New Gifted Flintlock/Heavy Rust!

[mehavey]

I probably will shoot it...

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

If the patches come out OK (highly likely) you're home free.
Were you able to get some new Tom Fuller flints from Track of the Wolf?
They'll cut your frustration level by 90%

[5whiskey]

Sigh, yes I got some good flints mehavey. Sparks are weak and orange even after shimming and tuning the flint. They also gouge the frizzen what I’m fairly sure (despite lack of experience) is more than normal. I’m going to pick up a Lyman frizzen but will try resurfacing and hardening (or shoeing) this one layer.

I’ve read up on it some, and I have the older t/c lock that apparently is less than optimal. Gonna keep it and make it work though.

[mehavey]

A 29-cent lag screw is your friend.

[shurshot]

I clean rust off with Hoppes 9, and 0000 steel wool. Clean once, soak it in Hoppes again, allowing it to set up overnight and repeat. Hoppes 9 works great, but it takes time. Then lightly coat with bore butter.

[4V50 Gary]

mehavey - aren't you a clever fellow. Never thought of that.

[mehavey]

Necessity is the mother of cheap invention.

[5whiskey]

..... oh..... yer jus' gonna LUV flintlocks

Yes, yes I do

So I finally got a chance to take her out. I used 3F BP (grafs) just because I didn't want to order 2F and have a hard time using it to prime, and I refuse to fiddle with two different powders for priming and main charge. I used a .490 ball that I cast and pocket drill for a patch, spit lubed. I tried 70 and 80 grains (weighed, going to make a volume measure when I find my charge) with no real difference between the 2. I doubt I go higher than 80 grains of 3F with a PRB. When ramming the balls home I did notice that the bore was pretty rough until about halfway down. It smoothed out noticeably there.

All in all I'm pleased that I made the thing fire and had a couple of decent shots. It's definitely... different. I pulled probably half my shots, but could at least call where I pulled them.

I'm sure I'll be back with a bunch of questions after next range session. My first one was just a quickie to get my feet wet. I made the gun shoot and made some decent hits when I forced myself to hold steady. Which is as good as I could ask for.

Thanks to all who gave advice and talked me into cleaning the thing up and just getting out and shooting it.

[5whiskey]

Thanks again to everyone. The rifle shoots just fine. Plenty enough for hunting accuracy to 100 yards with a PRB. I was expecting it to be all over the place at 100 yards based off of my first day's shooting... but I've improved my follow-through a good deal and held about a 3" 3 round group at 100 today, in the black no less.

The 320 grain Lee "real" conical? Yeah I found that 1 of 5 hit the 2'x3' target board. Back to the drawing board on those guys, I think I'll try with a lubed wad next time.