Flintlock position when hunting

[Bob J]

ALL of my experience with flintlocks has been on the range. Never carried one into the woods hunting. Once the pan is charged...are there unique handling precautions required for a flintlock beyond those for any loaded weapon..?? In normal handling while hunting, does the charge in the pan shift around enough to cause an issue with reliability or accuracy ??
Thanks.

Don - I like to keep my flintlock fairly level when it is primed. For instance, when sitting in a treestand with it primed, I don't let it lay sideways or upside down. A very knowledgeable friend told me he checks his prime every 45 min or so, opens the frizzen, gives the rifle a little "bump" or shake, and if the priming powder isn't loose and movable he re-primes. This is good advice in our high-humidity state!

When in a stand, I have primed lock at half-cock with a hammerstall in place. The moment I see game, the hammerstall is slipped off (tied to triggerguard as it is, no need to worry about losing it). Also worth repeating - never climb up or down treestand without UNPRIMING rifle and putting hammerstall in place. A few grains of powder isn't worth serious injury or worse!

 

[stinkyfeet]

In the woods my flinters always primed and on half cock with pan closed obviously. I do alot of stalking and still hunting because I like being eye level with the deer. I haven't has a misfire yet, and always keep my muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

 

[stone knife]

In the woods my flinters always primed and on half cock with pan closed obviously. I do alot of stalking and still hunting because I like being eye level with the deer. I haven't has a misfire yet, and always keep my muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

This is how I do it also, the key is always know where your muzzle is pointed.

 

[Walks with fire]

I carry mine on half cock with the pan charged. I use a piece of electrical tape or waterproof wound dressing tape over the frizzen with the top folded over and stuck back to the sticky side. I use that as my frizzen stall. I stick a couple to strips on the stock and carry a small roll to the bag. If I think I will need to shoot quick; like on a deer drive I don't use it.

When I am ready to shoot I just cock the hammer and pull the tape off. My pan/frizzen fits with no gaps to let the powder leak and in wet weather I dress the pan edge with track mink oil/patch lube and I also use tape over the muzzzle. My lock cover is a piece of car wash shammy treated with Sno-seal boot dressing. It molds tight to the lock. Just make sure to clean it off after the hunt because it does draw rust if you leave it on there long term. I have another lock cover that fits more loosely that I use for light snow conditions; it's comes off quicker but doesn't protect from water as well as the other.

 

[tenngun]

I think you should do what makes you feel safe. I dont use a stall and plug the touch hole with a pipe cleaner when transporting.most of my hunting is from a natural hidding spot along a trail. Guns on half cock and nearly full of powder. check it while walking pretty regular.

 

[Grumpa]

My vent is too low in the pan to cover it with tape. Until I find a suitable quill, a fat toothpick (or pipe cleaner) will have to suffice.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

there is a possibility of the cock being knocked back, along with the pan, setting up the possibility of sparking

To go along with your vehicle concern...unfortunately the vent is still fully exposed inside the vehicle whether there's a Hammer Stall on the frizzen or not of course.

And the vent still being open makes it vulnerable to any sort of external ignition sources that could get in to the main charge...a piece of tape across the pan & up over the vent blocks all possibilities 100%.

Something I have not seen used in modern (relatively) muzzleloading usage is what the French military used instead of a hammer stall, and which might answer for the in-the-car considerations - a thick stiff leather pad that covered both the pan and the touch hole. Since they loaded and primed from the cartridge, for safety on the march they opened the hammer, placed the pad on the primed pan, and lowered the cock onto the pad, where pressure form the flint held the pad in place. This made the firelock quite safe while still retaining the priming. Since we can reprime when hunting, this use of the leather pad could just as easily be done with an empty pan when transporting an otherwise-charged firelock. Just as with a hammer stall, the pad can be attached by a lanyard to the trigger guard if one wished to use it while carrying, as it originally was, although one has to come back to full or half cock, flick the pad out of way, and close the hammer, so these were not usually used as last-second safeties. Nowadays, one could just cut a chunk of an eraser rather than stitch up leather for the pad if strict authenticity is not a requirement.

Regards,
Joel

 

[illuveatar]

I've seen a flintlock fire while upside down so I don't think there's much issue with the priming powder shifting. I second the idea of checking your prime periodically depending on weather conditions.

I have decided to hunt with my hammer fully cocked and a frizzen stall protecting against ignition.

This evening, while watching a doe that I wasn't particularly interested in shooting, I decided to experiment a little. At 25 yards she heard the click as I cocked my gun and looked directly at me. However I was able to remove and replace the frizzen stall 5 times unnoticed.

 

[Roguedog]

Roger that. That is what I tried to say. Cannot bring the hammer to half cock without the flint touching the hammer stall on the frizzen.

Jeff

 

[excess650]

You really have to check an make sure that when the frizzen is closed there are no gaps and it makes a tight seal with the pan, if you don't you will loose your priming thru the gaps. I've had to do a little file work on the pan on mine. Also the frizzen should have no play in it at all. I never use a frizzen stall, See no need for it.

I have a flint lock that the frizzen to pan fit wasn't good and filing wasn't going to fix. Not having a welder, I formed a bead of JB Weld and then filed it to make a tight seal.

As for hunting, I just prime the pan, and keep on halfcock. I HAVE practiced pulling the front trigger while moving the the hammer to fullcock, and then releasing the trigger to prevent the audible "CLICK".

Out of habit, I will periodically open the frizzen and check/verify the prime. Before taking the rifle back into the house (loaded), I'll dump the prime and insert a round toothpick into the vent. Sometimes I'll close the frizzen on the toothpick and others I'll leave the frizzen open, hammer down. The rifle is ALWAYS stood muzzle DOWN if it has powder and ball.