The information I got from one of the people at Magkor is that the flintlock is not reliable if used in the pan. As a main charge it apparently works OK but the pan has to be primed with real black. I have a flintlock but have not tried it as yet. We finally broke below 100 degrees here so I guess I can start shooting if I could find the time. From what I have been able to find out the light off temperature is as low as any of the substitute powders and lower than most but still above real black. To answer the other question; the "smoke" is actually water vapor and there is not a lot of it.