A Random Question

I was wondering if when firing a Flintlock rifle if the actual flint can break a piece off and hit a person in the eye's ? Not sure if the chip has enough force to cause damage.

Yes it can, though it is a rare occurrence. Pieces of percussion caps can also fly out and hit you in the eye. This is why safety glasses/shooting glasses are recommended.

Gold Grizzly said:

I was wondering if when firing a Flintlock rifle if the actual flint can break a piece off and hit a person in the eye's ? Not sure if the chip has enough force to cause damage.

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The danger of eye injury is always there when shooting a gun, and a chipped flint can damage the eye. Safety glasses will reduce that risk.
Larry

I have never had it happen to me, but yes, it is possible for a flint to break off a piece.. I did have some percussion cap fragments pepper my face slightly once when I decided to see how heavy a charge I could shoot. It blew the hammer back to full cock. Always wear safety glasses.

I had a sizable pice of flint break off and hit my father in the cheek to the right of me. I also recommend wearing a form of eye protection and hearing protection (where applicable). If you are like me, when something like that crosses my mind it usually will happen sometime or another.
Have fun and stay safe!

Another reason to encase yourself in bubble wrap as soon as your feet hit the floor.

All risk must be mitigated immediately.

You definitely don't want a flint chip in your eyeball. Razor sharp bits can do a lot of damage even just blinking your eye with a shard of flint can shred your eye. Wear eye protection.

Coolhand said:

I had a sizable pice of flint break off and hit my father in the cheek to the right of me. I also recommend wearing a form of eye protection and hearing protection (where applicable). If you are like me, when something like that crosses my mind it usually will happen sometime or another.
Have fun and stay safe!

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I never let anyone stand to the right of me when I shoot my flinter. You would be surprised how strong the jet of gas is coming out of that touch hole.

Shooting flintlocks is not for the feint of heart.

64Springer said:

Another reason to encase yourself in bubble wrap as soon as your feet hit the floor.

All risk must be mitigated immediately.

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I only have one set of eyes and I like them. I will wear shooting Glasses/Sunglasses when ever i shoot, regardless of what i am shooting.

Small chips of flint are very sharp. Flint, when knapped, creates a very sharp edge. Flint has been used as knives long before iron was introduced. I have cut my fingers on the flints while in the cock's head. Small pieces of flint can easily cut and imbed in your eye if you are not wearing some sort of eye protection.

Coolhand said:

I had a sizable pice of flint break off and hit my father in the cheek to the right of me. I also recommend wearing a form of eye protection and hearing protection (where applicable). If you are like me, when something like that crosses my mind it usually will happen sometime or another.
Have fun and stay safe!

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A piece of flint is FAR more likely to blown out to the side by being caught in the vent blast from the barrel than it is to travel rearward into the shooter’s face.

Likely that is what happened. He didn’t stand there anymore after that happen that’s for sure.

smoothshooter said:

A piece of flint is FAR more likely to blown out to the side by being caught in the vent blast from the barrel than it is to travel rearward into the shooter’s face.

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I will not shoot anything, especially black powder guns without eye ( and hearing ) protection.

smoothshooter said:

A piece of flint is FAR more likely to blown out to the side by being caught in the vent blast from the barrel than it is to travel rearward into the shooter’s face.

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You willing to risk your eyesight on that? I'm not. Wear eye protection!

Don't usually wear hearing protection. I'm 66 and most things I hear are just noise I don't really wanna hear anyway.

Jedidiah said:

I only have one set of eyes and I like them. I will wear shooting Glasses/Sunglasses when ever i shoot, regardless of what i am shooting.

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This isn't a thread about eye protection.

We're taking fragile pieces of rock that chip easily and we're slamming them into solid chunks of hardened steel at dozens of miles per hour.

The answer to the original question is YES. Without question pieces of flint can chip off.

Thank You for all your answers. I know many things in life are a risky, makes it kinda fun sometime's. Not going to risk my eye's getting damaged, I will wear glasses for sure. A Ramrod through the hand I can live with, but not eye damage or blindness. I knew that flint has to get brittle but just wanted to hear from all of you guys about it happening. Like TDM said, shooting Flintlock's is not for the faint of heart. I will encase myself in bubble wrap and that will surely protect ! Lol 64Springer, that made laugh.

64Springer said:

This isn't a thread about eye protection.

We're taking fragile pieces of rock that chip easily and we're slamming them into solid chunks of hardened steel at dozens of miles per hour.

The answer to the original question is YES. Without question pieces of flint can chip off.

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Having a bad day?

Jedidiah said:

Having a bad day?

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I'm having a great day.

Scratch building my new Kentuckyish pistol.

And reading questions that are not questions at all.