Originally Posted by
Beowulf65
Here are some things I think one needs to consider when buying a Flintlock, these are only my opinions and subject to your scrutiny, being a range officer and owning three muzzleloaders, having been to many shoots, and working on more than few this is what I have found out.
To me when a flintlock gun makes a clean kill on a game animal, or your doing a trek, the user is filled with a since of wonder, satisfaction and joy that is the approximate equivalent of a kid witnessing his first large-scale fireworks display. There is something special about that sharp rock rasping against a piece of steel to initiate a six-part chain of events that ultimately results in a ball leaving the barrel of the gun. Not only does the gun have to function, but the user of the "flintlock" has to do his, or her, part, too. Through all of this process he has to not flinch in anticipation of the forthcoming eruption of sparks and flame 2 inches from his nose, hold the gun on target, hold the gun on target, and maybe even hold the gun on target some more should ignition be delayed. All of this assumes that the gun has been kept clean and dry throughout the hunt, the flint is still firmly held in the cock and that the pan is appropriately primed with the proper amount and grade of powder, and that the powder is situated in the proper part of the pan. No wonder that our ancestors were quick to give thanks to divine intervention when they brought home a deer or won a hard fought battle. While seeking providential blessings is still good practice, some homework, practice and a few practical precautions can increase the odds of having a successful flintlock experience.
Buy quality. Purchase as good a gun as you can afford. Custom guns with hand-tuned locks are reliable but not always affordable, but they give many more shots with a single flint, take considerably less priming powder, and are often extremely attractive firearms. Having a good gun to start with helps speed up the learning process considerably. This does not mean it has to cost $1500 to $2000 and up.
Test the lock. A well-designed flintlock will have a strong mainspring, a frizzen spring with enough resistance so that the frizzen snaps back smartly, the cock will place the flint directly over the middle of the pan when the hammer is down, and the lock should not have a rough feel when the hammer is let down. Polish burrs off the lock parts for smoother function. If you don't feel you have the skills to do this, let an experienced shooter show you how.
Trim the flint to proper length or buy the right size flint. A properly fitted flint should set square to and just back of the face of the frizzen when properly held by the leather padding in the flint's jaws. Trim the back of the flint by holding it in vise grips and knocking off the excess with a napping hammer. Proceed slowly taking off an even row of spalls at the time. This part is debatable… Cut a notch in the rear of the leather padding to allow the flint to rest against the cock screw for indexing and added support. The less expensive the lock the better the quality of flints must be used and the fewer strikes that a flint will give before it needs to be replaced. Cut and polished agate flints are sometimes the only flints that will work in factory-made flintlocks, and sometimes these flints can be used only once before they must be retouched. Always hunt with a new flint. When tightening a flint, take up the slack, allow a few seconds for the leather to compress, and then give a final twist on the jaw screw to firm everything up.
Carry your gun with the frizzen back and the hammer down in the pan to prevent unintentional discharges. Powder can leak from the barrel into the pan as you walks. If the frizzen is down and the hammer halfcocked, it is possible for the hammer to catch on something, cock and fire the gun, or fire the gun if it falls on the ground. (This was the most common cause of accidents when flintlock guns were used in the military. A gun, although unprimed, would be propped up on something and would discharge when it fell.)
Experiment with different amounts of powder in the pan at different positions to determine how much priming powder your gun needs to function properly. Too much powder, particularly if the touchhole is crammed full, will retard ignition. Most of the time flintlocks work best with a half-full pan of powder, but some of the poorer locks are only reliable if powder is crushed beneath the frizzen plate behind the pan.
Use a vent pick to make sure that the touchhole is open. Some powder in the bottom is all right, but it must not be crammed full or it will act like a fuse. Use a leather cow’s knee to keep your gun's lock dry.
Clean and dry the gun after each hunt.
Never, ever smoke around black powder or allow anyone else to smoke around you.
Most of these are already known and more than a few are common sense but it seems at most shoots I have gone to some of these are over looked.
Beo,
