.32 Flinter Kit Arrived Today

[River runner]

That Pedersoli .32 Flintlock arrived via UPS today intact. I opened er up and there lay the makings of one fine rifle. All the inletting was done, and all the barrel needs is a buffing, but the brass trim is really rough, and the stock is rough as a cob, but looks like it's going to have a nice grain, lots of character. I started on the stock tonight for a little bit, working on the wood to metal fit-rough sanding etc. It's gonna take me awhile, but I think I'm gonna have a squirrel rifle I'll be right proud of. Where is the best place to get flints? It didn't come with a flint, probably won't need one for a spell any how, just had to spout off about my new toy.    RR

[KING]

  Hey  RR i will knapp ya some if ya cant find any.  let me know,I will get some to ya one way or ta other  King

[Birddog6]

You can buy English Flints at October Country the cheapest. Also, Tracks, Log Cabin, ML Builders Supopluy, etc.  You will fine the English flints are the best you can buy.   :-)

[River runner]

Thanks for the info guys: btw King I responded to your private message, but the e-mail came back to me, or was that just a copy? Let me know if ya got it. I'll probably try Dixie for flints, it takes a 5/8" according to the paper work. It also said to use to thin pieces of lead on either side of the flint? The few flinters I shot used leather if I'm not mistaken? I get my lead in sheets so I guess that wouldn't be a problem, but I'll probably use leather.

Worked on the brass tonight for a bit, smoothed out the nose cap, trigger guard, and rear thimble. and started working on the trigger assembly. I'll have to get some 80 or 100 grit sand paper to better work that stock, I didn't make much headway using 150 the other night.

Oh yea, whats the difference between English flints, and the other kind? What makes one better than the other? Sorry about all the questions, but I'm new to these Flintlocks. RR

[fredj]

RiverRunner- A random orbital sander makes stock finishing considerably easier, when you've sanded it as much as you're going to raise the grain with rubbing alcohol and steel wool it when it dries, do this a couple of times it really helps.
   As to the flints you have to experiment each particular lock will have it's own specific quirks, regardless of brand, the next rifle off the line from yours might require a super hard sawn flint, your's might not work well with those at all and would work best with an English flint, bevel up or down some like a slightly larger or smaller flint etc. You really have to experiment if you go to Friendship for the fall or spring nationals you'll find
some of the manufacturers as well as old farts that can really make just about any lock really sing because they have many years of experience playing with them, even the higher quality custom locks invariably benefit
from some tweaking and then the owner has to spend some time learning his locks specific traits.
fredj

[KING]

RR  I have been having some computer problems as of late. (read all evening last,and tonight along with the daytime)  A computer friend was over for most of the day working on it and we just got everything up and running about 2 hours ago.  Like Fredj told ya,each flinter works best with a particular type of  " flint ". in it.  The Best is the ENGLISH FLINT,becuse it is a true type of flint.  There are numerouse types,found in the U.S. but none are true flint.  I also use some sawn agate type that work very well.  I have some large flint nodules that are from England and have napped a few,and as a matter of fact that is what I used in that little .32 Pedersoli that I was shooting yesterday in the local mzl shoot.  I had probably 25 to 30 shots with it already,prior to it giving me some problems on one of the targets,and I just turned it around and worked fine for the rest of the match.  I use some leather (thin) to hold it in the jaws so it does not slip.  I also have used lead,and like that also,but it depends on the jaws on yer lock.  Im not the most knowledgable on flinters so I just kinda go with what the old boys tell me.  The lead was a simple round splitshot,like used fer fishing,hammered into a thin flat plate to use in the jaws.  Everyone that was near me at the shoot kept asking me if my gun was going off when I shot it.  I really love shooting that  little .32  One other thing to help confuse ya a little.  Once you get the gun completed and you find that it does not..spark..very well,you may have to heat up the frizzen face,and harden it in cassenet( i do it in my work room and its from Dixie also,with simple instructions)   King

[peter nap]

The idea about the lead is that the leather acts as a shock absorber and the lead doesn't. The theory is that you will get more sparks from the lead because of the more solid strike. It's one of those things I've been putting off trying for a while.

[KING]

Hey Peter Nap!...I did not know that,but now that you mentioned it,it does make a lot of sense..Thanks for the info....King