Flintlock load information
- Thread starter sean m
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birdshot8's
Member
Start around 20 grains FFF. You can spread a white sheet at your feet. When you see unburned powder, on the sheet, you have exceeded max. Round ball and patch for your projectile.
Panzerschwein
member
Start at 10 grains of powder and work your way up to an accurate load. Do not use modern steel shot as it will damage the bore.
http://goexpowder.com/images/LoadCharts/RB-Pistol-Revolvers.pdf
This ought to help from the makers of real black powder
This ought to help from the makers of real black powder
Curator
Member
sean m,
Lots of these Japanese "Tower" flint lock pistols were imported into the U.S. during our Bicentennial. Keep in mind that the manufacturer probably never intended these replica pistols to actually shoot. They were originally sold with no touch hole. Most are poorly bored (tight and loose spots) and some have breech plugs that are merely pressed, not threaded into the rear of the barrel. Too often the frizzens are made with soft steel that resists hardening enough to get a good spark. Have the gun checked out by a knowledgeable black powder gunsmith before attempting to fire it.I have seen quite a few of these used by reenactors with varying degrees of success. Most had extensive work to get them to fire reliably with blank loads.
Lots of these Japanese "Tower" flint lock pistols were imported into the U.S. during our Bicentennial. Keep in mind that the manufacturer probably never intended these replica pistols to actually shoot. They were originally sold with no touch hole. Most are poorly bored (tight and loose spots) and some have breech plugs that are merely pressed, not threaded into the rear of the barrel. Too often the frizzens are made with soft steel that resists hardening enough to get a good spark. Have the gun checked out by a knowledgeable black powder gunsmith before attempting to fire it.I have seen quite a few of these used by reenactors with varying degrees of success. Most had extensive work to get them to fire reliably with blank loads.
Sunray
Member
Like Curator says, first make sure it's a real firearm. Wasn't just Japan that made stuff that was for decoration but Bubba used a drill on either. Lotta that stuff was made out of white metal(aka. Pot metal. Zinc based, not steel.) and was intended to hang on walls.
Then by a copy of The Lyman BP Handbook and Reloading Manual. $23.98 directly from Lyman.
Then by a copy of The Lyman BP Handbook and Reloading Manual. $23.98 directly from Lyman.
Loyalist Dave
Member
The first thing would simply be to see if the barrel is marked with a warning "use black powder only", or "black powder", something along those lines. IF not..., probably not a firing replica.
Second, if it is marked, you can obtain a flint and see if the lock will spark. It probably won't spark well if at all, and so then simply use it as a wall hanger for the cost of trying to get it to function will probably be too much.
Third IF it is a shootable barrel, AND it sparks fairly well, then use 2FG. A .69 caliber smooth bore uses 2Fg whether it's a Charleville musket or a .69 caliber, horse pistol, when firing a live projectile or shot. The ball would be .675 btw in a paper cartridge. 3Fg would be for blanks only in that pistol.
OH and you can't proof anything, sorry to say. Home-job-testing can be conducted but it's very crude compared to actual proof testing, done at a proof-house, and companies that say they "proof" black powder replica arms without sending the barrels out to such proof-houses, or who tell you how you can "proof" a barrel, are seriously misusing the term.
LD
Second, if it is marked, you can obtain a flint and see if the lock will spark. It probably won't spark well if at all, and so then simply use it as a wall hanger for the cost of trying to get it to function will probably be too much.
Third IF it is a shootable barrel, AND it sparks fairly well, then use 2FG. A .69 caliber smooth bore uses 2Fg whether it's a Charleville musket or a .69 caliber, horse pistol, when firing a live projectile or shot. The ball would be .675 btw in a paper cartridge. 3Fg would be for blanks only in that pistol.
OH and you can't proof anything, sorry to say. Home-job-testing can be conducted but it's very crude compared to actual proof testing, done at a proof-house, and companies that say they "proof" black powder replica arms without sending the barrels out to such proof-houses, or who tell you how you can "proof" a barrel, are seriously misusing the term.
LD
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