Where to get flints?

[VaughnT]

I have a CVA Hawken that my brother gave me one Christmas a long time back and would love to shoot it some more, but I can never find flints that fit it. How do you tell what size flint will maximize performance? How long should a flint last (how many snaps)?

Also, is there a source for new locks for this model? There's a pin in there that's bent and I'd like to get a new one or a new lock.

 

[Poodleshooter]

Most purveyors of blackpowder accessories sell flints. Try www.midsouthshooterssupply.com
Flints are usually saw cut agate,IIRC. I'd love to make my own someday.

 

[BigG]

Cabelas sells em. The real aficionados of flinters claim that knapped English flints (made like the Indians made their arrowheads) are the best and I believe them. Claim to get more than 100 shots from each, IIRC. The sawn flints like Thompson Center sells can fail after only a couple strikes. Pretty expensive when they go for several bucks apiece.

450VGary or another expert will probably be able to give you some leads.

 

[Mike Irwin]

T/C and most other sawn flints SUCK.

I'll say that again, they SUCK.

I picked up some knapped English chert flints at a gunshow some year ago, and with judicious dressing of the flint edge with my short starter, I got a LOT of shots out of them.

With the cherts, the least number of shots I got from one was about 45-50, and the most I got from one took me through an ENTIRE 1-lb. can of black powder plus a little from another can. At 60-grains of FFFg powder, that would have been around 120 to 125 shots!

 

[BigG]

There ya go!

 

[thisaway]

Try Dixie Gun Works at www.dixiegun.com .

 

[BigG]

CVA has a website. Its name is *D'oh!* CVA

 

[Alex]

L&R makes high quality replacement locks for your CVA and others, they are the best bet if you want to go to a truly good flintlock. Personally I like the knapped flints too, I buy mine through either Dixie or www.trackofthewolf.com

 

[Mike Irwin]

Two sawn flints for $11!!!

No freaking way!

I've been thinking about this, and I've come up with a possible reason why sawn flints can shatter after a couple of rounds, while others work fairly well for awhile.

Flint, I believe, has a definite grain pattern to it -- like a diamond it tends to cleave along certain molecular planes.

A good flint knapper can identify those planes, and work within the flint's boundaries to make a good, long-lived flint.

Sawn flint, however, may be sawn at angles to the molecular planes, angles that promote easy breakage.

Short answer is, go hand knapped. They're expensive initially, but if my experience is any guide, they are a LOT cheaper in the long run.

 

[Mike Irwin]

HOLY CRAP!

T-C size flints from Track of the Wolf, hand knapped flints, are CHEAP compared to the CVA sawn flints!!!!!

A buck a piece!!!

Why would ANYONE buy sawn flints when they can get knapped flints this cheaply?

 

[BigG]

I use the musket flints for my Brown Bess repro. It's got a goose cock about 4" high. The flint is about 2X larger than a typical rifle flint.

 

[thisaway]

BigG,
I use musket flints in my Hatfield rifle. They hang past the edge of the frizzen by about 1/8th inch, but boy do they spark!

 

[BigG]

Cool, thisaway. What's a Hatfield rifle?