So there I was...at the range with my flintlock and was having all sorts of problems getting a Triple 7 3F charge to go off. I was priming with Goex 4F and getting a decent spark and flash.

Eventuallythe rifle did go off.

An observing old time muzzleloader took pity on me and offered to help. I told him what I was shooting and he told me that flintlocks do not fire Pyrodex, Triple 7 (the substitute stuff), etc., all that well. In order to use the substitutes, you need to add a 10 grain charge of Goex first as a base charge. That will in turn set off the substitute stuff. His point was that the flintlock did not generate enough of a flash to set off the substitute powders.

The rifle does work fine using Goex 2F, primed with Goex 4F.

I didn't have time to try out his suggestion, what I am wondering is, does this sound correct? If I want to shoot a 60 grain charge of Pyrodex, should I first drop in 10 grains of Goex followed by 50 grains of the Pyrodex on top of that? (Thats not really a 60 grain charge of Pyrodex-but a 60 grain charge alltogether). Followed with a Goex 4F prime.

Thanks all for your help. As an aside, I've only had this rifle for 3 weeks and its my first ML. The smoke that rifle makes when it goes off is really cool!

~Robert