Use of Pydrodex/Black Powder Substitute in a Flintlock

[gfanikf]

I'm possibly acquiring a TC Hawken Flintlock for hunting and well fun with a historical boomstick. I read the manual on the TC Arms website and it mentions that Pydrodex is NOT recommended for use in a flintlock. Now the problem is while my wife is fine...err tolerating me keeping smokeless powder and primers to start reloading 8mm Mauser and 30-06, I know there is no way I can convince her to let me keep Black Powder. Now before people say don't mention it to her, it's not how our relationship is and considering the amount of guns I own and the time I have to shoot,she's been good on her end, I owe her the same. More so I rent and I'm pretty sure my homeowners association would flip if there was an accident and black powder was found and I suspect my landlord would too (then again we had to buy a very high amount of personal liability insurance when renting vs the standard lol). Plus I'm getting used to smokeless powders and primers, I'm not ready include black powder. So is there anyway to use, safely of course, Pydrodex or a Black Powder Substitute in a Flintlock so I can avoid needing to buy and store black powder?

Thanks!

 

[BigG]

Pyrodex will not ignite with a typical flash from a flintlock. I used Pyrodex in my flintlock by putting a 9mm shell worth of BP first and a measure of Pyrodex on top before ramming the patched ball. It went off fine then with the starter charge.

 

[gfanikf]

I see, well that raises some issues. I just don't know how comfortable I am with storing black powder (that and ordering non bulk amounts is big pain/no financially feasible...though I think their is a dealer 90 minutes away).

 

[mykeal]

BigG is correct about the difficulty of igniting substitute black powder in a flintlock; the substitutes all have a substantially higher flash point than real black powder. The only solution is as he suggests, a duplex charge incorporating a small amount of real black powder at the breech end of the charge.

I don't understand your concern about storage of real black powder, however. It's a fact that it has a lower ignition point, and is thus classified differently than smokeless or substitute black powder, but storing the small amounts home hobbyists use does not require any special provisions either in terms of facilities or insurance. If you're already keeping a few pounds of smokeless powder, a couple more pounds of real black powder does not increase the hazard. If you'd like to pursue that, have a chat with your insurance man and be sure he understands it's for a home hobby and the amounts will be small.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

you don't have to order 20 lbs. You are an hour from Dixon's Muzzle loader shop. Take a ride. See real muzzleloaders and buy a pound of powder and a few oz of 4f for the pan.

 

[Byron]

I just called Pyrodex and explained the situation. I was told if the flash hole is bigger than what came with the T/C Hawken in Flint and about 4 grains of FFFF,I should have no problems. I use the Select in my T/C Hawken pecussion and #11 magnum cap and ignition is instantainous. gfanikf has an agreement with his wife that should be honored and respected. She seems understanding. I have been married 41 years and confidence in each other is vital. Byron

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Hair Spray, nail polish remover, oil lamps, a bottle of whiskey and a fireplace in the home are each alone far more statistically liable to cause an injury or fire than black powder.

How many homes have a gallon of gas, or some paint thinner in the shop or garage. Aerosol paint cans are more likely to blow up. Crystal Drano is more volatile.

The fear of having black powder around when the other stuff is present is extremely irrational.

 

[mykeal]

gfanikf has an agreement with his wife that should be honored and respected. She seems understanding. I have been married 41 years and confidence in each other is vital. Byron

I didn't suggest gfanikf dishonor his agreements with his wife. I do suggest he get the facts about real black powder and discuss her fears with her. A partnership is a TWO way street, and she should be willing to listen to the facts and rational discourse, don't you think?

I was told if the flash hole is bigger than what came with the T/C Hawken in Flint and about 4 grains of FFFF,I should have no problems.

Sounds to me like Hodgdon agrees with using a duplex charge, yes?

 

[Byron]

Mykeal, Hodgdon was not referring to a duplex charge but Pyrodex in the barrel, a larger flash hole and 4F in the pan.

 

[mykeal]

Well in that case, they're wrong. I don't claim it will never fire, but you will have a significant percentage of ftf's.

 

[gfanikf]

On the bright side after talking things over, everything is gtg.

 

[mykeal]

Now that's the right answer.

 

[gfanikf]

Now that's the right answer.

Worked for me. Like I said when you have a package labeled EXPLOSIVE on it, it's hard to easily save it's safe at first try. lol

Biggest issue is I know the Homeowners Assoication would go ballistic...but luckily I'm not telling them. I would tell a firefighter if a fire occurred (same with the ammo and smoke less, I'm not going to have a FF life put in jeopardy), luckily it is far away from kitchen and laundry room and being in the bedroom worse to worse grab it and chuck it out the side door...of course getting wife, baby, and cat out first is more important (I have insurance for a reason!).

 

[BigG]

Mykeal, Hodgdon was not referring to a duplex charge but Pyrodex in the barrel, a larger flash hole and 4F in the pan.

Agree with Mykeal that this is incorrect. My first post was correct.

The other thing is you don't need 4F BP. 2F or 3F flashes off just nicely in my Hawken. I think I use 3F because I shoot revolvers and that's what works in them. So the starter charge of BP in the barrel, a normal measure of Pyrodex and the patched ball fired off by a few grains of BP in the flashpan. Make sure the flash hole is unobstructed and put the priming powder to the outside of the pan away from the barrel. When you close the pan cover just tip the rifle to the right 90 degrees so the powder goes to the outside. It goes off every time like that.

 

[robhof]

robhof

As far as danger goes, I had a 5lb can of 1f for a .75cal cannon that I bought in the mid 60's that still had about 2lbs of powder in the can after being put with the cannon in a wooden box and stored for about 35+yrs. My brother and I found it when we were cleaning out our parents home, still had some fuse so we dropped in about 100gr and some newspaper wadding and touched off the fuse, worked just like it did in the 60's.