Kentucky Pistol powder charge and ball size?

reddheadnla1974 · December 16, 2008, 08:09 PM

I have a new CVA .45 flintlock kentucky pistol kit that I am not sure what size ball or flint or anything. This is my first flintlock. Any advice? Thanks

kwhi43 · December 16, 2008, 09:01 PM

5/8 size flint, .445 ball. .010 thick patching, 20 grs. Goex FFF Black Powder.
Flint should be bevel down, wrapped in leather. This should work. Fill pan
about 1/2 full with FFFF. If you don't have 4 F you can crush some 3 F

Hawg · December 16, 2008, 09:15 PM

Flinters don't work well with subs. Don't cover the flash hole with powder.

reddheadnla1974 · December 16, 2008, 09:34 PM

Would a .457 size round ball work for it? I have a whole box of them. Where do you get the flints from? Thanks

mykeal · December 16, 2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Would a .457 size round ball work for it?

Nope. Bore is .450. Your alternatives are .445 ball with .010 patch or .440 ball with .015 or .018 patch. I prefer the latter, personally.

reddheadnla1974 · December 16, 2008, 10:43 PM

Can you shoot .45 calibur maxiballs out of it? Or are they just for rifles?

mykeal · December 16, 2008, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Can you shoot .45 calibur maxiballs out of it?

Yes, you can, but I think you'll find round balls work much better. Even with the fast twist of most pistol barrels the conical round is not in the barrel long enough to reach the rotational speed needed to stabilize.

karwelis · December 24, 2008, 04:09 PM

stick with the .440's, use real black powder only, and the CVA does not use a 5/8th's flint. it uses 1/2. track of the wolf sells flints. also do not use more than 25-30gr. of fffg in that thing. good luck

Hawg · December 24, 2008, 04:46 PM

Listen to karwelis. He knows his stuff.

reddheadnla1974 · December 24, 2008, 10:05 PM

I was wrong to begin with, it turns out that it is a percusion cap. Thanks

reddheadnla1974 · January 3, 2009, 01:54 PM

Well I believe that I might be ready to shoot her tomorrow. I believe that I made a mistake on the shooting patches though. I bought a box of .440 RB's for it but I made a mistake and bought .010 size shooting patches for it. Will they work? Thanks

kwhi43 · January 3, 2009, 02:40 PM

Yes, They will work OK.

kirpi97 · January 3, 2009, 09:26 PM

I have found my Kentucky pistol to be most forgiving when it comes to balls and patches. You will be on the lean side, but should have no problem with getting the ball to exit the barrel.

I just came in from the cold this evening from shooting my new addition--an 1861 .44 Colt Sheriff. I have an 1860 Colt coming in soon. Can't wait to take her out for a spin. This BP experience is addictive. And my addiction all started with a Lymans .54 Plains.

reddheadnla1974 · January 3, 2009, 10:25 PM

Well it is almost finished and I have to say that it has to be the ugliest thing in the house besides me!! I sure hope that it shoots better than it looks.

I thought about putting a pic on here but I do not want to scare anyone!! LOL

Hawg · January 3, 2009, 11:05 PM

You can't scare us. We've done or at least seen worse.

arcticap · January 4, 2009, 12:02 AM

That's great! Then it'll scare off the bad guys!

kirpi97 · January 4, 2009, 12:16 AM

Now ugly is my middle name. I am not a carver or whittler by any sense of the imagination. So whatever got up into my head that I could do even a semi-decent job is beyond me. But we see what others can do and then we think we have the same God given talent. But we don't.

So my lack of ability only affords me the ugliest gun award. Here is a picture of my Lyman's .54 cal Plains. (Besides the fact that I can't spell when naming the file. And as my wife put it, used the worse background in the house.)

Outside of the damage I inflicted upon it, it remains a great pistol to shoot. And the Scouts seem to enjoy this ole relic.

