Another Flintlock Pistol I made

[george wilson]

The brass I used was 260 alloy. I just heated it to dull red and either quenched it or let it air cool. Best too let it cool a bit before quenching it because it can actually(and I've done it on thin pieces) crack severely. It does not need to be quenched at all. Air cooling is safer and gives the same result. Just takes longer.

If you are having some kind of trouble,I don't know what it causing it. I never heard of burning the zinc out. Is your brass very thin? Actually,in helping make jewelry models for my wife's business,we use .020" brass a lot. Are you SURE your metal was brass? Do you know the alloy? Were you heating it above dull red? It can soon slump if you do. Maybe you kept it hot for too long? I stop heating it as soon as I can see it's red.

Brass will work harden if hammered too much. In fact,the Japanese kept making matchlock guns many years after they were obsolete because they did not know how to make a steel spring. Hammered brass makes a suitable spring for a matchlock,weak as it is. All it does is hold the cock up out of the pan. No real force is required.

When they started building the Jefferson Accelerator near here,they asked me to make springs from phosphor bronze(there would have been thousands!!) Fortunately,they decided to go digital. I really didn't want the job!

[Joseph Klosek]

George,

When you proof fire the pistol, do you then adjust for accuracy?

I am curious as to the intent of the use of such a thing.

Is it a showcase of the makers talent and acumen meant to represent the owners status, or will it really function when pressed into duty?

What is it like to fire such a thing?

Very cool !

Thanks,

Joseph

[george wilson]

A flintlock pistol generally has no adjustable sights. The later target pistol I also made has an adjustable rear sight,but most do not. They were just made for close range defense.Yes,they function,and they were often status symbols. Most gentlemen had a pair of dueling pistols,and perhaps a pair of shorter barreled traveling pistols. Travel was dangerous. You had to be ready to defend yourself.

It is fun to fire the pistols. They make a big cloud of smoke. They can kick pretty hard,depending upon how much powder you put in. Most of the time about 25 or 30 grains would be used in a pistol(depended on the caliber). The gunsmith's shop once loaded one of their guns with 90 grains,and it kicked so hard the silver trigger guard got deformed against the knuckle of the shooter. 90 grains is a heavy hunting charge in a 60 caliber rifle!

The lock goes off first,then the main charge,with a Fa-Boom. The best guns go off more quickly than those of less quality. Durs Egg,a famous London maker,made some pistols with their locks on upside down. The powder in their pans would burn up before it could fall out. A disadvantage was,if the gun failed to ignite,you lost the primer. It was a means to advertise how fast his guns would fire.

Your hands can quickly get dirty when shooting black powder,especially revolvers. I have a Remington repro that used to make my trigger finger completely black. I brazed up the hole that the trigger came through in the trigger guard,so that there was barely room for the trigger to move. That helped a lot. Just loading gets you dirty,though. 20 shots with the Remington and it's cylinder would not turn any more. Being in battle must have been rough,unless you had water to spare to clean your gun. The barrels get full of crud,too,and must be cleaned.

What is not fun is cleaning!! Black powder is very corrosive,and I am always quick to clean the gun. You have to take it apart and clean with soapy water(to keep water off the stock). I usually put the steel parts in a 200 degree oven for a little while to get rid of the water,then oil everything.

[george wilson]

If any of you shoot black powder,use Swiss brand powder. Goex is much messier,and so is Elephant powder(actually made from elephant dung).