Flintlock or Percussion shooting .... Which is easier?

Spent some time discussing the differences while shooting a percussion & flint gun.
Enjoy:

To me, the flintlock is the manual transmission of the rifle world. Shoot well with one, and you can shoot anything. Dang things gave me fits for decades...

Model "T" or Model "A" ? Same comparison to me. Both get you to town, but one's more challenging. Both are a heck of a lot of fun.

One reason I prefer flintlock is that right now it’s easier for me to make flints than buy percussion caps. Plus, I just think flintlocks are cool.

Percussion is great, that is, until you run out of caps. Plus, with caps, it's one shot period. At least with flintlocks you get many more shots before having to replace the flint.

Respectfully, Sir, if you are looking for "easy" muzzle loading is not the game for you.

Admittedly, shooting a percussion lock gun is the triumph of technology over art. But the shooting of a flintlock is experiencing the thrill of fine art in your own hands. I find I shoot my flint locks more than my percussion lock guns.

Rifleman1776 said:

Respectfully, Sir, if you are looking for "easy" muzzle loading is not the game for you.

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Oh...I LOVE shooting both styles. The flint guns are more thrilling to operate for sure!!!.
I don't look for easy guns to shoot. That's what modern guns are for.
I probably have more SNAFU's that anyone out there shooting these rascals!
However, I do get requests to post some percussion videos often too.
Therefore...I stick an ol' cap gun video in here and there.

Thanks for watching my friend....God Bless.

Banjoman said:

One reason I prefer flintlock is that right now it’s easier for me to make flints than buy percussion caps. Plus, I just think flintlocks are cool.

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I agree...!!
I have plenty of supplies to operate both types for several years.
However, those flint guns are what keeps me going.
That's why most videos I post usually has a flint involved somehow.
Thanks for watching my friend....God Bless.

i shoot flintlock almost exclusively. i have almost as many caplocks as i do flintlock but it just seems my hand comes out of the cabinet with a rock scratcher.
i have a pretty nice collection of center fire lever guns that i take out of the cabinets and dust, look for rust and put back.
flintlock shooting soothes my soul. even enjoy the cleaning.
i don't see it as one being easier to shoot than the other. just more pleasing shooting a flintlock.
I had a nice bear that a very reliable flintlock klatched three times in a row while that bear stood 30 yards away this last season.
Bear didn't stick around for a 4th. took the gun home and aimed at my gong. it fired. could i have gotten him with a percussion? probably.
but it didn't bother me one bit.
that rifle has never klatched on me since.
p.s. i need to find some bowling pins! that looks fun!

Both are great! Flints require maybe somewhat more patience to get 'squared away' but once you complete the learning curve....they're a hoot to shoot! I had to get a new cock a while back for the one shown as the screw had been bent and the threads were bad. Got it installed and it ignites every time I pull the trigger. If the screw is good in the cock and one 'picks' the flints used (flat on top) such that the flint will remain static.....you're good to go!!

Hawken .54 Rocklock by Sharps Man, on Flickr

The question was which is easier. Percussion is by a long shot. Didn't ask about which is more fun, cap shortages, or which is cooler. Just which is easier. Flint shooting requires a more complicated skill set than percussion. Plain and simple.

Hawk54 said:

The question was which is easier. Percussion is by a long shot. Didn't ask about which is more fun, cap shortages, or which is cooler. Just which is easier. Flint shooting requires a more complicated skill set than percussion. Plain and simple.

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BS...Flintlocks are easier, no caps to fumble around and mess with, both are loaded from the muzzle, fill the pan on a flinter and you are good to go, simple...

Personally, if you know how to flint correctly, there's not much difference between 'em. I think flinting is more satisfying. Semper Fi.

Thanks B P Maniac, that was another great video. It's fun to watch and laugh at them.

Sidney Smith said:

Percussion is great, that is, until you run out of caps. Plus, with caps, it's one shot period. At least with flintlocks you get many more shots before having to replace the flint.

