Tape over Venthole

[Trench]

I had another thread going about a flash in the pan that I had due to VERY moist weather. I'm still out in the "field" and was considering carrying my rifle with no primer and tape over my vent hole.
Has anyone tried anything like this? Weather conditions consist of freezing rain and I don't know what else to do to keep my main charge from being compromised.

 

[Black Hand]

Firstly, check your frizzen/pan/barrel fit. If you have gaps you need to address them first (if possible). If all is OK, you have 2 main options:

1) prime as usual and seal around the pan/frizzen/barrel with grease/tallow

2) keep the lock covered with a cows-knee, blanket, under your matchcoat/blanket/shirt

My take on it is that you may not have enough time to remove the tape, prime and fire before your critter has died of old age or laughed itself silly watching you try to remove tape with cold/frozen fingers. Most shots (unless you are in a stand) are quick, especially with deer later in the season that have gotten spooky.

Just my take on it.

 

[Trench]

I am currently using a greased cows knee. I've heard about sealing the pan with grease or even candle wax. (The latter sounds dangerous) Have you personally used grease around the pan? I haven't tried that one due to the fear of inadvertantly greasing my primer.

 

[Black Hand]

I use a cows knee and keep the barrel pointed down. If it is raining, it tuck it under my armpit or half-blanket Candle wax shouldn't be a problem since the dripping wax is not hot enough to set off the prime. I have not had the need to use grease or wax as I spent some time with a fine file ensuring the pan/frizzen fit was tight.

Another important thing to remember is to seal any possible seam where water could migrate into your prime. For me, this means beeswax in the lock mortise to keep moisture from moving up from the barrel channel into the prime from behind the lock (don't ask, but it does happen) and adding a small "worm" of wax along the entire length of the barrel channel/barrel interface and around the breechplug and tang. Others will fill their barrel channel with grease or some other option.

Best of luck. I know how frustrating this can be....

 

[Trench]

The lock-to-rifle fit is about as tight as I'm going to get it. It's not supposed to stop raining today, so I will give the grease a try to seal the pan and frizzen.

 

[Black Hand]

Good luck in your hunting. Unfortunately our season is over for the year.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Bigger cows knee.

I have tried beeswax around the pan but gave up as it caused more problems than good. Beeswax melts and splatters on the frizzen and a slick frizzen is as bad as wet powder. Maybe not a problem on that first shot but weeks thereafter. I also found if I bumped the frizzen the wax would get under it, opening up the pan to water seeping in through capillary action.

A cows knee, brimmed hat and a caped frock, poncho or loose jacket to overhing the lock all help, as does sitting under a hemlock.

 

[skwerl-eater 1]

Trench,
I have been using wonder lube, you know the yeliow stuff for a long time. Sometimes I mix it with deer tallow or bear grease depending on the season. But for deer hunting in NY I mostly use just straight wonder lube. Try putting some all around the pan with your finger to seal up the where the frizzen mates up with the pan. Also with your finger or the edge of your knife,put just a minute amount of the grease along the heel(rear) of the frizzen just before you close it so the frizzen actualy sits and is sealed in grease. Next smear a glob of grease on the point infront of the lock where the barrel meets the stock and lock. If you press the grease in it will help prevent water from running down the barrel between the stock and barrel which is where you are very likely to get water in.Finally use a greased lock cover. I have hunted like this with my flintlock all day in the rain many ,many times and I have killed dear in the rain and snow many times with this setup. Good Luck
skwerleater

 

[brubincam]

wouldn't chap stick work--easy to carry and use in it's own case???

 

[Ridge]

A feather in the touch hole should work.

 

[roundball]

I have not hunted in really heavy rains...if it's raining really heavy my experience is there is little deer movement anyway...but I've hunted in fog, mist, light drizzle, and have been caught in a couple of short showers.

IMHO, I think cows knees are an interesting item but for me personally I don't have faith that they seal tight enough to keep out the damp air...ie: it doesn't have to be rain drops to affect things...heavy, wet, damp air will do it...plus, the cow's knee is just another thing to have to deal with before taking a shot.

I also don't like the idea of putting foreign material on moving parts like the pan & frizzen.

I've settled on a few simple things that have kept my lock dry in the above conditions I hunt in and I can bring the rifle into action immediately:

1) I keep the muzzle down at all times;
2) I keep about 18 inches of the barrel/breech/lock/wrist/buttstock area well up under my coat/arm next to my warm body...similar to the purpose of a cow's knee only better;
3) I refresh my prime every half hour;

Just my particular approach to it...

 

[xxgrampa]

greetings trench,

pay special attention to roundballs #3. priming powder sucks up moisture like a sponge..

good luck and ..ttfn..grampa..

 

[paulvallandigham]

I have been doing what Roundball does. I can't guarantee that some moisture will not get through the vent hole and foul the powder, but changing the prime hourly seems to make sure the gun will at least fire. I did find myself hunting boar one hot rainy weekend, and I had to just leave the prime out of the pan, because my own body heat was drawing moisture under my poncho, and fouling the prime. That should not be a problem for you in this weather.

 

[boar]

Before I went to tape I would use a bird feather in the TH. Candle wax is good. Dilly

 

[swquiro]

Something else you may try is a powder, which I believe is mainly silicone, but am not sure about that. It is mixed one part silicone powder to 6 parts black powder. I use it in both the primer and main charge. Seems to work pretty good. I have some amidst all my junk but couldnt find it. Anyhow, the brand name is Fuzz's Dry Pan, and Fuzz lives in Newville, Pa, just south of Carlisle. Fort Chambers black powder shop in Chambersburg sells it.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Weather conditions consist of freezing rain and I don't know what else to do to keep my main charge from being compromised.

I'd stay home and drink beer. :wink:

 

[Trench]

Weather conditions consist of freezing rain and I don't know what else to do to keep my main charge from being compromised.

I'd stay home and drink beer. :wink:

I think this is probably the best advice in this string so far...just kidding! Well, today I spent 4.5 hours in a steady rain. Even though putting bore butter around my lock and pan freaks me out, I did it. I also kept a cows knee on the hole time AND kept the rifle under my armpit as much as possible. Everything was drenched by the time I made it in, including me. I fired the rifle and it touched off as fast as I could hope for. Man-1/Nature-0
I like the idea of switching out the primer periodically. I do this on a regular basis is damp weather. Thanks guys!!!

 

Bigger cows knee.

I now know what its like to have Cow's knee envy :surrender: :surrender:

 

:applause: :haha: :applause:

 

[reddogge]

Problem with any cow's knee is when you elevate the muzzle the rain will wick down the barrel/stock seam and seep into the pan ruining the priming charge.

The best thing to do is stay home on rainy days.