Flint vs Percussion - Old Arguement

[tenngun]

Lower quality stuff was often all that was offered to the military. And with low income levels nations tended to be stingy. So the caps may have been very low quality compared to what civilians got. I. Also wonder if the loading didn’t have a bit to do with it.
I’m one of the guys that blow down the barrel. When you ram home a paper cartridge and musket ball you to will get a woosh of air out of the touch hole. The same woosh I get blowing down the bore. However the smaller vent on a percussion nipple with the hammer down won’t let much air blow through when raming home a load. I would not be surprised if this contributed to poor results when combined with second rate caps.
I recall a book on muskets that stated 10% misfires could easily happen on line. Still, a company of eighty men with 8 men not firing was still throwing about six pounds of lead down range across a front 10 yards wide.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
The truth is that this question of flint versus percussion was resolved 180 years ago in favor of percussion, even by the mountain men, and then the question of muzzleloading versus breechloading was resolved 20 years later.

dave

 

[billraby]

Don't matter. Flintlocks are just cooler than percussion.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Well, my observations at the many shoots I have attended is that the guys that have the most trouble with their guns are the ones shooting caplocks.

A point to ponder even though I am a flint shooter: Most of the shoots I go to the pilgrim will be shooting percussion, not flint. When a feller is in a learning process, there will be issues .
Flintlocklar

 

[Kansas Jake]

I've hunted and shot both and enjoy both. If I were going back 150-200+ years and traveling, my guess the shortage of balls or powder would be a bigger issue. Lead is heavy and one would be limited by the weight and powder is bulky and can get ruined by moisture etc.

I enjoy the challenge of either even if each is a little different.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Like most I started with percussion. Have hunted with both flit and percussion. I prefer flint - but that is mainly because I have very nice flint firearms. Here's my fowler after 30 shots with only reloading and priming. No vent picking, no pan or frizzen whiping. Just to see how it went. 100% ignition.

The English gave up the longbow when matchlocks came along, and matchlocks when flintlocks came along. I understand now they eat processed meat and only the military uses firearms. Is that progressing in the proper direction for "sport"?

But I still hunt with a traditional sightless bow with wood arrow shafts as well. Haven't used a compound bow or aluminum shafts since 1982. Sometimes it's good to get away from innovation and use your senses and skills to hunt instead of your equipment to shoot.

You can catch more fish with live bait - but the attraction of fly fishing is not to catch more fish. It is to get more satisfaction from the fish you catch. THAT is why flintlocks. Be happy there are choices whichever you go with.

 

[mark/wi]

I have and like both cap and flint, I will give up none of them. Mark/Wi ( I would give up my center fire guns first.)

 

[hanshi]

I own both and started off with percussion. I like caplocks but hunt exclusively with flint. I haven't been chased by savages in a long time; otherwise I'd carry an M16.

 

[M. De Land]

I have and like both cap and flint, I will give up none of them. Mark/Wi ( I would give up my center fire guns first.)

Can you imagine the surprise of an attacking Indian hoard to run up against a squad of modern solders with AR's and a couple of belt fed SAW's! Be like combining wheat long before 18th century weaponry would even be in range.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I am glad I do not have to choose sides. Why is it a "contest" every time this comes up, which it does often. You are allowed to have both, either, neither - use both, enjoy both. It is not a debate.... It's a choice. I have been known to hunt with a knife, a wristrocket, even a piece of wire and a springy sampling. Enjoy being outdoors, for the sake of being outdoors!

 

[Carbon 6]

I am glad I do not have to choose sides. Why is it a "contest" every time this comes up, which it does often.

I don't know, but it seem to always be a percussion shooter that is offended. Maybe someone could compile a statistic. Most of my guns are percussion, but I will never upturn my nose to a flintlock.
I narrowly won a competition once shooting against a flintlock shooter. (it was not segregated and I had a percussion) I beat him but it was a hollow victory. I felt I did not deserve it. The kid was 13 years old and shooting a flintlock and fell only 3 points behind me. I had the advantage of age and a percussion and he still almost beat me. I never saw that kid again, I hope he went on to be a great shooter.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

A firelock, so equipped with a well tun’d flint in the cock, is unbeatable.

 

[hanshi]

I don't think it's a matter of offending anyone but just a fun discussion about what WE like. I like any friendly discussion about guns, period.

 

[M. De Land]

I don't think it's a matter of offending anyone but just a fun discussion about what WE like. I like any friendly discussion about guns, period.

Me too, good attitude! I can't think of a gun I wish didn't exist just offhand. Maybe a pearl handled ,nickle plated pimp gun!

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Hi,
The truth is that this question of flint versus percussion was resolved 180 years ago in favor of percussion, even by the mountain men, and then the question of muzzleloading versus breechloading was resolved 20 years later.

dave

Poppycock.

Flintlocks have been around for 300 years before the arrival of the percussion manure, err, cap.

If God had meant us to use persuction caps, he’d a spread them on the ground same way he did flint. Persuction guns were a failed aberration and were gone in less than a few decades. Most every seasoned veteran shooter will tell you they see more persuction suckers struggling on the line than the much more honorable flintsman. It takes a special skill set and acquired knowledge to shoot a flintlock, and the tremendous fun and satisfaction they provide is something the cap gunners will never experience or understand!

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
I sure hope your post was meant as satire. By your logic, god never meant for us to use guns because he did not leave them laying around for us either. They had to be made, so did caps, and so did flints knapped for guns. Moreover, the best and most useful flints were not found laying around on the ground. They were mined from deep shafts where the flint remained hydrous rather than anhydrous (basically drying out) when exposed to air. Percussion caps became obsolete because the cap became an integral part of the metal cartridge, which replaced muzzleloading completely.

dave

 

[M. De Land]

Hi,
I sure hope your post was meant as satire. By your logic, god never meant for us to use guns because he did not leave them laying around for us either. They had to be made, so did caps, and so did flints knapped for guns. Moreover, the best and most useful flints were not found laying around on the ground. They were mined from deep shafts where the flint remained hydrous rather than anhydrous (basically drying out) when exposed to air. Percussion caps became obsolete because the cap became an integral part of the metal cartridge, which replaced muzzleloading completely.

dave

Sound logic and truth tell!

 

[Rat]

Well I still sez that although the cap was a great invention for warfare, didn't make any difference to the hunter. As most of us hunt, but don't fight with our muzzle loaders, it's just a matter of preference.

 

[RHensley]

I don't hunt with flintlocks because I am looking for the most technologically superior hunting tool. I have other choices that don't even load from the muzzle for that. ;-)

The challenge is part of the passion. I seldom head out to take 13,000 shots. Just one. And I spend a lot of prep effort so that one will be 100% reliable.

If all that matters is to kill an animal or hit the bulls eye then I wouldn't shoot a muzzle loader at all. It's the challenge of doing something the way it was done in earlier times. Now I haven't gone so far as using a match lock or spear or a rock but I did build my own rifle with parts close to the 17-18 hundred as I could and practice shooting until I could hunt with it. For me it's each to his or her own as far as which ignition system to use. Just pick or or the other learn and have fun. I went to Indiana this year and to my disappointment I arrived too late to talk to some people face to face that so far I've only talked to over the phone. Looks like I'll go back next year. I did get to watch some of those folks shoot. It was fun.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Can you imagine the surprise of an attacking Indian hoard to run up against a squad of modern solders with AR's and a couple of belt fed SAW's! Be like combining wheat long before 18th century weaponry would even be in range.

We don’t talk about them kinds a sorts here, thems the DEVILS guns them is!!