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Sometimes1shot is all you need. Keep the nipple clear and powder dry! But its all good and its all about various eras and traditions. So enjoy both equally.

B P Maniac Shooter said:

Spent some time discussing the differences while shooting a percussion & flint gun.
Enjoy:

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Perhaps I missed it, what is the range of the pins from the bench? Semper Fi.

nchawkeye said:

BS...Flintlocks are easier, no caps to fumble around and mess with, both are loaded from the muzzle, fill the pan on a flinter and you are good to go, simple...

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Nonsense. 1) I rarely fumble with caps. 2) As eveidenced on this forum many people struggle with some off the shelf flintlocks with good ignition for many reasons such as soft frizzen, wrong flint, worn flint, hole is too small, etc. 3) Many carry two types of powder for a flintlock. One for pan and one for barrel. Hence two containers of powder. Four F powder is and has been near impossible to find around here. Most any powder was hard to find. Caps around here were harder to find but never unobtainable. 4) Poring the correct amount of powder into the pan just right and closing it, especially in very windy or rain conditions is far harder and more work than a putting a cap on a nipple. 5) Knapping a flint is beyond most new shooters. Even getting a replacement flint to fit correctly is tough. 6) Many new shooters have a tough time holding a flinchlock steady through the flash and ignition. Have seen this and heard it from shooters many times. 7) From many years of experience many new shooters will shoot a percussion much better right from the start with a percussion than a flintlock.

I like and shoot flintlocks but I will acknowledge it takes a different skill set for flintlocks. I know shooters who won't shoot flintlocks for some of the reasons I listed. I have a friend who has many many firearms and he won't touch a flintlock. He does shoot percussion.

Hawk54 said:

Nonsense. 1) I rarely fumble with caps. 2) As eveidenced on this forum many people struggle with some off the shelf flintlocks with good ignition for many reasons such as soft frizzen, wrong flint, worn flint, hole is too small, etc. 3) Many carry two types of powder for a flintlock. One for pan and one for barrel. Hence two containers of powder. Four F powder is and has been tough to find around here. Caps around here were harder to find but never unobtainable. 4) Poring the correct amount of powder into the pan just right and closing it, especially in wind or rain is more work than a putting a cap on a nipple. 5) Knapping a flint is beyond most new shooters. Even getting a replacement flint to fit correctly is tough. 6) Many new shooters have a tough time holding a flinchlock steady through the flash and ignition. Have seen this and heard it from shooters many times. 7) From many years of experience most new shooters will shoot a percussion much better right from the start with a percussion than a flintlock.

I like and shoot flintlocks but I will acknowledge it takes a different skill set for flintlocks. I know shooters who won't shoot flintlocks for some of the reasons I listed.

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I somewhat agree. Everyone has their own preference. I prefer Flintlocks myself, however I use the same powder in the pan as in the charge. Always have, always will. I sharpen my flint every 3 shots or so. I rarely have a misfire. The advantage caps have over flints is weather. Semper Fi.

ColonialRifleSmith said:

I somewhat agree. Everyone has their own preference. I prefer Flintlocks myself, however I use the same powder in the pan as in the charge. Always have, always will. I sharpen my flint every 3 shots or so. I rarely have a misfire. The advantage caps have over flints is weather. Semper Fi.

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Agree with you but again the question was which is simpler, not what you prefer. Give a person a new flintlock without a flint and they will be lost as what to do. I remember when I got my first flintlock. I didn't come with a flint. I did not know I needed a piece of leather to hold the flint in place. I had a heckuva time until someone showed what I needed as to proper size flint I needed and leather and how to get it properly installed. As you said you sharpen your flint every three shots. The vast majority don't know how to do that. Caps don't need special instructions or sharpening.

I am not knocking flintlocks. I enjoy looking at and shooting them also but they are harder to learn and shoot right out of the box. If they were just as easy to shoot they would not have been replaced by the time of the civil war with percussion weapons.