains from my pan flask on the middle to outside edge. And the powder coming out of the touch hole is a no no. That will make a fuse and you will hear it. It will sizzle.... boom.
When I load my rifle I have a bag full of hairy pipe cleaners. You can clip off a three inch piece and keep that with you. I shove the pipe cleaner into the touch hole (instead of the traditional bird feather) past and into the actually breech, and close the frizzen on it. Then I load the rifle like normal. I then open the frizzen and slowly pull the hairy pipe cleaner out. This I feel drags powder to the touch hole face, but wipes any out of the hole itself. So once the pan spark starts to enter that touch hole, there will be powder waiting on the other side. Also the pipe cleaner makes sure the vent hole is nice and clean for that spark to get through.
__________________
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
You know what sucks? When you make a 2 hour trip, buy 3lbs FFg Goex, a handful of 3.4" flints and then forget .530 roundballs[&:] I could be shooting my .54 GPR Flinter right now.
Goex was $16.50!!! I was purty darned happy with that.
Shot the New Lyman GPR!!!
Used 3F GOEXfor the charge and in the pan. Went 13 shots before I had a failure to spark. Wiped the flintand away she goes. Went somewhere around 25 shots before my first flash in the pan. Mine seems to like about 2/3 pan full of powder. Ain't they grand!
