Thanks, Jay for the explanation. I’m active on the ML forum as flintsteel. Guess I’m skeptical but willing to see something new. I’d think a heavy fiber wad over the shot would tear the pattern to pieces. Anxious to hear what your experience is.

Your Manton was designed to be self priming. Of course it was before these huge personal liability awards but it works fine and really speeds ignition. Close frizzen and load with something like 3f and when pushing down the wad escaping air pressure will fill the pan to perfection. I’d reduce the powder charge by about 20% to start and then work back up if desired. I own a Manton target pistol with the same self priming feature. I load a 9mm case with 4f and load normally. The pan fills as much as Manton desired and ignition is almost instantaneous.

Am reading a biography of John Adams and just last night read that at the 1776 Continental Congress John Hancock always kept a silk handkerchief wrapped around his right hand. Some years before in a hunting accident he blew off all fingers. Wonder what he was doing…..ha!

Be careful, it’s a dangerous world out there!

Here is my Hege Manton lock clearly showing the self priming feature and the division on the bottom of the pan insures powder will be evenly distributed on each side. Very inconvenient to prime externally.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/71783_1024x711.jpg

Thanks Joe, I noticed this when I was cleaning up after shooting, but didn't know exactly what it was. That's pretty neat and shows how "cutting edge" these were at the time. Here is a picture of my lock.

I didn't find it too difficult to prime with 4f but I agree it is a little awkward as the shape is different than other flintlock pans.

Quick edit: I probably should have posted a picture of the right lock to show the similarity...

Here are some pics of the Manton patent lock interiors as nicely described by Joe Wood. Note the frizzen/pan shapes on this 7#1 oz, 17 bore gun. Also a shot of the platinum touch hole.

https://i.imgur.com/W4kTTIZ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/fFNrScE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hLvpWoB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qdjgZGd.jpg

I have used the skychief load and it is effective at tightening up patterns. I'm not exactly sure how it works but it does.

Here's the "inside" of the frizzen with the self priming feature.

https://i.imgur.com/abDOQSi.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uk7Jcsr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/yr9sh6S.jpg

A feature I didn't know existed.

Matt, I really only knew about the self priming patent, but this thread made me look deeper into my gun to see the product of the patent suggested earlier by Joe Wood. I can really see the logic of it all.

I have a .45 flint rifle in the style of J.P.Beck of Lebanon, PA (circa 1780-1820?) that I have drilled the touchole out to 5/64” and with the pan closed whilst loading it is self priming with the 3f I feed it. Pretty neat…..except it ain’t safe! Once again, John Hancock lost all fingers on one hand due to a hunting accident.