Playing with the Flinchlock today
 

Did some shooting today with the Traditions Hawken Woodsman .50cal flinter. Nice and cold at 30 some odd degrees, no wind. Just a nice overall day to go do some shooting. My hands about froze stiff with the wet lube, but it was worth it. I did all kinds of **** trying to see what slows down my flinter. I figured that it does not like a full pan of 4fg goex nor does it like light seating pressure. If I seat the ball heavy with my upper body weight leaned into the ramrod, pick the vent and apply 2 small heaps of 2fg side by side and settle it, it goes off like you are snapping your fingers.

Even while testing different stuff, it still grouped nice and tight, I actually only had one that could be considered a flier and the other 3 shots were touching. If I could do that off hand, It would be even better :mrgreen:

I used 70gr 2fg Old Eynsford black powder, .020" patches, Buckskinners blend patch lube, .490 round balls and 4fg Goex pan powder, French Amber Flint.

Just some pics of my gear and the funny ones! They call them Flinchlocks for a good reason when you are playing around, learning more about your rifle!







Left side group with the flyer was me messing around with pan charge amount, etc. Still a damn great group for jacking around and having my eyes closed due to the delay lol. Right hand group is normal shooting.

Those are some cool pics! I assume you took them off a video? Now we know why they are called "flinch" locks. LOL
Good shooting! :)

Very nice rifle. I have one, but mine likes a little stronger powder charge. Nice pictures too.

You shot groups like that with your eyes closed???? Impressive...

:groupwave:

MD...

WAAAAaaaaay too much powder in the pan!! That big fireball is a greater part of the reason you flinch. I've found what works best in my locks is a thin band of powder across the bottom of the pan. You want a flash, not an explosion. Something you could try at the beginning of each shooting session is to prime the pan but don't load a charge and practice shooting just as if the rifle was loaded. Try to keep your eye open while you practice, this can help you get used to the flash. AND... you should always wear safety glasses, especially with a flintlock. It would be bad enough having to quit hunting for a trip to the ER to have a flint shard dug out of your eye and risk partial or total loss of your vision!!

BPS

That's what I was thinking when I saw the picture. It's about twice as much as I use in any of my finters.

thats how you learn your rifle boys, experiment with different pan charges and see what it likes best. You THINK yours doesnt make that much flame until you take a video and then a screen shot as the explosion starts to happen.

Firing her off as I would during hunting season. Nice and fast!

It sounded nice and fast on the video. On my woodsman it likes about 3 grams (one push of the pan charger) on the far outside of the pan. And then it sounds like yours. I have always told people that the woodsman flintlock is fast.

yep they are. Im pulling out the traditions mountain rifle tomorrow if its not snowing.