First time Flinter

[gnorris]

I just started hunting with flintlocks today in the late season and absolutely love it. I have always liked flintlocks but just got my first one from santa clause, traditions pa pellet camo and stainless. Any tips would be greatly apprecaited, i want to build my next one, hopefully this spring and summer to use next hunting season.

[timberghost]

Welcome aboard gnorris and greetings from WNY. Huntingman is one of our long time members that is into the flintlock bigtime. He can probably help you out alot. We also have a new member Gamestalker that is into it as well.

[Hunting Man]

Looks like another flintlock hunter I have to admit I'm not familiar with your rifle but if you could give us some addiional info we can probably help you on the loads and additional equipment needs.

[BruceBruce1959]

The Traditions PA Flintlock is a sweet looking rifle, I was recently looking at one for myself.... (maybe next year)
oh and please Keep us posted to let us know how the Traditions PA Pellet performs.



PA Pellet .50 cal. Flintlock



This new Traditions flintlock makes loading, shooting and cleaning a breeze. A removable breech plug allows you to clean through the WHOLE barrel.

The magnum receiver accepts up to 150 grains of Pyrodex pellets or loose powder.


Ignites Pyrodex Pellets
26" Octagonal performance barrel with 1 in 48" twist
Removable breech plug system
Shoots saboted bullets accurately
Includes:
Tru-Glo fiber optic adjustable sights
A magnum receiver accepting up to a 150 grain magnum powder charge
A solid aluminum ramrod
Swivels for attaching a sling
Takedown allen key supplied
Complete instructions and Lifetime warranty information


Stock = Mossy Oak New Break-Up
Caliber = .50f
Barrel = 26" Nickel
Rate of Twist = 1 in 48"
Sights = Tru-Glo Fiber Optic
Ramrod = Aluminum
Overall Length = 45"
Weight = 7 lbs.

[Gamestalker]

I'm glad to see a new flintlocker here!
I don't want to offend you gnorris.
I don't have any experience with the gun you mentioned, but I've never heard anything good about the combination of flintlocks & pellets. Ignition is not reliable with pellets or even with loose pyrodex. People who get serious about flintlocks quickly learn that real black powder is the best. There are different brands of black powder, but my preference is Goex. That's probably because Goex is what I started out with about 35 years ago, Ive never had any problems with it & it used to be made about an hour from me in Scranton, PA. It's now made in Doyline, LA.

Good luck & let us know how that gun works out for you. If it doesn't work out well, don't give up on flintlocks......just get a better gun & take the time required to learn everything you can about loading & shooting them.

Make sure you pick the vent hole clean every time you load. A plugged vent will cause mis-fires that will frustrate you big time!

[Hunting Man]

I will be very interested in seeing if the gun will fire using pellets. If it doesn't, I'd simply switch to black powder. I still have a 1/2 can of 4f from the PA location and the rest is from the LA plant. Bass Pro and Cabela's sell black powder, you have ask for it as they store it in a vault out of sight. It runs about $27 a lb. I should be getting my project gun today or tommorow a late 70's CVA mountain rifle in flint of course. This will be the rifle my son & son-in-law will use to try flintlock hunting. These were actually more authentic looking than the now million selling TC Hawken, neither however, could be confused with the real McCoy. I don't know if Jake or Sam Hawken would be frowning or laughing at todays guns, hard to say, maybe just pleased to see the tradition continues.
I just wish Traditions would change their name, there's nothing remotely traditional like the pellet rifle except that it is a flintlock. Just a little post Christmas humor there BB, I know you have some stock in Traditions firearms and want to see those investment returns keep climbing. HA HA.......

[gnorris]

You wont affend me, im using 3f goex powder (95grs) with 245gr sabots, so far no miss fires at targets. Havent had chance at the beloved white tail yet. The picture and stats are exactly what i have, I want to build a Lymans plain rifle in flint for my next flint. I wanted something a little cheeper to get started with to make sure I liked it before I remorgaged my house and got devorsed. I LOVE IT, I've been smiling since sunday when i first shot it.

[Hunting Man]

gnorris, what we were wondering if the rifle would fire off using pellets? This would lead some to switch over just for the easier loading using pellets. I can't believe they get reliable ignition using pellets and 4f pan powder. The humor part of my post, bruce gives a lot of Tradition products support and I tend to favor TC products so I try to poke him a time or two. When everything works for you its a good thing no matter what name is on the barrel!

[gnorris]

A relative of mine told me to stay away from the pellets unless I was using a inline, said the only sure way to get them to fire in my flint was give a couple squirts down the barrel with my pan primer to get them burning. I wanted to stay a little more traditional too. My wife is the one that picked out the gun and bought it for me, I would have went more traditional stile, but she told me she went for shiny and pretty.

[gnorris]

I have some pellets but havent tried them yet, I will and will let you all know how they work out. What is the diferences between using 3f or 4f?