Will 777 work to prime the flint pan
 

OK now, I asked this in my last post but got no response.
From advice I've read in this forum I'm leaning toward using
777 powder in my flintlock.

Not to make it more complicated
but would 777 work to prime the pan with? I know it has to be a finer grade (fffg) but the water cleanup would sound good on the outside as
well as the inside, not to mention the absence of the rotten egg syndrome.

Anyone shoot a lighter round like the 245gr Powerbelt? Does 90gr 777
sound like too much for this round?

IM lovin this flintlock stuff, lots to tinker with!!!

THANKS FOR ANY INPUT !!! [I'm new to this]

G.A.

RE: Will 777 work to prime the flint pan
 

Triple Se7en has a much higher ignition point then black powder. From all I have read and those I have talked to, the answer is don't do it. You might not like the results. Besides that, Triple Se7en would be moisture sensative. In your priming pan is not the place you want something that attracts moisture. The best primer is still black powder. Whether you use the FFFg or FFFFg is up to you and your rifle. I am not a flinter but my friends are. They want nothing to do with the other powders. Black Powder is all they will shoot, both in the barrel and in the pan. They use it in the barrel because it gives them the best ignition of all powders.

Also, although the black powder stinks, and is harder to clean up, well that is the price you have to bare because your a flinter. I can not get black powder in my area or that is all I would use. My friends have to drive over 100 miles to buy it. Needless to say they buy it in large amounts. Black Powder is still the best powder out there on the market for these kind of rifles. Cleaning the gun is cleaning the gun whether you use T-7 or Goex. Of all the powders, black powder is the least corrosive.

As for you powerbelt question, I am sure it will shoot them. Whether it will shoot them well is the question. You did not mention what rifle you have or the rate of twist you have. I am going to guess that you have a 1:48 or 1:66 twist. Powerbelts should work in the 1:48 twist. Some other loads you might want to look at are round ball, and medium range conicals. I have several sidelocks. All of them are round ball shooters. They will shoot conicals and do it well, but they shoot round ball better. You could also try some of the 250 range sabots. They might work.

Whether 90 grains of 777 will work will be up to your rifle. That would be the same as approx 103.5 grains of black powder. That is a strong load for a lot of the older sidelocks. Your best bet would be to shoot about 75 grains of black powder and work up 5 grains at a time until you get your best groups. Be sure and swab between shots.

If you have one of the new pellet rifles, then I am sure the T-5 pellets are fine inside the rifle, but I would still prime with the black powder. In two of my sidelocks which are .50 caliber I shoot the FFFg as the main charge. I really get good accuracy, less fowling, and fantastic groups.

Enjoy the rifle... I have never had the time to learn a flinter but I think my next one will be a flinter. I just have to master one of them some day. The sidelocks and inlines are a lot of fun also.

RE: Will 777 work to prime the flint pan
 

livbucks,

cayugad gave you some good advice. I use black powder 4f for the pan powder but I like Triple 7 in the barrell. That is my preference. Also, I agree that 90 grains is more than needed and as I stated before, 80 grain is all I use in my flint. My in-line, I was using the magnum charge of 150 whcih is way to much, so now I'm down to 100 grain, 2 pellets, 295 powerbelts, aero tips. You do know that if you shoot the aero tips, you need to have a special attachment to your ram rod so you don't damage the tip while loading.

You need to work up what is the best charge for your gun and type of bullets you use, and shoot often.

Good luck...

T

RE: Will 777 work to prime the flint pan
 

Thanks Tom
You did tell me before what load you use and thanks for sharing.
I was just wondering if 90gr was way too much to start. When the
manufacturers sell these new guns they seem to make overstated
claims about what loads you should use. My rifle is a Traditions PA Pellet
50 cal. They sell it as ideal to use with pellets but from what you nice
fellas on this forum have told me, I'm not likely to try pellets to start.
Traditions says to use 150 grains for magnum results. I'm not likely
to try that unless I have medics on standby. My gun is 1-48" twist.
with a 26" barrel. With 150 grains, this gun will kill on both ends, just
like my 300 winmag. [he he, ouuch!] The flint hasn't been fired yet.
What if BP isn't available in my area, what would I prime with, or is that
sold differently than main charge powder?


THANKS ALSO TO CAYUGAD FOR THE GOOD INFO!!!!

G.A.

RE: Will 777 work to prime the flint pan
 

i prime with 4fg goex and charge with 2fg goex.......goes off like a regular rifle......and i kinda like the smell.....wouldnt be black powder hunitng and shooting if it didnt have that smell....really i odnt notice it much.....after every shot......and i come home smelling....but it not that bad....least i dont think so.......heck my mom doesnt even complain when i break down my rifle and throw it in the bathtub to clean it.....ive been told 1000 times that flinters arent made for anything but black powder.......im new to it myself.....but im having no problems....and why experiment with other stuff like 777 when my gun functions GREAT with blackpowder?? now if i shot an inline i might use 777......good luck with whatever you choose

RE: Will 777 work to prime the flint pan
 

No! No substitute is really any good for pan priming! Use real BP, in FFFFg if you can find it, otherwise use FFFg!!

777 even has to have about 10 grains of real BP dropped into the barrel first as a priming charge to shoot reliably in a flinter, just as does Pyrodex! Clean Shot and ClearShot don't!!


I think 100 grains is plenty in any 50 or 54 ML for deer and elk shooting, if the right bullets are used! Most of these "magnum loads" use light bullets, and may shoot flatter, but leave something to be desired as far as terminal ballistics is concerned!!