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Post by greybearjr on Jul 23, 2007 22:28:41 GMT -4
I thought we should get this post moving again. Next time you need a screw-on spout for your blackpowder can don't buy one. Find a spent cartridge casing (anything 270 to 300 mag will do). Knock out the spent primer and drill it out a bit. Take an old powder can cap and drill it out just a size smaller than the casing. Add a little epoxy or JB weld and shove the casing through the hole. Now you've got a great spout for almost nothing.
GBJ
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Post by dickert54cal on Aug 13, 2007 22:01:30 GMT -4
Thanks !!!!! Great idea.
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Post by berkscoflinter1 on Sept 1, 2007 17:27:44 GMT -4
GreybearJr., here is something else that flintlock shooters should consider, tuning their locks. Flintlock function can be moved up and notch or two by disassembling the innards (very, very carefully!), and polishing all the metal to metal contacts. Avoid the use of WD-40 after polishing, and use instead something like Rem-oil. Factory flintlocks are indeed functional, but tuning them on the inside can result in some very noticeable improvements.
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Post by longhunter on Dec 18, 2007 9:40:59 GMT -4
OK, I'll throw in my two cents.
For those that hunt in inclement weather try a cow's knee to cover the lock. A cow's knee is a piece of leather (never plastic) that is cut to the shape of the lock and stock area and tied on with leather thongs.
Another tip for waterproofing is to take a small piece of beeswax and place it in front of the lock where the barrel and wood meet. This helps deflect the water that tends to run down this little raingutter and right into your pan.
Instead of spending money on those plastic speed loaders learn to make a period paper cartridge but only for powder and not the ball. You can prime with it just like our ancestors (use caution and common sense) and then shove the whole thing down the barrel. The paper will not affect accuracy and actually acts as a buffer between the burning powder and the patched ball to help prevent burned patches.
On the subject of lubrication of the lock. After years of trying everything the best I've found is SUper Lube. It's a synthetic lube and WILL NOT wash out under hot water. I haven't had a problem with my flinters for years and I shoot them a lot.
For a natural patch lube try beeswax and olive oil. Mix the two in a double boiler. A 4:1 ratio of beeswax to olive oil is a good start but adding more oil will make the mixture softer. Also doubles as a darn good lip balm.
Olive oil is also the best lube I've found for the bore. After cleaning with either plain water or Windex. I dry the bore and run an olive oil patch down the bore. Not a spot of rust in any of my barrels.
Longhunter
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onager
lodge member
Posts: 244
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Post by onager on Dec 20, 2007 14:15:25 GMT -4
Someone has to say it. Is that the EXTRA virgin olive oil? Or more like a Brittany Spears variety?
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Post by longhunter on Dec 21, 2007 8:07:45 GMT -4
onager, You can use whatever variety you want but I'd be carefull with some of the "cheaper ones" like you mentioned. Lord only knows what they'll do to your "bore".
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Post by gregf on Dec 21, 2007 22:25:45 GMT -4
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Good one.
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Post by firefightnlife on Jan 1, 2008 18:25:37 GMT -4
my uncle showed me that if you have wet powder, shoot some starting fluid in the nipple, let dry about 5 minutes and then it will fire.
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Post by loggy on Jan 1, 2008 21:00:14 GMT -4
my uncle showed me that if you have wet powder, shoot some starting fluid in the nipple, let dry about 5 minutes and then it will fire. Thats something I personally would never recommend. Could cause potential explosion and/or fire. Not sayin it cant be done but I never would. The safest way to handle is to saturate charge with water & remove charge with ball puller or use a CO2 discharger.
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Post by tomcat on Jan 26, 2008 22:54:02 GMT -4
The best cleaning patches I have found are flannel, very absorbent. Buy a sheet of flannel at Wallyworld, wash it and cut it to the size you want. 2 1/2" square is about right for 50 and 54 caliber. I use my wifes pinking shears to cut the flannel.
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Post by escortzx21999 on Dec 24, 2008 21:51:39 GMT -4
can you shoot the gun with the leather over the flash pan or do you have to take it off first.
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Post by buckhunter on Mar 5, 2009 8:32:27 GMT -4
Anyone gonna answer escortzx21999 about the cow knee? Earlier in the thread someone mentioned as a cleaning solution adding peroxide. Ask the Germans how stable and corrosi=ve peroxide is?? I would never use that or Bore Butter in my guns. Soap and water or windex w/ alcohol followed by a good Rem Oil or birchwood Casey oil or bore conditioner will do the trick.
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Post by Twowithone on Mar 5, 2009 17:10:41 GMT -4
bh Ill take a stab at this as long as the cow,s knee isn't interfering with your sight picture Id take a shot. I saw the bore butter comment there also Ive been using it for 28yrs now and haven't looked back since
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Post by longhunter on Apr 29, 2009 12:37:51 GMT -4
escortzx21999, While I'm sure it's possible to fire off a shot with the cows knee in place I think you'd be better off to remove it first. With my luck I'd get a piece of the leather in between the flint and frizzen and miss a shot. The trick is to experiment with how you tie the cover one. I usually leave mine tied loosely at the fore end and not tied at all on the wrist. That way I can simply flip the cover off and be ready rather quickly.
tomcat, Not sure if you already do this or not so please pardon me if you already know this. When you get the flannel make sure you wash it in very, very hot water and then toss it in the dryer. This removes the sizing in the cloth which allows it to absorb the lube better and it also shrinks the fabric giving it a tighter weave which helps stop gas blow by.
buckhunter, I tried the peroxide stuff. used it for a few years in fact. It was a constant battle keeping rust from the bore. All I use now is plain old water or Windex (which works really well) and then oil it with olive oil and it's good to go.
One last thought. A lot of folks out there I've spoken to tell me how they load 100 grains of powder in their flinter because they really believe they need that much powder to get enough power to bring down a deer. They're wasting powder. I use 65-70 grains of 3f in both my .54 long rifle and in my .62 smooth rifle. At up to 100 yards the deer can't tell that I'm using lower charges. They drop just as fast. Remember that when we're shooting a modern rifle we're counting on the bullet to expand. When you're shooting a flinter the ball is already .45 cal or better. It doesn't have to expand. It's already darn big. It's all about shot placement. You put the ball where it's supposed to be and that big sucker will do the rest.
Longhunter
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Post by frontstuffer on Oct 12, 2009 6:03:33 GMT -4
bob1961, If you're gonna d&t for 1/4 x 28 just use a musket nipple and some aquarium tubing for your flush kit.Bore out the throat of the nipple for better flow.Been doing this for a decade with my P-53 Enfield rifle musket.
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