proper pan fitting for a flintlock

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

I only have half a pound of Goex left, that's all i have left of my original two pounds that i used when I first got into muzzleloading. Can't find the stuff anywhere.
I appreciate all the help on this thread. Maybe one day in the coming weeks, I'll get around to reinletting the lockplate, if I can find the proper tools. I don't want to have to redo the whole stock though, albeit there's a horrid laquer smell on it that gives me headaches.
Another quick question, I bought a bag of musket flints which are really impressive but they are bigger than the flint that came on this rifle. On my rifle the flint is bigger than pistol size, but smaller than my musket flints. Is it okay to use what may be a oversized flint on your cock?

 

[SC45-70]

I only have half a pound of Goex left, that's all i have left of my original two pounds that i used when I first got into muzzleloading. Can't find the stuff anywhere.
I appreciate all the help on this thread. Maybe one day in the coming weeks, I'll get around to reinletting the lockplate, if I can find the proper tools. I don't want to have to redo the whole stock though, albeit there's a horrid laquer smell on it that gives me headaches.
Another quick question, I bought a bag of musket flints which are really impressive but they are bigger than the flint that came on this rifle. On my rifle the flint is bigger than pistol size, but smaller than my musket flints. Is it okay to use what may be a oversized flint on your cock?

As long as the flint does not touch the closed frizzen at half cock and the flints open the frizzen, don't hit the barrel and the jaw screw don't hit the frizzen when fired they should be OK.
Personally I don't think a small gap between the lock and barrel will cause reliability problems but you will have to remove the lock and clean the internals after every shooting session as it will get fouling through the gap.

SC45-70

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I've always thought a wider flint would throw more sparks, more contact area, so I usually use as big a flint as I can, as long as it fits all the criteria as stated above. Having said that, some of my best sparkers (flints) are not "big". I really like the French Amber flints, but right now I have a English Black flint that sparks like crazy in me Jeager, that I pulled out of the pile just to do some target work.

A gap between the barrel and lock won't cause reliability issues, I don't think, but if your priming falls through, and accumulates, you can get some fireworks that you don't really want. I'd be real careful about that.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

On the inletting, if that is what is preventing the lock plate from butting up tight against the barrel, there will probably on be one, or some small areas that will have to be relieved. It "shouldn't" be a big job. None of your cuts will be on the outside of the wood, so no worries there. Just go slow, "smoke" the lock, tiny bit at a time. Might just be the area under the tumbler/sear, or some other point like the main-spring. You'll find it easy to figure out.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

or some other point like the main-spring. You'll find it easy to figure out.

So it's okay to file down the metal parts in the lock to make it inlet more closely to the lock?

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Nein! That would be where you would remove wood.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

Nein! That would be where you would remove wood.

But what if like the sear spring or some screw is hitting the metal, preventing the pan from getting closer to the flashole ?

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Won't happen.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

If it does the stock has been over inletted or you have a poorly made lock.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

you have a poorly made lock.

Which seems to be the case. Gonna need chim stock for that project but that's for a different thread.

Thanks for all the advice on the Baker though.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

Hope you get it sorted out.

With the information from all you, hopefully I will. These are all questions that I needed answered.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

The only problem I have had with ignition problems on my flinters is when I had a little over spray from the silicone lube I used to wipe down the outside of the barrel after cleaning. Once I removed that from the frizzen I never had any more problems, but as others have stated I use FFFF powder to prime mine.

 

[.38 Special]

I personally have found that touch hole position doesn't matter much. The two important things, in my opinion, are Null b powder and a large, thin touch hole. Null b is very easy to light, so even a poor spark will set it off. Combined with a touch hole large enough and thin enough that powder from the main charge is visible through it, ignition is fast and reliable.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

That's true, my Jeager has a "White Lightning" vent liner, which is coned on the inside, and puts the main charge close to the pan. I'm not sure what diameter the hole is, but it's not small or tiny for sure. Coning the flash hole on the outside of my barrel, on my Brown Bess kind of did the same thing, made the touch/flash hole shorter. Or more "thin" I guess. The Bess goes off nice and fast, but the Jeager, wow, it's very close to "instant". I'd say the Bess is 99% reliable, and would call the Jeager 100% when it is clean. Flintlocks are details, details, details, and more details.