looking for help
12-12-2014, 04:13 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 6
looking for help
Hello all. I have inherited a TC Flintlock recently. I am looking for some help. I am brand new to the black powder world. I have been reading a lot of various threads and have learned a lot. I am looking for some advice on what loads and bullets to use for deer hunting. Any help is appreciated on loads as well as any other good tips.
12-12-2014, 04:20 AM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
Being its a flintlock use only black powder. Even the rifles that claim the can shoot substitutes normally end up duplexing with black powder. So why not use the powder made for flintlock rifles. Depending on your rifle it might like FF or FFF. Only testing will show that. I would start with FF first if a .50 caliber, FFF if under .50 caliber.
Many of the T/C rifles have a 1-48 twist. You don't mention the model. There are a few that have a slower 1-66 twist. But both of them will shoot round ball. Get some .490 roundball if .50 caliber. 530 roundball if .54 caliber. A .015 patch is a good start. You might have to get thinner but I doubt it. As for the lube, spit works. Olive oil, Liquid Wrench, Mink Oil, and countless others. Yes and even bore butter works.
Start testing your rifle with 80 grains and work up 5 grains at a time. I will guess the best groups are around 85-90 grains of powder and a patched ball.
Keep your flints sharp. use at least 3f in the pan... 4f is better. In my T/C flinters they like their pan powder on the outside edge of the pan. If you get too close to the touch hole they tend to fuse fire.
Other then that, swab between shots if you have to and have fun.
Many of the T/C rifles have a 1-48 twist. You don't mention the model. There are a few that have a slower 1-66 twist. But both of them will shoot round ball. Get some .490 roundball if .50 caliber. 530 roundball if .54 caliber. A .015 patch is a good start. You might have to get thinner but I doubt it. As for the lube, spit works. Olive oil, Liquid Wrench, Mink Oil, and countless others. Yes and even bore butter works.
Start testing your rifle with 80 grains and work up 5 grains at a time. I will guess the best groups are around 85-90 grains of powder and a patched ball.
Keep your flints sharp. use at least 3f in the pan... 4f is better. In my T/C flinters they like their pan powder on the outside edge of the pan. If you get too close to the touch hole they tend to fuse fire.
Other then that, swab between shots if you have to and have fun.
12-12-2014, 04:48 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,922
I'm guessing you will be using real blackpowder..... Goex perhaps.
Another couple options for bullets in that assumed 48-twist are these below. I suggest similar to Cayugad, but a couple drops lower.... like 70 grains for a starting point. Work up in 10-grain increments until good accuracy is achieved. Then perhaps tweak it, going either 5 grains up or five grains down.
http://www.hornady.com/store/50-Cal-240-gr-PA-Conical/
240 grains
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Thomp...all/740550.uts
320 grains
Another couple options for bullets in that assumed 48-twist are these below. I suggest similar to Cayugad, but a couple drops lower.... like 70 grains for a starting point. Work up in 10-grain increments until good accuracy is achieved. Then perhaps tweak it, going either 5 grains up or five grains down.
http://www.hornady.com/store/50-Cal-240-gr-PA-Conical/
240 grains
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Thomp...all/740550.uts
320 grains
12-12-2014, 05:01 AM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 6
thanks for the help. I do not know what the model is. It is not stamped anywhere on the gun and i do not have the manual. the only markings is that it is a TC with the address and .54 caliber. I contacted TC and they tell me that based on what i am describing, they would believe it is a 1:66 twist rate.
12-12-2014, 06:06 AM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
I'm surprised TC said that. It will be stamped on the barrel if it's a 1-66 twist. If it isn't it will more than likely be 1-48 twist.
If it is a 1-66 twist it will shoot a patch round ball well, but probably won't be good for conicals.
The 1-48 twist will be good for a patched round ball (PRB), but also good for conicals like the TC maxi ball.
The .54 cal PRB will be perfect for deer out to about 100yds. A powder load around 80-90gr will be good, but you need to shoot different loads to see what the gun likes.
Does the gun have brass hardware? How long is the barrel? Can you show us a picture of the gun?
A flintlock needs to have a lot of things perfect, or you'll get delayed fire. So, be picky about all the little details of loading, and you must repeat everything exactly the same everytime to have reliable ignition. A flintlock is old technology, and requires more care to get right.
If it is a 1-66 twist it will shoot a patch round ball well, but probably won't be good for conicals.
The 1-48 twist will be good for a patched round ball (PRB), but also good for conicals like the TC maxi ball.
The .54 cal PRB will be perfect for deer out to about 100yds. A powder load around 80-90gr will be good, but you need to shoot different loads to see what the gun likes.
Does the gun have brass hardware? How long is the barrel? Can you show us a picture of the gun?
A flintlock needs to have a lot of things perfect, or you'll get delayed fire. So, be picky about all the little details of loading, and you must repeat everything exactly the same everytime to have reliable ignition. A flintlock is old technology, and requires more care to get right.
12-12-2014, 08:58 AM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
.54 caliber is a great caliber. My .54 calibers like 90 grains of 2f black powder and a .530 patched round ball. I get my patches from Wal Mart. Go to their fabric department and get a yard of blue or red stripe Pillow Tick 100% cotton cloth. Its .017-.018 depending on how hard I measure it. And with the .530 ball gives a great seal.
I use moose milk as my lube. I am sure the recipe is around on the site somewhere. But if you want it, I can look it up and send it to you. It works great. As already said, the .54 caliber roundball is a real deer killer. Just a real favorite of mine.
A little tricK I use when loading the rifle. Push a fuzzy pipe cleaner into the touch hole/vent hole and close the frizzen over the pan holding it there. Now dump your powder charge down the barrel. Cradle the rifle, open the frizzen, and slowly pull that pipe cleaner out. You drag powder up behind the vent hole. And you know its open. One little spark through that and its instant fire.
Post a picture of the rifle if you can and we can probably tell you a lot about it. Make sure its nice and clean before you shoot it. You have a good rifle there.
I use moose milk as my lube. I am sure the recipe is around on the site somewhere. But if you want it, I can look it up and send it to you. It works great. As already said, the .54 caliber roundball is a real deer killer. Just a real favorite of mine.
A little tricK I use when loading the rifle. Push a fuzzy pipe cleaner into the touch hole/vent hole and close the frizzen over the pan holding it there. Now dump your powder charge down the barrel. Cradle the rifle, open the frizzen, and slowly pull that pipe cleaner out. You drag powder up behind the vent hole. And you know its open. One little spark through that and its instant fire.
Post a picture of the rifle if you can and we can probably tell you a lot about it. Make sure its nice and clean before you shoot it. You have a good rifle there.
12-12-2014, 11:30 AM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location:
Posts: 698
wow those are nice guns,i have a hawkens and a renegade flint in 50 cal.....for the first time shooting you can use 60-70 grains your not hunting and just getting used to the gun it'll kick less....get some extra flints before you go you may have to switch them or play with them to get good spark, when you shoot try not to look at the pan flash lol I did had no idea where the bullet went after that.....put your target at 25 yards for a start. get used to the pan flash and the gun firing and have fun, they are really fun to shoot
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