click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

Well, Thanks to all of the good advice I got from this Board I finally made some smoke last night at the gun club. I can't even describe how it felt when that first shot went off. I found out that, contrary to what I've read in the manual, My Traditions PA Pellet likes the pan clear full and up against the touch hole. I only filled the pan about half full and the very first shot misfired. I filled the pan to the top and it went off quick. I shot 8 shots and the last 3 were about a 2 inch group at 50 yards, Not too bad for a beginner, I think. I know I can tighten it up quite a bit with practice.
It's quite a new experience trying to maintain focus between the flash and the BOOM and I know that the flyers were due to my being a greenhorn and wandering on the target. I used powerbelts and 777 and am happy with both. I actually found that the disassembly and cleaning chore at home to be somewhat satisfying after a successful day at the range.
Thanks again everyone who helped me learn enough to be confident enough to shoot it on my own. Thanks to Cayugad, TripleSeven, Mauser06, Eldeguello, papellet, UncleNorby and most especially TOMSTER who even answered my "stupid" questions without flinching. Thanks Tom, you really made the difference! I used Tom's bullet/powder/load as a model and it really worked for me, (saved me alot of money in the process). Thanks All!

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

:D:D:D ladies and gentleman.. looks like they hooked another one.

I just started shooting flinters myself. They sure are something without a doubt. Talk about flinching, I caught myself the other day about to close my right eye when I was putting pressure on the trigger. I stopped and had a good laugh over that. I really now concentrate on the follow through. It will make me a better shooter overall I believe.

Once you get used to the flash in the pan then the groups start to come together I found out. I am shooting 75 grains of Goex FFFg, a moosemilk patch, and a homecasted roundball and holding about a 2 inch group at 25 yards. I know that is not impressive, but it will get better. I have a few issues with the flash pan to figure out yet. My new order of FFFFg powder has not arrived yet... So I am shooting FFFg in the flash pan.

I also tried some 245 grain Buffalo Ballets out of it. They shot real good, and loaded like a dream. I should have never got myself into this flinter stuff because I find myself already checking out the new rifles and custom flinters out there.... This could get expensive...

livbucks keep making smoke and keep the reports coming. Sounds like you have a good shooter there and are working up a great hunting load on top of it.... I learn from reading what others find that works for them. Although I found in my Thompson Center Hawkins, a little powder in the pan causes a fast ignition. A lot in the pan causes a fuse.....

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

Hey Greg,

That's GREAT!

I'm gald you finally got to shot yor gun and things went well. I usually shoot mine more than any other gun due to exactly what you have found. It can be very distracting the pan powder flash, but also rewarding.

I very happy for you. Keep on shooting and you will fine tune your shooting and have fun at the same time. The grin is from ear to ear.:)

It's a great feeling too when you get that first deer with your rifle.

Talk to you soon,

Tom

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

flinting is VERY fun and addicting......wait till you hunt the late season...snow covered...woods all quiet no war going on....carrying a bag full of your gear....no orange(if you feel safe enough where youll hunt)...i love it.....speaking of this i need some BP and maxis to get ready for october....i cant wait......i played with my friends traditions and hated it...wanted to throw it out for him....it was a deer hunter.....the flint and frizzen is tiny...and barely sparked.....and wouldnt go off nicely.....had lag and it wasnt pleasant to shoot....my tc goes off like a 3006.....i dont know about the pellet you got...may be better.....if you had it going off decint your first time out i think youll be good to go......cant wait for octobers doe season.......i have a good feeling im gunna smoke one......if its nice in rifle season im carrying the flinter as well....its that addicting to me.....i love it.....good luck.....any questions just give a holler....im not an expert...but learned alot from these guys and tinkering around....

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

Yea, makes sense to me, but it didn't work that way. Maybe it has something to do with the placement of the touch hole, How high in the pan it sets, etc.


Hey Tom, how did you guess what I'm dreaming of next?

I got the improved model PA Pellet. Has what they call a "super lock" BIG flash pan. Holds almost two pushes of the pan primer. The touch hole sets high in the pan too. Probably why it likes alot of powder.
I know I have some practicing to do. Like I said, I got a decent group of three shots out of eight. Not really what you would call a "group" but a "best of eight". At least I hit the paper. Something to work on. How do they say it? Accentuate the positive? Yea thats it!

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

i think the reason you have to prime so full is because the hole is high...and its good you got a better lock.....my friends made me sooo mad.....i had to fill the pan and wait a minute then the gun might go off......not sure if you can do much to help it with your gun.....just keep practicing!! thats one thing i love about flinting....20 bucks or so and i can shoot 100rds of patch n ball....if your into groundhog hunting and get a few more range sessions in take the flinter....i did it this year.....killed one at 40yds perfect lung shot how i aimed.....it laid him out hard.....i was shooting a roundball......then wouldnt you know it.....i ran out of powder.....and havent found more yet....it was fun.....that was my first kill with the flinter......keep practicin and keep your powder dry!!

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

I have the same problem with my PA pellet and to avoid filling the pan completely full I put a small amount in, cant the rifle towards the touch hole so some of the 4f enters the touch hole. This seems to work for me and will shorten the ignition delay. Also, if you can get some real BP for the main charge, you wont believe the results. I have used 777 and RS but the real BP makes a big difference.

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

Oh Yeah, I forgot a few. Thanks also to RonK and Striper Phil for the help.
I almost forgot you guys. Sorry about that and thanks again!

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

Hey Mauser06!
I don't know where you live in PA but if you know where Delmont is, there is a place called Delmont Sport Shop that stocks good quantities of Goex BP. They are about the only place around I found out. On Route 66 about a mile north of Route 22. On the right side of the road heading North.

RE: click..Flash...BOOM...smoke..YAHOO!
 

thanx livbucks......if i cant find it ill head there...not sure how far it is but if its close to you it cant be THAT far for me....i have many gun shops around....and a baitshop that sells it and was out last time i checked and claimed to have more on the way....but he said he had tons a week before i was just checking.....if not i still might find it somewhere......thanx alot....that stuff is pretty hard to find...noone wants to carry it because of insurance and all that junk ive been told...but why can walmart carry 777 and pyrodex?