do you remember that Ferocerium flintlock thread a while back ???

Magnum Wheel Man · October 17, 2010, 07:08 PM

I finally got around to shooting it this last weekend ( I'm not much of a muzzleloader guy, but one of my buddys came over to sight in his muzzle loader for hunting ) so I shot my new Knight rolling block muzzleloader, & my little flintlock... I was thinking the lil gun was 36 caliber, but it is a 32 caliber... the ferocerium on the frizzen, & a piece of steel in place of the flint, seems to spark good... bear in mind, that I'm not much of a muzzleloader guy, & have never shot a flintlock before...I loaded 40 grains of Goex FFg... the patches I had were kinda thick for the Hornady balls I had, & cut for 45 caliber balls... I filled the pan with FFFg & set at my bench, & shot to my 25 yard target... "shhhhbang" & I found a hole in my target reasonably close to the bullseye... I did the same with the 2nd shot, & the patch & ball were a bit sticky going in, & this time I actually aimed ( I was actually suprised the gun fired on the 1st shot ) I don't have any moosemilk or bore butter, so I soaked the rest of the patches with dry silicone from my range bag... no cleaning, & everything the same, the next shot I'm still just holding it, sitting at the bench ( no sand bags ), & the 3rd shot gave me about a 2" group in 3 shots at 25 yards... nothing to brag about... well I continued using the dry silicone with everything else the same... hmmm... where did the 4th shot go ??? a short walk revieled that the 3rd & 4th were nearly on top of each other... the 5th followed the same giving me the final 3 shots I could cover with a nickel...

OK... now that I know it works... what should I have done ??? 40 grains too much powder ???

arcticap · October 18, 2010, 03:13 AM

Yes, probably too much powder, but none the worse for wear.
It's nice to hear that the ferocerium worked out so well for you too.
Good range report and thanks for sharing it with us.

Now that I found it I do remember your thread about your CVA .32 flintlock with the special frizzen material:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=373484

Rifleman1776 · October 18, 2010, 08:19 AM

As an experienced, long time, traditional muzzle loader, I wish I had never read this thread.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 18, 2010, 08:24 AM

why ???

BTW... I bought the gun that way, unknown that it had been modified...

did I abuse the gun with the powder charge ???

did I get lucky in finding a combination that groups???

are you disapointed I used dry silicone lube instead of "moose milk" on the patches ??? ( because that was all I had at the time )

Rifleman1776 · October 18, 2010, 08:38 AM

MWM , if you are going to do something the traditional way, do it to enjoy and preserve the tradition and history.
Would you give a mountain man a BMW to go trapping with? Same difference.
I shoot modern guns too but when preserving tradition I just do not understand gunking up an old idea and ending up with something that doesn't fit in either world.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 18, 2010, 08:51 AM

1st off I think you are passing judgement on me a bit prematurely...

I didn't modify the rifle, I bought it used, on line, in that condition... when I bought it, it was at a time when you could not buy primers for any price, & the "concept" of shooting a primerless gun interested me... if it had been a "traditional" flintlock ( which is what I thought I was buying ) I would have been fine with it

I collect old revolvers of the era of the change between black powder & smokeless powder, & find these old guns interesting... ( this CVA is not that old BTW )

however I find the modifications to the gun very interesting ( I didn't know anything like that existed before I purchased this gun )... & now the idea of a more modern "type" of primerless rifle is interesting to explore... MRS MAGNUM's cousin has a black powder shoot every spring, we often go to watch, but her cousin shoots flintlocks, & seems to have ignition probelms every single year... so, like I said before "I was suprised it fired in the 1st place"

besides... if you are shooting percussion guns, they were an advancement over the flintlock... man has strived to improve guns from inception... ease up a bit OK...

October 17, 2010, 07:08 PM	#1
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	do you remember that Ferocerium flintlock thread a while back ??? I finally got around to shooting it this last weekend ( I'm not much of a muzzleloader guy, but one of my buddys came over to sight in his muzzle loader for hunting ) so I shot my new Knight rolling block muzzleloader, & my little flintlock... I was thinking the lil gun was 36 caliber, but it is a 32 caliber... the ferocerium on the frizzen, & a piece of steel in place of the flint, seems to spark good... bear in mind, that I'm not much of a muzzleloader guy, & have never shot a flintlock before...I loaded 40 grains of Goex FFg... the patches I had were kinda thick for the Hornady balls I had, & cut for 45 caliber balls... I filled the pan with FFFg & set at my bench, & shot to my 25 yard target... "shhhhbang" & I found a hole in my target reasonably close to the bullseye... I did the same with the 2nd shot, & the patch & ball were a bit sticky going in, & this time I actually aimed ( I was actually suprised the gun fired on the 1st shot ) I don't have any moosemilk or bore butter, so I soaked the rest of the patches with dry silicone from my range bag... no cleaning, & everything the same, the next shot I'm still just holding it, sitting at the bench ( no sand bags ), & the 3rd shot gave me about a 2" group in 3 shots at 25 yards... nothing to brag about... well I continued using the dry silicone with everything else the same... hmmm... where did the 4th shot go ??? a short walk revieled that the 3rd & 4th were nearly on top of each other... the 5th followed the same giving me the final 3 shots I could cover with a nickel... OK... now that I know it works... what should I have done ??? 40 grains too much powder ??? __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; October 17, 2010 at 09:02 PM.

October 18, 2010, 03:13 AM	#2
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Yes, probably too much powder, but none the worse for wear. It's nice to hear that the ferocerium worked out so well for you too. Good range report and thanks for sharing it with us. Now that I found it I do remember your thread about your CVA .32 flintlock with the special frizzen material: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=373484 Last edited by arcticap; October 18, 2010 at 03:31 AM.

October 18, 2010, 08:24 AM	#4
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	why ??? BTW... I bought the gun that way, unknown that it had been modified... did I abuse the gun with the powder charge ??? did I get lucky in finding a combination that groups??? are you disapointed I used dry silicone lube instead of "moose milk" on the patches ??? ( because that was all I had at the time ) __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

October 18, 2010, 08:38 AM	#5
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	MWM , if you are going to do something the traditional way, do it to enjoy and preserve the tradition and history. Would you give a mountain man a BMW to go trapping with? Same difference. I shoot modern guns too but when preserving tradition I just do not understand gunking up an old idea and ending up with something that doesn't fit in either world. Last edited by Rifleman1776; October 18, 2010 at 02:28 PM.

October 18, 2010, 08:51 AM	#6
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	1st off I think you are passing judgement on me a bit prematurely... I didn't modify the rifle, I bought it used, on line, in that condition... when I bought it, it was at a time when you could not buy primers for any price, & the "concept" of shooting a primerless gun interested me... if it had been a "traditional" flintlock ( which is what I thought I was buying ) I would have been fine with it I collect old revolvers of the era of the change between black powder & smokeless powder, & find these old guns interesting... ( this CVA is not that old BTW ) however I find the modifications to the gun very interesting ( I didn't know anything like that existed before I purchased this gun )... & now the idea of a more modern "type" of primerless rifle is interesting to explore... MRS MAGNUM's cousin has a black powder shoot every spring, we often go to watch, but her cousin shoots flintlocks, & seems to have ignition probelms every single year... so, like I said before "I was suprised it fired in the 1st place" besides... if you are shooting percussion guns, they were an advancement over the flintlock... man has strived to improve guns from inception... ease up a bit OK... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

October 18, 2010, 08:19 AM	#3
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	As an experienced, long time, traditional muzzle loader, I wish I had never read this thread.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search