Did substantial shooting with this today. Ignition was postive right up until I had the flint worn down to a short nub with nothing left to knap. I suspect about 70 rounds. I did not start to improve my accuracy until I started using goex 3f in place of the 4f g for priming. For whatever reason, this speeded ignition substantially and allowed me to put more shots on target.
Still, it will be a long time before I can even approach the accuracy I get with my Lepage caplock.
Wiping out the barrel after each shot, 20 grains of Goex fffg averaged 767 fps with 25 fps spread for Five rounds. Swiss fffg read off 937 with an extreme spread of 68 fps. This is a bit much of a good thing and I will try 15 grains of swiss. I note that my Lepage Caplock produced 868 and 1005 fps with the same charges and the same patched .433 ball.
Both of the Lepages are extremly high quality guns. The stock on the flintlock is a darker, higher grade walnut and the checkering and engraving is a bit more elaborate.
The tool kit in the picture comes, like many Italian items, without any instructions but the uses became transparent as I shot the gun. The stiff brush is useful for cleaning the pan, The brass headed hammer can be used for knaping the front edge of the flint. The key-like object has a couple of double cut-outs that will final-dress the leading edge of the flint. There is also a vent pick and a thicker pick probably intended to tighten the jaws. Both pistols come with a separate loading rod that will accomidate various jags and bullet pullers.
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