I got my work done this morning before it got hot out. And was sitting in the house wondering what to do today. I had not realized that the heat had climbed to 89 degrees. So I decided to shoot.

Looked over the gun wall and picked out a 50 caliber Thompson Center Hawken flintlock rifle. The barrel is an original T/C with a 1-48 twist. I was using a White Chert Flint. I forgot where I purchased it or who gave it to me.

Getting outside, I then had the target set up and got readings of 29, 30, and 31 yards. (I mowed the little back area today and had to move the target stand). So I called it thirty yards.

Sabotloader and others always talk about shooting 3f black powder so I decided to give that a try. I started with 85 grains of 3f black powder, just like I would have if I had been using 2f powder.



after shots 1&2 I was not pleased. This rifle shoots better then that. Then I remembered I had brought out 3f so I dropped the charge down to 80 grains of 3f. I was shooting Hornady roundballs, moosemilk lube, and pillow tick for patch. I did not swab at all during the entire shoot.

After lowering the powder charge I shot that hole. That was much more pleasing to me. I did have a couple pans not go off. I found with this chert, you must wipe the nose off a lot more. And I did have to knapp it. After I was done it looked more like a serrated edge and I was worried I had ruined this chert flint. I did learn that it does not knapp like a Black English Flint. Much large flakes come off, with very little pressure.

With my serrated edged flint, I then wanted to do a three shot group to see just how well it was holding.



I would have shot more, but there was no breeze, and the sun was cooking what little brains I had left in my head. So I called it quits. I then went into the ice box. That's my house where it was a pleasant 70 degrees.

This White Chert Flint is a strange rock. When you flake it, a very large flake comes off. I think a person with a large piece could make a heck of a knife blade pretty easy out of it, the way it seems to break. But with a sharp edge, and a clean nose, it sparks real good.