Flintlock in competition?

[SHARPS4953]

Im sure the answers in the rule book but im being lazy here. Are flintlocks legal to use in the smoothbore competition, ie; brown bess? If so is a priming flask ok to use or is there some other N SSA way of priming at the line?

Scott Fisher
1st Maine HA

[jonk]

They are legal, though most will require a SAC card, minus some originals (the 1816 I believe for instance, pre conversion). Not all models are legal, either, though the Brown Bess is. That said, there were a lot of models of the Bess, and the SAC would be the best to weigh in on which one(s) are legal.

Priming is not to be done from a flask. Separate measured priming charges are required. A test tube, or fired casing with a cork in it, or foil wrapped charge, or what have you would be ok.

I have thought about giving this a go myself; good luck if you do.

[Mike w/ 34th]

Scott,

I've got SAC cards for both of my repro Brown Besses. What they look for is that they're dimensionally correct (barrel length, length of pull) and made in England, Italy, or Japan (not India or Pakistan).

Obviously, there were large numbers of India Pattern guns in Southern armories that had been captured from Mexico during that war, and British flintlock muskets were issued to prison guards and home guard units, but sources are vague on the model. They could have been talking about the Long Land Pattern, or Short Land Pattern, both of which were captured in large numbers during the Revolutionary War (7,000 at Yorktown alone).

As for priming, I use tubes made for .44 cal pistol, which are available on Sutler's Row. I cap them with a soft rubber cap from the hardware store, or in a pinch, just use a .44 ball and drop it into the cup on my belt so I can reuse it. I fill with 10 grains of 3F. I wouldn't use 4F priming powder, but if you do, don't put it in anything that could ever get mixed in with actual pistol charges.

In team competition, they're awfully slow, but quite fun. Good luck with it!

-Mike

[SHARPS4953]

Scott,

I've got SAC cards for both of my repro Brown Besses. What they look for is that they're dimensionally correct (barrel length, length of pull) and made in England, Italy, or Japan (not India or Pakistan).

Obviously, there were large numbers of India Pattern guns in Southern armories that had been captured from Mexico during that war, and British flintlock muskets were issued to prison guards and home guard units, but sources are vague on the model. They could have been talking about the Long Land Pattern, or Short Land Pattern, both of which were captured in large numbers during the Revolutionary War (7,000 at Yorktown alone).

As for priming, I use tubes made for .44 cal pistol, which are available on Sutler's Row. I cap them with a soft rubber cap from the hardware store, or in a pinch, just use a .44 ball and drop it into the cup on my belt so I can reuse it. I fill with 10 grains of 3F. I wouldn't use 4F priming powder, but if you do, don't put it in anything that could ever get mixed in with actual pistol charges.

In team competition, they're awfully slow, but quite fun. Good luck with it!

-Mike

Mike thanks for the reply. Mine is a pedersoli from the early 90's. I was just gonna shoot it in the individual competition even though I cant hit the side of a barn with it..LOL. What size balls do you use in yours, ive heard some use 69 instead of the 75s for ease of loading but I cant imagine that would be too accurate. Ive shot and built many rifled flinters but even though ive had the bess for years its only been shot a hand full of times.

Thanks again
Scott

[Mike McDaniel]

If you're going to shoot a flintlock with separate priming powder, there's no sense using anything but the best. Swiss Null B. Incredibly fast.