The Best Flintlock Priming Powders:

[momsworry]

Those out there with experience using a few which is best.  I know that the FFFFG granulaion is best, but what brand is the better of those? Goex? Swiss? Elephant???

[Ramrod]

How do you know FFFFG is best? Some folks prime with the same powder they load with. Musket shooters are actually priming with FFG. I have even heard tell that you don't have to prime the pan at all, once your flash hole gets eroded big enough. See, it's not about absolutes, and there is no one best of anything.

[crow_feather]

But if you were to do it normal like, the best priming powder is what works best in YOUR rifle.  I have never had a problem with Goex 4f.  It is also good for those that load ball first - then powder.

C F

[roundball]

Those out there with experience using a few which is best.  I know that the FFFFG granulaion is best, but what brand is the better of those? Goex? Swiss? Elephant???

My opinions are as follows:

I wouldn't have another can of Elephant in my house under any circumstances;

Swiss is unecessarily expensive;

Goex is an outstanding, hi performance, reasonably priced powder, and all I use is Goex FFFFg for priming.
It's an established fact that smaller granulations burn faster and while many post they can't tell a difference, just based upon the facts, I only use FFFFg because I want every millisecond of ignition speed I can get.

PS: and hunting is no sweat with FFFFg priming either...I just refresh it every 45mins to an hour...takes 15 seconds, costs less than a penny, and I've never had a misfire or delayed fire hunting with it.

[Birddog6]

I use the 4F in the pan at the range as it is easy to dispense thru a primer flask.  I use 3F or 2F in the pan when hunting simply because it works wonderfully & it is the traditional way. As far as ignition time between 3F & 4F, we are talking hundredths of a second.....  I used 3F in the pan for 20+ years as 4F was too hard to get locally.

Powder choices ? I would go with Goex & Scheutzen for the large bores & Swiss is the 'Top Dog" in powder for the small bores.  Truthfully if you gave me a can of Elephant, I would politely say thank you & proceed to pour it over the lawn as it makes a much better fertilizer than powder charge.... one thing for sure, with Elephant on your lown you don't have to worry about any instant ignition on the hot dry days....  ha ha ! :grin:
Really had bad experiences with the Elephant..... and I know it was the case lots but there again, nobody should produce such crap & know it & let it go.....  Anyone putting out crap like that should be out of business..
The new Scheutzen is a great replacement as competition for Goex & actually a little better powder, but real close to the Goex.

[lostid]

See, it's not about absolutes, and there is no one best of anything.

 hhmmm.(grunt,)

[Rustyinfla]

It's been a few years since I shot muzzleloaders but when I did, my rocklock was as fast as any CVA around. Except the inlines that is. A very small amount of Goex XXXX was always best for me. For top speed make sure the level of the priming charge is BELOW the level of the touch hole. It actually takes very little powder to prime with.

       Rustyinfla <><

[jeager106]

Swiss NullB.
Best there is.

[Bob/FLA]

I've been shooting flintlocks for a while and prime with the same powder I use in the main charge.  3F in the 35 cal and 2F in the 72 cal.  The BIGGEST problem with ignition is rock quality.  Many people like the flints from Track of the Wolf.  I cannot personally recommend them as I buy mine from another dealer.  

4F has no graphite coating which means it is very hydroscopic.  As noted above, it has to be changed frequently.  I prefer something more dependable.  I can say that in the 72, I have the best rocks and a properly installed touch hole liner, and it is the FASTEST flinter I have ever shot.  The gun discharges before the frizen stops moving!  

ROCKS are the key!

For what it's worth...Bob

[robin_du_bois]

momsworry,

Like most of these guys say, it's what works best for you.  Another forum online is frequented by many of the best gun-part builders.  One of those is Jim Chambers, from whom many of us have purchased our locks.  Chambers once posted a response to the very question you ask pointing out, unequivocally, that none of the powders burn any faster than any other.  In fact, as has been said, 4f is probably the least effective prime powder due to the lack of any protection between powder and moisture.  Chambers claimed to have measured the various grades of powder with a high-speed camera and computer.  According to his research, no powder, fine or coarse, ignited even a fraction of a second faster than any other.

In my own experience I began, as most of us, under the misconception that 4f was the only powder to use in a pan.  After hunting in rain and snow countless times since I have come to the point where I only use 3f in the pan.  I have had several occasions when, carelessly, I let snow or moisture reach my lock.  Even after all attempts at drying the mechanism I was still left with mis-fires using 4f. However, immediately upon applying 3f the gun fired, in every case, without hesitation.