There was a lot of talk whether Pinnacle Powder would work in a flintlock. I have tested it in inlines and cap locks with excellent results I might add. So today I decided it was time to see if I could make the flintlock talk with the powder.




The test rifle was my .50 caliber Thompson Center Hawkins Flintlock. The rifle has a 1:48 twist. The distance was 30 yards. Patches were pillow tick with moosemilk on them. The .490 roundball were home casted. The temp was in the 30's and there were a few snowflakes falling from an overcast almost windless day.

Prior to shooting I swabbed the barrel with Rusty Duck and then alcohol patches. I also ran four dry patches. I changed to a new Black English Flint and wiped the frizzen and pan out with an alcohol patch.

Next I took some of the Pinnacle 3f powder and ground it between my fingers to make some prime powder. I kept this in a metal empty #11 cap tin.

I Loaded with 90 grains of Pinnacle Powder and primed with pinnacle prime.


To keep this short.. When primed with pinnacle prime and loaded with pinnacle powder, it was a toss up whether it would go off or not. A lot of times the prime would fuse burn and the rifle would not fire. A couple of the times I had to put Goex 4f in the pan to make it fire.

When loaded with Pinnacle and primed with Goex 4f it would fire but something just did not sound right. I want to say delayed, not like when loaded with Goex 3f.

I could not get any groups when I used Pinnacle as a prime. Flintlocks are new to me and when they are delayed as much as they were, I am sure I moved off target or was distracted. When I used Pinnacle and primed with Goex 4f it was much better.

Then to have some fun and test whether the powder was the cause or me, I loaded some Goex 3f, patch and ball and primed with Goex 4f. Then I actually started shooting a good group and had some fun with the new flint and instant ignition.....

Also at no time was the rifle swabbed ....

So to sum it up... Yes, you can make the rifle fire with Pinnacle and Pinnacle prime. Would I recommend doing that? Not on your life. I will stick with Goex...