Flint lock or Bag pipes?? Dilemma solved.

[gryffynklm]

The dilemma was the choice between a 200+ year old set of bagpipes with ivory and silver mounts or a flint lock kit. Last weekend I participated in what we called a primitive encampment at The Mountain State Forest Festival in elkins WV. I didn't get any shots of the encampment. I did manage to take a few pics of the English Fowler I picked up in a rifle raffle. Best $60 I've spent in a long time.

Its a 62 caliber 42" barrel english fowler circa mid to late 1700's made by a friend. Fortunate for me unfortunately for my friend he lost $400 on the kit price by the tickets sold. At least It went to someone who will remember who made and not a flat lander who sees it as a score for $5 in raffle tickets. The plan is that I'll get enough range time to take it hunting next year with Jack and take my first deer with it. Hunter63 and beowulf65 I'll be putting my shooting bag together from your posts on yours. Thanks.


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Kind of like Christmas early. Looks like I'll be getting the pipes in December.

[hunter63]

Karl, very nice!....You are gonna love it! ......Gotta love the raffles.

Don't you just love the way it it swings and mounts up?
These are more of a piece of art, than a firearm

I was just talking with the across the street neighbor yesterday, he is a piper, about basically the same thing.
We were looking at my new flint-er, and he was talking about a a friend that just got a antique set of pipes....and the discussion turned to ivory decorations and how hard it is the get anything thru customs with decorations made of ivory.

I'm working on my 'kit' for mine now, backing up my personna about 100 to 150 years.

[Sparky93]

Congadulations, that is a beautiful gun!

[Rick]

Hey! Who you callin' a Flatlander?! That's okay, I've been called worse.

Nice weapon. Nice score.

[gryffynklm]

Rick Good question??

Flatlander are those visitors to an event that ask questions that baffle all logic, not necessarily folks that don't reenact.

For example;

In this case a flatlander who thinks I only paid $5 in tickets I'll give it to little Bobby at 8 years he should be able to lift it.

At this event we got the usual your plastic ham is melting. Response is thats OK its designed to do that.

"Hey kid be careful around that stove, its still hot" To son: Father laughing, No its not, hand sizzles on stove pipe, says to kid lets get out of here! Good thing the kid listened to the adult.

Thats just a pie you warmed up you can't bake in a dutch oven. You don't really sleep out here do you?

To my wife writing with a quill. Is that a real feather? Are you really writing? Is that real ink? Can you really write with that? Did they really write with a feather back then?

I heard a parent explaining to a child "back then they didn't have houses only tents, when I tried to explain I got shushed as if contradiction the woman would some how damage the child.
Another reenactor, was told you're not really an indian, what are you like Italian or something?

All these questions were asked by an adult.

If you have asked any of these questions to an reenactor, you may be a flatlander. If you have any concerns seek out a professional for advice, it may not be too late.

[Sparky93]

I bet it was flatlanders that got lost in that corn maze!

[hunter63]

LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL.........and yeah LOL

[Rick]

Hunter knows who Flatlanders are. They are the same as FISH and FIBs. I KNOW he knows what those are. I have been called all three in my stays in Wisconsin. I'm an old Illinois boy, you know. But it ain't flat where I come from in Illinois.

[jake abraham]

sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gryffynklm]

Oh ya Hey, You go beyond da cheddarcurtain wid oot escort. Youre gona get called something. You might say that Hunters a chederlander if yu consider Kenosha and all. FIB, Illinois, Indiana, same difference ya know.

[Rick]

Hmmm. FIB....Indiana.....Yeah, works for me. I mean...wait just a darn minute!

[hunter63]

It has been my experience that the term 'flatlanders", used in this context, is more a state of mind (how do you say un-mind?, mindless? what ever?) than a location.....although certain locations seem to have a greater percentage by proportion of population.
Sort of like saying redneck, although redneck is more enduring.......

So there you have it....everyone put down your feathers and continue to bring that tourist money,....up nort,... here, ya dar hey?

[crashdive123]

Beautiful flint lock.

[Rick]

Karl - I know squat about muzzle loaders. It looks like the hammer is actually a vice of sorts that holds the flint. Two questions. What is placed between the flint and the jaws of the "vice"? Is that leather? (Ooops. That's one question). I would assume the life of the flint is dependent upon how much you shoot it but on average how long would a piece of flint last?

[Winter]

Wow, beautiful rifle.

[gryffynklm]

Rick, Thats correct a piece of leather helps the jaws of the cock hold the flint in place so it doesn't slip on the metal. The flint is shaped in a chisel edge which shaves of a bit of metal , much like using flint and steel in fire starting. As the flint becomes worn he edge on the flint is renewed by lightly hammering almost like knapping it with a flint tool. How long it lasts is difficult to say, it is dependent on how much you fire it. I make the decision on wether to change out the flint when I completely break it down and clean it for the winter. At that time thoroughly clean the lock and lubricate the moving parts. When I put it back together I check spark and inspect action. The charlevile needs the frizzen or surface the flint strikes on re hardened to improve spark.

I'm itching to fire the rifle. Black powder range is 3 miles up the road. Just need to join the club, get some 60 cal ball patch priming powder and I'm set. I try to take pics. I get rapped up in things and forget the camera.

[gryffynklm]

Crash, Winter, It is... You know when you find a gun or knife that sort of feels just right. Dang I want to shoot. Pretty exciting, with the smooth bore I would say I can hit a pie plate at 30 yards about %70 of the time. I just don't say I need about 20 plates in a tight group to hit that plate. LOL. Now I could call the plate.