Pinnacle Replica Black Powder for Muzzleloaders
 

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...

RE: Pinnacle Replica Black Powder for Muzzleloaders
 

Can't argue with that!!!

RE: Pinnacle Replica Black Powder for Muzzleloaders
 

I asked if Black Mag'3 could be used in a flintlock and according to the Magkor people they do not recommend it as a priming powder. It works if you use black as prime but not when used with Black Mag'3 as prime. They claim that the synthetic does not have the same characteristic to jump the gap from the pan to the powder like real black does. I suspect that is what was happening with the Pinacle powder. If it is the same as APP which I suspect, I would expect similar results as other synthetics. Your experience seems to bear out what the Magkor people gave me for information. So far they have been very straight forward and given me solid information.

RE: Pinnacle Replica Black Powder for Muzzleloaders
 

I believe your right on the money there MLKeith. When I wanted a real fast ignition with Pinnacle as the main powder charge, I loaded Goex 4f with a trailer to the touch hole liner. Then it would fire pretty good. A person could get used to the way it shot.

It was still not as fast as when I was shooting the Goex 3f as the main charge and then 4f as the pain primer. With the new flint that rifle is as fast as a cap lock almost it seems.

I do like the way it was shooting in the Wolverine II. When the snow melts I want to get the rifle back to the 100 yard range and see what kind of groups that RED DOT can hold. I am expecting at least a 3" group but time will tell.

RE: Pinnacle Replica Black Powder for Muzzleloaders
 

I wanted to test the Pinnacle in a big bore so I got out my .58 caliber. I loaded 100 grains of Pinnacle 3f a wonder wad and a moosemilk patched roundball and shot this five shot group. This was done at 30 yards. It seems to shoot about the same as the Goex 2f charge of 100 grains...