Frizzen cover...best course

[ricklandes]

I have not gotten around to making a frizzen cover for snow, rain etc., but last Sunday eve's deer hunt with an iced frizzen has motivated me (don't ask why)...A frizzen cover is about as straight forward as it gets, BUT do any of you use a better type of cover to keep your lock dry while out???
I am thinking along the lines of a frizzen cover with a pocket for the cock/flint as well...

 

[Goldhunter]

I can't see the pictures here at work, but try this Link

I made one last night in about an hour. Used a scrap of elk about 8" x 8". Followed the pattern.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Often called a " Cow's Knee"because it was this part of a cow's hide on the leg that could be used for this purpose, when it was useful for little else, such a hood can be made from any leather, per the link shown above. Rub grease or oil, or some combination of both oil and wax into the leather to make it water proof. A simple hand over tie will keep it on your rifle or smoothie in bad weather.

Using a Cow's Knee won't let you take the gun into a warm, hot, humid place when its been out in the cold, and NOT EXPERIENCE condensation on the frizzen, and in the barrel, to help kill your powder charges( prime and main charge.) But you can keep the gun outside for hours in snowstorms, and even in raistorms, and the action area that is covered will stay relatively dry. I use a water proof poncho to stay dry when I am hunting in bad weather, and simply put the action under my poncho and under my arm pit, while keeping the barrel pointed to the ground. I change my prime every half hour, or more often if turns to soup from moisture in the air, even under that poncho.

 

[roundball]

I have not gotten around to making a frizzen cover for snow, rain etc., but last Sunday eve's deer hunt with an iced frizzen has motivated me (don't ask why)...A frizzen cover is about as straight forward as it gets, BUT do any of you use a better type of cover to keep your lock dry while out???
I am thinking along the lines of a frizzen cover with a pocket for the cock/flint as well...

I use the "frizzen covers" in the photo below, but as safeties, not to keep the frizzen dry;

To keep the lock assembly dry I carry the whole lock area up under my coat, under my arm, close to my body where its warm and dry...both while walking and sitting while out hunting...its then a simple matter to move the rifle forward and up to the shoulder when a shot presents itself.

And IMO, while a cow's knee seems to have some historical attraction, my experience has been that they might keep drops from falling directly on a lock, but they are not air tight enough to prevent the damp weather from affecting the priming anyway, so I just keep mine under my coat.

I do use a Leatherman cows knees to protect my lock while walking in the woods in the dark so a bush doesn't snag the lock and damage it, but I take it off as soon as I get ready to start hunting.

Other's mileage may vary of course...

 

[paulvallandigham]

What Roundball calls a " Frizzen cover" others call a "Hammer stall". It does cover the frizzen, so technically Roundball is correct. But, it also acts as a homemade " safety" by preventing the flint from actually contacting metal if the hammer is accidentally cocked and then released while moving through the woods, and brush. If the flint can't strike steel, it can't produce sparks, and without sparks, the priming powder is not going to ignite.

Hammer Stalls are neat little gadgets to make, and to use. As you can see in his photos, your hammer stall can be attached at the other end to your trigger guard, so that you don't lose it from your gun when you take it off quickly.

If you use a hammer stall in rainy or mist, remember that moisture can and does condense on the UNDERSIDE OF YOUR FLINT, as well as the underside of the jaws of the cock. Wipe those area dry from time to time, whenever you are drying the rest of the lock. Like Roundball, I tuck my gun under my arm when walking, and when sitting on a stand, ground or tree, with the barrel pointed down, so that any water that FALLS on the gun rolls off the muzzle, and not down into it. When its freezing cold out, I am more concerned with snow falling off overhead limbs, and trees and going down the muzzle, so I definitely don't point that gun barrel UPwards!

As you can see by looking at the "frizzen cover" or hammer stall, IT ONLY covers the vertical portion of the frizzen. If you are really looking to keep water out of the lock and breech end of your gun, then that "Cow's Knee" is what you want to use. Nothing about a cow's knee prevents it from being used With the frizzen cover in place, too.

 

[pichou]

There's a original handwritten manuscript of a Kentucky hunter in the Wisconsin Historical Society that describes hunters putting the butt and action of their rifles up the sleeves of their hunting frocks.

Date is 1820's or 30's

 

[davy]

Here is an article on the subjct I stumbled upon a while back .. :hmm:
http://members.aye.net/~bspen/wetflints.html

Davy

 

[roundball]

Rick, just to clarify a couple of things...I chose to use the same terminology (frizzen cover) that you did, which is perfectly acceptable terminology, rather than point out that the correct original name is 'hammer stall'...did not want to appesr to be correcting you, potentially embarrass you, etc...just wasn't important.

The other thing to ensure you understand is that keeping a muzzle down when its raining really has little to do with keeping rain out of the muzzle...the actual point is if you raise the muzzle of a Flintlock just a couple inches or so above horizontal, beaded water along side the barrel & barrel bed will run right back along side and into the vent and pan, killing the prime and powder charge...so just keep the muzzle down, the lock up under your coat, and refresh the prime often and you'll be fine...

 

[WadePatton]

Here is an article on the subjct I stumbled upon a while back .. :hmm:
http://members.aye.net/~bspen/wetflints.html

Davy

I ran across that a while back too. It should be REQUIRED READING for flint hunters. The article is about foul-weather hunting.

And the last two days around here would have REALLY put those practices to test. I just don't have a rock crusher in hand yet.

 

[Leatherbark]

I cut the toe out of an old wool sock. Then I sprayed it with silicone spray. I slide it over the buttstock and over the hammer/frizzen while hunting. Slides off to the rear pretty quick.............Not for hunting in the rain, but in the snow.....................Bob

 

[ricklandes]

Thanks as always for your feedback. A "cow's knee" it is Goldhunter! I have an elk hide ready for a case and may use the excess for just such a thing.

Dave the article was great.

Tanks Paul, Leatherbark, for sharing your experience.
RB, I took no offense to the "correct" terminology, and appreicate the comment. Being an old farm boy I may have thought a "Hammer Stall" as a reference to my thumb :rotf:

I do not encounter problems while slow hunting; it is the sitting along a trail when the sleet or snow comes along. I have tried the covering with gloves, arm, etc. When out last Saturday and 2" fell in about an half hour I was in trouble for any ignition, so I will have to make a well waxed or oiled cow's knee. For the barrel I may just use a small piece of tape like I do for high power shooting.
Thanks for the tips!