Flintlocks Anonymous

[Muddly]

Hi. I'm Mark and I have 3 flintlocks...
2 Pennsylvania Hunters and a Renegade to be exact.
It's taken literally DECADES for me to finally get the hang of these things. Probably did years ago, but load difficulties made me think " It has to be me.".
Well, it wasn't.
I will admit to a deep rooted appreciation, and growing affection, for the flintlock. Not enough for me to give up my other rifles, but enough to make me want to use them in seasons other than our flintlock season here in Pennsylvania.
Curiously, I have 3 percussion sidelocks, one " other rifle" but 3 flintlocks???
Crazy...

 

[D.Summers]

Muddly, dear brother, you have no idea what you're up against!!

 

[TDM]

There is no known cure for this affliction, only regular use of what ails you helps.

 

[Muddly]

20+ years. At least a dozen rifles and several thousand dollars in blood and treasure and there's MORE?!

 

[D.Summers]

Oh, yes!! Much more!! LOL

 

[Polecat_Tom]

I got into this sport because my buddy told me it was a cheap way to shoot. I have proven him wrong many times over.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I started with a .50 calibre CVA Mountain Rifle…I’ve been shooting blackpowder since I was 13 years old. Most of it spent shooting percussion. My dad tried to get me to buy a flintlock back in the early 80’s…but I would have none of it…nope, not for me.

One day he brought his little .32 calibre flintlock to the range, I shot it a couple times. It shot well, and I hit the target consistently. Then about 3 months later, he brought it again, and I shot it the whole day. I had zero problems with the gun, and again it performed well.

8 years later, Dixie GunWorks was closing out a bunch of Pedersoli Brown Bess Carbine Kits. The price was so nice, I could not resist. Been shooting mostly flintlocks for 27 years, been shooting flintlocks exclusively for the last 17 years.

It’s been a fun ride…

 

[Bill Bryan]

I've been shooting flintlocks and other black powder weapons since the 70's. I've got a flintlock rifle and several pistols in addition to many percussion guns. Good luck. Bill

 

[oldwood]

45+ years ago I went through the "Percussion age". What healed me from that debacle , a few really well made flint lock parts came onto the market , 'bout 1974. Then I was able to scratch build dependable ignition flint rifles. Syndrome cured. Have never been able to recover from the flint rifle sickness. Not quite to the point of cutting my fingers into a bloody mess. Saw how bad flint rock cuts felt many years ago , so don't like that pain , yet.

 

[John Spartan]

Errr. If having 3 flintlocks is “crazy” then I am in serious trouble.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Currently only two flint rifles and shoot only one of those. Had more over the years. Shooting precussin' just seems wrong to me.

 

[oldwood]

On top of my current love , .40 cal. local walnut stock Appalachian girl ,one day a yr. ago , I allowed my gaze to fix on a french , Indian trade musket , w/ 16 Ga. bore. I wanted to go out and try her , but another flint sick fellow , my hunting buddy , a known turkey , and deer killer , usurped my wishes , and has his gaze solidly attached to the Frenchie. Now I am stuck making a new French Indian gun. Oh, the thought of how the flint disease can spread so quickly. Most alarming , smoky , and noisy. One benefit , would be the increase of ear plug sales..............oldwood

 

[Grenadier1758]

One can see the effects of the flintlock virus spreading at my gun club. Where not so many years ago there would only be one or two shooters using a flint lock rifle, now about 10 of the 30 or so shooters at the club matches use flint lock rifles.

As we learn to shoot our flint lock rifles, we learn how to shoot all rifles better and more reliably.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

One can see the effects of the flintlock virus spreading at my gun club. Where not so many years ago there would only be one or two shooters using a flint lock rifle, now about 10 of the 30 or so shooters at the club matches use flint lock rifles.

As we learn to shoot our flint lock rifles, we learn how to shoot all rifles better and more reliably.

Yes…I’m seeing it as well. When I first joined my club, most of my fellow shooters shot Percussion. I was about the only one that shot flintlock.

Now I’m seeing a lot more flinters on the line…

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The wives, I have one. Dont need no mo, dont want no mo.

 

[mmb617]

Curiously, I have 3 percussion sidelocks, one " other rifle" but 3 flintlocks???
Crazy...

I don't see anything crazy about that. I don't own, and have never even shot any percussion muzzleloaders, but I do have 5 flintlocks.

I got started into black powder with a flintlock and never found any reason to buy a cap gun.

 

[Polecat_Tom]

All kidding aside, cartridge guns and percussion guns are just a passing fad and will never stick around.

 

[Muddly]

They're just so... different.
My club is HUGE, 5000+ members, usual eargessplittenloudenboomens and e.b.r's in abundance.
Then I show up. BOOOMMMM...thud. Curious glances, interesting questions. It's REALLY a hoot when I'm on the 200 yard range with Calico... Aperture sight, no lookin' glass...
Some question why I stumble around before checking my target.
Patch safari...
The flintlocks really get 'em going though.
As long as I have to pour powder and ram, I'll shoot it. But now I'm back where I started. In '79, I bought a T/C Hawken flint kit. HORRIBLY butchered it too. I was 16. What did I know about anything?
Started reenacting in '98, Confederate Infantry, 1st Texas, and THAT'S when it really began... P53 Enfield.
Had several unmentionables, only one now, and only death will part us.
Drifted back into sidelocks with my Autumn. Factory laminated T/C Hawken. I know... But she a FINE lookin' rifle.
And she shoots.
A .54 cap lock Renegade, likely to become a .577 rebore for shooting minies. A .50 flint too. For pffts and giggles.
And then there's my Pennsylvania Hunters.
Had a truck load of other flints, including 2 very fine custom longrifles. Oddly, none ever clicked like the Pennsylvania Hunters have...
We all have rifles that just fit US.
Won't give up my percussion rifles. But my flintlocks will see their fair share of use.
Before and after Christmas...

 

[Cruzatte]

I've been shooting black powder since the early 1980s. First muzzle loader I bought was a flintlock. My reasoning was if Simon Kenton, and Daniel Boone could do it, so could I. And I moved up to Lawrence, KS and joined a club in '85. Very few of us shot flint lock rifles in those days. But forty years on, and more are shooting them.

Now there seem to be a small handful of us that are bringing our smoothbores to the monthly club shoots. There are about as many dedicated smoothbore shooters now as there were flintlock rifle shooters back then. Interesting how things change.

 

[Colonialhats]

Such a beautiful and timely discussion. Hope I'm not interrupting.