So you needn't worry about having the ugly gun award this time Red.

mykeal · January 4, 2009, 01:02 PM

Your wife has excellent taste.

reddheadnla1974 · January 4, 2009, 02:06 PM

I wanted to do some carvings on mine but I figured that I better quit while I was ahead. I like that way that gun looks. It is original.I was wondering what the difference was for hot blueing and I guess what I did was cold blueing? Well I am going to finish her up then I will try to put a pic, on here. Thanks for all of the help!!

kirpi97 · January 4, 2009, 07:59 PM

My wife thanks you and is glad that someone here recognizes good taste. I will never live it down.

December 16, 2008, 08:09 PM	#1
reddheadnla1974 Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 71	Kentucky Pistol powder charge and ball size? I have a new CVA .45 flintlock kentucky pistol kit that I am not sure what size ball or flint or anything. This is my first flintlock. Any advice? Thanks

January 3, 2009, 01:54 PM	#11
reddheadnla1974 Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 71	Almost Done. Well I believe that I might be ready to shoot her tomorrow. I believe that I made a mistake on the shooting patches though. I bought a box of .440 RB's for it but I made a mistake and bought .010 size shooting patches for it. Will they work? Thanks

January 3, 2009, 09:26 PM	#13
kirpi97 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 236	I have found my Kentucky pistol to be most forgiving when it comes to balls and patches. You will be on the lean side, but should have no problem with getting the ball to exit the barrel. I just came in from the cold this evening from shooting my new addition--an 1861 .44 Colt Sheriff. I have an 1860 Colt coming in soon. Can't wait to take her out for a spin. This BP experience is addictive. And my addiction all started with a Lymans .54 Plains. __________________ The parting shot... "Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson

January 4, 2009, 07:59 PM	#20
kirpi97 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 236	My wife thanks you and is glad that someone here recognizes good taste. I will never live it down. __________________ The parting shot... "Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson

December 16, 2008, 09:01 PM	#2
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	5/8 size flint, .445 ball. .010 thick patching, 20 grs. Goex FFF Black Powder. Flint should be bevel down, wrapped in leather. This should work. Fill pan about 1/2 full with FFFF. If you don't have 4 F you can crush some 3 F

December 16, 2008, 09:15 PM	#3
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	Flinters don't work well with subs. Don't cover the flash hole with powder.

December 16, 2008, 09:34 PM	#4
reddheadnla1974 Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 71	Would a .457 size round ball work for it? I have a whole box of them. Where do you get the flints from? Thanks

December 16, 2008, 10:43 PM	#6
reddheadnla1974 Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 71	Can you shoot .45 calibur maxiballs out of it? Or are they just for rifles?

December 24, 2008, 04:09 PM	#8
karwelis Junior Member Join Date: November 14, 2008 Location: big bear california Posts: 11	stick with the .440's, use real black powder only, and the CVA does not use a 5/8th's flint. it uses 1/2. track of the wolf sells flints. also do not use more than 25-30gr. of fffg in that thing. good luck

December 24, 2008, 04:46 PM	#9
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	Listen to karwelis. He knows his stuff.

December 24, 2008, 10:05 PM	#10
reddheadnla1974 Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 71	I was wrong to begin with, it turns out that it is a percusion cap. Thanks

January 3, 2009, 02:40 PM	#12
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	Yes, They will work OK.

January 3, 2009, 10:25 PM	#14
reddheadnla1974 Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 71	Well it is almost finished and I have to say that it has to be the ugliest thing in the house besides me!! I sure hope that it shoots better than it looks. I thought about putting a pic on here but I do not want to scare anyone!! LOL

January 3, 2009, 11:05 PM	#15
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	You can't scare us. We've done or at least seen worse.

January 4, 2009, 12:02 AM	#16
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	That's great! Then it'll scare off the bad guys!

January 4, 2009, 01:02 PM	#18
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Your wife has excellent taste.

January 4, 2009, 02:06 PM	#19
reddheadnla1974 Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 71	I wanted to do some carvings on mine but I figured that I better quit while I was ahead. I like that way that gun looks. It is original.I was wondering what the difference was for hot blueing and I guess what I did was cold blueing? Well I am going to finish her up then I will try to put a pic, on here. Thanks for all of the help!!