Test: RMC German Cut Agate Flints

[exMember]

Just installed a 1/2" RMC german cut agate flint on the Traditions Mountain Rifle. Flame Thrower to say the least! If I took my time and got better angles, you'd really see some sparks. This video however, shows plenty. Highly recommend these flints if you can not get the French Amber Flints in time.
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[Smokin' Joe]

Do you have a preference after testing?

Thanks Jon, good demo!

 

[Gramps]

Really great pictures.

Thanks.

Got a link on where to get those flints?

 

[patocazador]

I've heard bad reviews of cut/ground flints. The ones I bought from TOW are gray and don't spark for crap.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

I use Tom Fuller's English Gun Flints that I get from TOTW.  I've been happy with them but if there is something better out there......?

I might have to try taking a picture of the spark test myself.

 

[exMember]

Right now I will go with french amber. I have to do a lot of testing with these and see how they hold up and spark after being fouled up.

 

[BrownBear]

Interesting report.  I've always ducked cut flints because of the mixed reviews, but also for the price compared to most knapped flints I've seen and used.

What did the RMC's set you back?

 

[exMember]

Out on the 50 yrd range and I am extremely impressed! The extra sparks I picked up with these flints has that mountain rifle shooting tight little groups, with instant ignition. Squeeze the trigger and that ball is out the bore and in the target. Going to take 2 shots at 75 yards and see where the ball impacts. May end up using a flintlock for my bear hunt afterall!

 

[exMember]

20 shots on the flint today on the range. Had to wipe the pan out once due to the humidity causing the 4fg to slow down a bit. The pan was getting moist and slowing down the pan powder burn rate. Wiped it and took 2 final shots at 75 yards and packed up a happy shooter!

I had one pan charge that did not ignite. Re-cocked it and took aim and it fired off perfect! Not sure what that was all about, but most likely due to the pan being damp. This happened long before I wiped the pan clean.

The flint is still sharp and throwing gorgeous amounts of spark into the pan.

Frizzen shows no sign of being damaged from the harder material either.

I will most likely be flintlock hunting for a bear!

 

[Smokin' Joe]

20 shots and still sharp is a real advantage over my English flints.  I would have been re-adjusting the flint closer to the frizzen as it wore down to get 20 shots.

 

[patocazador]

I'd have to knap a new edge on my black English flints after 25 shots. My unsawn French amber flints last about twice as long as the black ones. The black ones seem to be more brittle and small pieces chip off fairly easy ... unless I just got a bad batch of them.

 

[BrownBear]

20 shots and still sharp is a real advantage over my English flints.  I would have been re-adjusting the flint closer to the frizzen as it wore down to get 20 shots.

Try this with your English flints (or any other):

When you first mount the flint, close the frizzen and ease the flint down against it while holding the frizzen in place against the flint. If the flint is a little cockeyed to the frizzen, loosen and straighten it.  That alone will add miles (or shots) to a flint.

Next up, once the flint is true to the frizzen, keep pressing your other hand to hold the frizzen in place and press the flint down against it with a little pressure from the other hand.  It will do lots of small knapping on the edge and remove any high spots. Do that every 5 or 10 shots depending on the gun and the flint and it will stay pretty true and sharp without any big hunks flying off.

I can go 40 or 50 shots on all my guns with black English flints before having to adjust them. And after adjustment I can get another 40 or 50 shots.  Might get away with one more readjustment, but I usually quit at that point and replace the flint unless it's one of those perfectly shaped ones that allows yet another adjustment before it gets too short.