Flintlock

[Liberty's Teeth]

Okay I'm hooked!!! I had the opportunity to shoot a flintlock rifle yesterday and I loved it! Unfortunately my flinch is back from firing the first round as the flash pan shocked the heck out of me.
My question for those of you in the know, I would like to buy a cal 40 rifle and I don't want to jump in if powders are hard to get. Do any of you know the availability of powder, balls and bear grease?

I shot the thing so well that if I can get one, I will shoot a CMP match with it but rapid fire will be a PIA!!!

[WARFAB]

I always assumed that black powder was readily available, but I've never really looked into it. Paging blackpowdershooter30

http://www.cabelas.com/category/Blac.../104701680.uts

[Cgrutt]

Very cool. Post up some pics if you get it. Always wanted to try it out myself.

[blackpowdershooter30]

Liberty's Teeth im at your service sir, ball are not hard to get if you go with a 45 cal or a 50. 40 cal is a odd ball size for big box stores like bass pro or field and stream. Track of the wolf or Dixie gun works has these and you can order them when ever, just remember your ball diameter and patch thickness are a huge factor. Just like any gun you have to figure out what works and what it likes. For a 40 cal you want too go with either a .395 ball and a .005 patch or a .390 ball and a .010 patch. Powder on the other hand is the hard part, due to the regulations of New York State and some jerks making pipe bombs a while back no one wants to carry it in the area. Now you can order it but you have to pay a 25 dollar haz mat fee and obviously the more you buy the more that fee spreads out, drive to Pennsylvania for it, or make it (which I'm trying to make myself just need to make a ball mill to mix and process it). Pyrodex and triple 7 won't even spark so it's not even worth trying it because I have and has led me to swearing a lot and having to pull a patched ball out of a 46 inch barrel. Please let me know if you get one I'd love to return the favor for you helping me with my cmp shoot.

[blackpowdershooter30]

I keep saying we need to have a black powder day and get you guys too open up your horizons on firearms. You can't move forward if you don't know where you came from and it makes you appreciate way more where our country's first patriots and soldiers went threw to gain their independence from England

[thughes]

I had a chance to shoot a black powder gun once..... didn't quite work out though.

[blackpowdershooter30]

I had a chance to shoot a black powder gun once..... didn't quite work out though.

Dick lol we will make it happen, now that I have a flintlock we can make it happen another way as well

[WARFAB]

Pyrodex and triple 7 won't even spark so it's not even worth trying it because I have and has led me to swearing a lot and having to pull a patched ball out of a 46 inch barrel.

How does one accomplish that? A rod with some sort of screw tip that will dig into the lead ball?

[blackpowdershooter30]

Yes I have a ball pulling tool that looks like a course wood screw that screws into the end of the ram rod. Slam the tip of it into the top of the ball and start turning it until it stops and then you can pull it up

[Liberty's Teeth]

BPS thanks for your response and great feedback. I went to look at the Thompson rifle yesterday and it's not what I want. I'd like to find one of the long barrel PA/KY type rifles. The other thing that is frustrating me is the amount of recreations. Is it hard to find an original?

[blackpowdershooter30]

Well it's not hard but it's big bucks to buy a original flintlock that's 150 years old because percussion caps became the norm around 1830 I believe but were available a touch before that. In all seriousness if you are looking to buy a absolutely gorgeous rifle you need to talk with Robin from nyfirearms. His rifles are second to none and are works of art. Now if you want to build one kits are available as well that make amazing pieces as well.