Flint flash guard

[PaulTBarton]

I would love to put on a flint type flash guard.

Last Sunday at the local shoot, I had just set the rear trigger and got ready to shoot offhand. As I raised the rifle up, it went off way too early, early enough that the pinky on my left hand got the full blast of the flint touch hole, ouch. :surrender: Since this rifle is a TC Hawken flinter the frizzen screw is attached from the backside of the lock. This keeps me from adding a traditional flash guard. Maybe I should just get a longer frizzen screw and put the guard on and then a nut to hold it in place. Maybe D/T another hole in the lock back plate and attach it that way.

What say you folks?

BartSr

 

[Stumpkiller]

DO NOT set the trigger until you are aligned on target.

I had a premature exhultation involving a mitten that cost me a large buck. Been two decades since I've hunted with a double or set trigger.

T/C flinters, as you note, don't lend themselves fto a guard. Your rifle - but I wouldn't drill and tap for a guard. How about a bit of sheet metal (piece from a steel soup can lid?) and a pair of rare-earth magnets to use as needed?

 

[Tom Compton]

Seems most simple fix would be to hold the stock out near the wedge.

 

[Zonie]

Actually, I'm a bit concerned that PaulTBarton said he had successfully set the rear trigger and after setting it while he was raising the rifle, it fired.

This is a good example of the set triggers being out of proper adjustment. The front, firing trigger, does not have sufficient grip on the rear trigger to keep it from firing all by itself.

To fix this problem, unscrew that little screw thats located between the triggers.

Unscrew it at least one full turn.

Doing this will not make the front trigger pull harder. It will only make it necessary to pull it slightly further back to release the rear trigger and fire the gun.

 

[M. De Land]

"Doing this will not make the front trigger pull harder". It will only make it necessary to pull it slightly further back to release the rear trigger and fire the gun.
Well, that depends if the angles are correct and the sear and trigger pins are parallel. If surfaces are not true and square, trigger release pressure can be influenced up or down by increase engagement.

 

[hanshi]

Stumpkiller is absolutely correct; don't set the trigger until you're ready to shoot. I've made it a habit to set the trigger after the rifle is shouldered. In one movement my rifle is brought up and shouldered with the sights aligned - it was built to fit me - at about that instant the trigger is set. Actually it all feels like one movement to me and that I'm not necessarily conscious of the act. It is, I suppose, "ingrained" through practice; what's sometimes referred to as "being in the zone".

 

[Tom Compton]

In competition we oft times take the rifle down for whatever reason and re-mount. Well adjusted triggers as Zonie said are a must but so is correct operation ie keeping the trigger finger OFF the trigger when not on target.

That said, keeping the support hand well in front of the trigger guard will negate burned fingers. A flint shield on post or tripod should be used to protect others on the line. I'm not a fan of shields mounted on the lock as gasses and debris are deflected upward and an increased possibility of into the shooters eye.
TC

 

[PaulTBarton]

Actually, I'm a bit concerned that PaulTBarton said he had successfully set the rear trigger and after setting it while he was raising the rifle, it fired.

This is a good example of the set triggers being out of proper adjustment. The front, firing trigger, does not have sufficient grip on the rear trigger to keep it from firing all by itself.

To fix this problem, unscrew that little screw thats located between the triggers.

Unscrew it at least one full turn.

Doing this will not make the front trigger pull harder. It will only make it necessary to pull it slightly further back to release the rear trigger and fire the gun.

The triggers work fine. It was the index finger on my right hand that was the culprit. :wink:

Paul

 

[Twisted_1in66]

If the your index finger was the culprit, it might be a good idea to make a habit of NOT putting your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire, but no inside it. Just lay it along the top of the trigger guard.

Stumpy is right though, you really shouldn't use the set trigger until you are on target. As you now know, it is not a good idea to set the trigger before you have the gun to shoulder.

Twisted_1in66
Dan

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Hey Paul,

If you would like to get a flashguard for your TC Hawken, I suggest you contact "Mike Lea and Daughter - gunsmiths". Here's the last contact info I had for him:

Michael Lea & Daughter - Gunsmiths
2109 Summit St.
Columbus, OH 43201
phone: 614-291-4757
e-mail: [email protected]

My first flintlock was a Traditions Pennsylvania Longrifle and it also used a screw from the inside of the lock to hold the frizzen in place. I called Mike on the suggestion of someone here on the forum years ago. He said he needed me to send in the lock so he could install the flashguard. He wanted me to send it to him because he needed to heat up the part of the lock the screw went through and had to chase the threads to the new size (Traditions made this lock with two different metric threads).

Mike said he could send me the kit if I wanted to heat treat it and chase the threads myself and I took him up on that. He sent me the kit; gave me the instructions on how to do it, and told me the size of die needed to cut the new threads. I followed his directions and got it right on the first try. Just used my propane torch to heat up the parts that needed to be chased. The lock now has a bolt on the outside that can be removed with a nipple wrench if I need to take the flashguard off for some reason.

When I got my Early Lancaster rifle with the Queen Anne lock, I contacted him and bought the flash guard for that. It was much simpler because it screws in from the outside and was about half the price (~$10 to $12). If that contact info is still good, I'm sure he or his daughter could get you taken care of.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Grenadier1758]

I'll give a thumbs up on using Mike Lea and Daughter for the installation of the flash guard. I had the same issue with my L&R Late English lock. They did a first rate job.

 

[PaulTBarton]

If the your index finger was the culprit, it might be a good idea to make a habit of NOT putting your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire, but no inside it. Just lay it along the top of the trigger guard.

Stumpy is right though, you really shouldn't use the set trigger until you are on target. As you now know, it is not a good idea to set the trigger before you have the gun to shoulder.

Twisted_1in66
Dan

Good News, I will obey. :bow:

BartSr aka Paul