Cheating at ML clays

[robinghewitt]

I always forget when it's ML clay competition time, five stands, five shots on each stand.

You get two tries on consecutive months, once with flint and once with caplock. I'm currently second in percussion and have yet to shoot the flint.

Rick always beats me. He cheats using a "fill the sky with lead" trick. Large bore and leaning well in to the collosal recoil, he falls over if it misfires :hmm:

I cheat on flint by using a flinter that shoots like a caplock. If it were 12 gauge I might win, sadly it's only a 16

The secret is in the base of the frizzen which compacts the priming in to a vee shape that carries the flash to the touch. (The vee doesn't go quite to the touch because you don't want rain water wicking in).

I was a bit perturbed when Mick turned up today with a John Manton he got from Peter Jaques estate, but his was only 19 gauge and 16 years older so he lacks the vee pan :blah:

Have a pic taken from an unusual angle, explains it better than I can...

 

[Lorne Johnson]

I believe that the correct word is "innovation." If you build a better flintlock, the world will beat a path to your door--unless it's in the process of changing over to caplock.

That's a fascinating design piece! And, of course, a beautiful gun.

I would respectfully suggest that 12 vs 16 gauge is a pretty small distinction.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

But Robin, how sweet it must be to have a 16 bore Manton at one's disposal. Add a crisp fall day, a few grouse...

 

[dbutch]

A Manton Double.... Outstanding...... Can we see more? I'd like to see what the top of the pan looks like. Thanks for sharing!

 

[robinghewitt]

It's not that good, it's two Manton's grafted together, probably an apprentice gunsmith being tested. The stock is two sizes too small for the barrels. The barrels are 1816 by the serial number so the locks do match :redface:

OTOH it shoots exceedingly well, especially if I slip a rubber butt extender over the end :thumbsup:

The pan is semicircular with the Vee on the frizzen almost reaching the bottom. I'll take a pic tomorrow when the sun comes out, (my camera gets the colours all wrong under artificial light).

If I put a lump of Blue Tac in the pan then close the frizzen I can show what shape the priming is in when the sparks start to fly. All rather odd :grin:

 

[Mike Brooks]

LUCKY DOG! :bow:

 

[roundball]

Hard to tell for certain from the photo, but the overhang on each outside edge of the frizzen "bottom" almost looks as though a design element was also to keep water out of the pan?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

These were often billed as "windproof and waterproof" pans. And sometimes they really were--almost.

 

[Robby]

Robin, Sure would enjoy seeing more of that!! :thumbsup:
Robby

 

[Britsmoothy]

How sweet is that :shocked2: :hatsoff:

Dear Robin please take it off the bricks, it's making me feel ill!

Brits.

 

[roundball]

Hard to tell for certain from the photo, but the overhang on each outside edge of the frizzen "bottom" almost looks as though a design element was also to keep water out of the pan?

In fact...unless my eyes are deceiving me, the whole pivot area of that frizzen & fizzen spring has a pretty interesting design in total...

 

[robinghewitt]

Dear Robin please take it off the bricks, it's making me feel ill!

But They're so convenient :hmm:

Blue-tac in the pan shows the shape of the priming when it shuts :thumbsup:

 

[Britsmoothy]

That gone is gorgeous :hatsoff:

Brits

 

[Leonredbeard]

Robin,
Sure makes me green with envy that you guys over there get to play with all those originals. :bow: :applause: :surrender:

I got to see a couple of original Mexican cappers in a restaurant today. But they didn't look like that! I don't know if they could be made to work.
:shocked2: :barf:

volatpluvia

 

[robinghewitt]

Sure makes me green with envy that you guys over there get to play with all those originals. :bow: :applause: :surrender:

Sure makes me green with envy when I look at your gun laws :rotf:

 

[Lorne Johnson]

Thanks Squire!

We needed that!

By the way, what do you shoot as a caplock?
I have a couple of British caplocks (haven't actually shot either--yet).

My workhorse is a Pedersoli 20 guage, which is a pretty decent workhorse.

 

[Leonredbeard]

Robin,
touche! I sure hope our lack of firearms confiscation laws persists. With the idiots running the country this is not a surety.
volatpluvia

 

[robinghewitt]

By the way, what do you shoot as a caplock?
I have a couple of British caplocks (haven't actually shot either--yet).

I shoot an Austrian 13 gauge by Pirko. Probably best if I don't do a picture, Volatpluvia might tell me off again

But don't let that stop you showing us yours, he may be more forgiving with those in his native land :thumbsup:

best

Squire Robin

 

[musketman]

Blue-tac in the pan shows the shape of the priming when it shuts :thumbsup:

I am surprised that style of frizzen/pan design didn't get adopted on more flinters, looks very interesting.

 

[Lorne Johnson]

John Manton and Son were around longer than Joseph Manton (and he produced cap locks). So, I am guessing that the design came about late in the flintlock era and was rather lost in the transition to cap locks.

I'll try to figure out how to post a couple of photos over the weekend.