Flashing the Pan Prior to Loading?

So today I read some loading procedure rules for muzzle loaders from several of the local ranges in and around Baltimore County, Maryland. One of the rules is this:

Prior to loading, shooters using muzzle loading rifles or pistols shall fire caps on all nipples of percussion firearms, or a pan full of powder in a flintlock, while pointing the firearm downrange.

Now I have seen, and done, the firing of a cap on a nipple of a caplock, rifle, shotgun, or revolver, to ensure the flash-channel isn't blocked. But I've never heard of flashing the pan to do the same thing on a flintlock. Does anybody flash the pan on an empty chamber as part of the loading of a first shot?

In fact, I was taught that with a flintlock, the flash of the pan sends fire through the touch hole, and THEN when the main charge ignites, some of the fire and hot gases come back through the touch hole to the pan, which helps to keep the touch hole open..., and that flashing a pan on an empty barrel simply cruds-up the touch hole for no benefit.

Any thoughts?

LD

Never would I flash a pan to start it does nothing but dirty the parts.

It sounds like the rules at that club were made by someone with no idea on flintlocks.

I don't think that flashing the pan is as good as using a vent pick, pipe cleaner, or micro dental brush to ensure the flash hole is clear. There's no movement of air that you get from popping a cap on a percussion lock.

If what the intent is to verify that the firearm is going to fire for the first shot, then looking for sparks going into the pan on an empty gun is worthwhile.

There is the odd chance that the gun was left loaded...

Measuring the bore with a rod is a better way to see if it was left loaded IMHO

Prior to loading, shooters using muzzle loading rifles or pistols shall fire caps on all nipples of percussion firearms, or a pan full of powder in a flintlock, while pointing the firearm downrange.

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Shooting two or three caps in a percussion gun before loading a charge is a must for me. Flashing the pan is redundant.
Flintlocklar :wink:

Prior to loading, shooters using muzzle loading rifles or pistols shall fire caps on all nipples of percussion firearms, or a pan full of powder in a flintlock, while pointing the firearm downrange.

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Seems a waste of time to me.

Is a "flintlock shield" required while performing this task?

nhmoose said:

Measuring the bore with a rod is a better way to see if it was left loaded IMHO

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Actually I agree. Measuring the bore with a loading rod is best to see if the gun is loaded. Just reminder to always point your rifle in the direction you would want the body to go when the trigger is pulled.

It sounds like the rules at that club were made by someone with no idea on flintlocks.

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I agree, it sounded to me as though a person who doesn't use flintlocks made up a rule that was assumed duplicated the rule for busting caps on a caplock prior to loading..., but I wanted to make sure.

LD

I teach my beginning flint lock shooters to wipe the bore, check for a load and drop a half charge of powder down the bore then prime and fire to be sure that the first load will go off as intended. This is particularly effective with "English" or "chambered" breech. The "squib" load burns off any oil that may have lingered in the recess that the wiping patch can't get to. It also eliminated the need for a "fouling shot" for first shot accuracy.

If you prime a good flint lock rifle and point the muzzle close to some dry leaves or dust, you can see a puff of air being propelled out of the barrel when the priming ignites, demonstrating that the flash channel and breech is clear. Not as obvious as with a cap lock but is visible. Perhaps this is an unnecessary rule, but it really doesn't hurt anything and may reduce problems with the occasional recalcitrant muzzle loading rifle.

I bet they imported the same "experts" to write the club rules as write the gun laws in the Maryland legislature. :td:

Grenadier1758 said:

Just reminder to always point your rifle in the direction you would want the body to go when the trigger is pulled.

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Auto spellcheck caught me. Its where the bullet or ball should go.

I touch off a fouler load consisting of a measure of powder and a wet balled up cleaning patch at the beginning of a trail walk/range session, this ensures consistant bore conditions for each shot there after.

The "squib" load burns off any oil that may have lingered in the recess that the wiping patch can't get to. It also eliminated the need for a "fouling shot" for first shot accuracy.

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I touch off a fouler load consisting of a measure of powder and a wet balled up cleaning patch at the beginning of a trail walk/range session,

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Ah but in both of the above cases, gentlemen, you're touching off powder within the breech, and in the first case touching off merely the pan would not ignite and burn out all of the oil akin to busting a cap on a nipple on an empty chamber, thus the flashing of the pan does not have the back pressure (even found with small blank charges that are not wadded) needed to allow the hole to stay clear.

LD

Col. Batguano said:

I bet they imported the same "experts" to write the club rules as write the gun laws in the Maryland legislature. :td:

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In Minnesota the DNR writes the deer hunting laws, then sends them to Germany to be translated into Japanese, who then send them to Finland to be translated back into English and published for us hunters to try to figure out.

Tom

Loyalist Dave said:

,, local ranges in and around Baltimore County, Maryland. One of the rules is this:

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Well it's pretty obvious it's a "local range rule" and not a guide for proper use of a flint lock.
As I read your first post my only thought was "that" range wants ML users to make sure their rifles are indeed unloaded.
Many states require only that an ML be un-capped or "un-primed" for transport.
It is not suspicious to me that a specific range rule would be to "fire" down range an ML rifle before it's use at the range.
It's a fact that doing so would prove a clear rifle and prevent a double load.
Local ranges have to deal with the general public,, not the wise and secured members of this forum,
, :idunno:

I drop a half load of powder and top it with a ball of tow in my rocker. I believe it helps me to condition the bore. I have never had the next shot fail to fire because of a clogged touchhole.

MN284 said:

Col. Batguano said:

I bet they imported the same "experts" to write the club rules as write the gun laws in the Maryland legislature. :td:

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In Minnesota the DNR writes the deer hunting laws, then sends them to Germany to be translated into Japanese, who then send them to Finland to be translated back into English and published for us hunters to try to figure out.

Tom

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:shocked2: OMG I hope theres pictures :rotf:

Grenadier1758 said:

Grenadier1758 said:

Just reminder to always point your rifle in the direction you would want the body to go when the trigger is pulled.

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Auto spellcheck caught me. Its where the bullet or ball should go.

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:idunno: I Liked BODY :rotf: