I guess this isn't necessarily a "which is better", but, what are some of the advantages one over another? And what does everyone prefer, and why?
I suppose I'm just trying to get a feel for where to start, so, I figure I'll ask around here.
I only shoot percussion, flintlocks are for tightening fences. It's an old story and you will come across it if you go through the archives.
I shoot both. It is just a matter of learning the different peculiarities of each type of the different ignition systems. For those who are just starting I would say start with the percussion and work up to the flint.
Just one mans view.
I shoot both, flint will make your hair fall out but its fun.
Some people give up when they can't get flinters to work just like percussion.
They don't work quite the same as percussion and if they did I suppose everyone would shoot them.
Start with percussion, but one advantage of flinters is that they don't need percussion caps, just rocks that spark consistently.
A bad flinter will give you more trouble than a bad percussion.
I shoot both but prefer flinters (when they are not being absconded and used as fence tightening tools.) If I was a hunter, maybe I would lean more towards cappers because like Flintboomer said, when flinters decide to get stubborn, they are really good at it.
shoot both , prefer flintlocks . cap guns are a tad more reliable , but I think the flinters are more fun even though they are persickety and more of a challenge . lord knows it took me a couple of weeks to quit flinching when the priming went off ROFL ROFL ROFL ROFL and either is better than a match lock :mini-devil-28492:
I own and shoot both at the range but hunt only with flintlocks. They're more fun and I find them as reliable as percussion. As long as you are familiar with them, understand the flint system and are willing tinker with them; they will want to please you just like a faithful dog. Except for one rifle I no longer own, I've had more problems with percussions than flintlocks. Flintlocks simply require more of YOU than capguns. With flintlocks the shooter AND rifle are, and function as, one unit; while a percussion is just man and a rifle.
Hanshi wrote :
"Flintlocks simply require more of YOU than capguns. With flintlocks the shooter AND rifle are, and function as, one unit; while a percussion is just man and a rifle."
Very well put
Thanks, y'all, I enjoyed reading everyone's answers.
Sidebar: do y'all think it's wise to buy a percussion that needs a little TLC (light rust on the outside of the barrel, stock that needs refinishing) for a first gun?
If inside of the barrel is good then the rust on the out side and the finish could considered patina.
The important part is check and see if it functionally sound meaning the barrel has no pitting, or bulges, and the lock works properly. you should have safe gun to work with.
Now we come the part that is the hardest to tell you about, the price.
It has been some time since I bought used gun, so have no way to gauge the amount you should expect to pay. maybe some the other folks can help use there.
Quote from: old salt on November 22, 2016, 09:32:37 PM
If inside of the barrel is good then the rust on the out side and the finish could considered patina.
The important part is check and see if it functionally sound meaning the barrel has no pitting, or bulges, and the lock works properly. you should have safe gun to work with.
Now we come the part that is the hardest to tell you about, the price.
It has been some time since I bought used gun, so have no way to gauge the amount you should expect to pay. maybe some the other folks can help use there.
I know the local mom & pop gun store has five or six in slightly rough shape, and for less than $200. Which is the biggest reason I'm looking at 'em.
Invest $15 or so and get a DROP IN BORE LIGHT. Turn it on, slide it down and it will allow you to see the condition of the bore.
It will save you a lot grief and money. Any reasonable seller will not have an issue with you looking at the bore. "It just needs a good cleaning" doesn't cut it. The only time a "good cleaning" will help is when it is just oil and dust, rusty barrels(inside) CAN be saved sometimes, but it takes a lot of work, and there are no guarantees that you won't end up buying a new barrel.
On a side note, get a light that will fit .45 barrels, some only fit .50cal and bigger. As for anything smaller than .45, there are small mirrors that are made to drop in reflect a flashlight back but I have no experience with them.
What Dogshirt said. The closest I have come to buying a new muzzleloader is obtaining a couple of Mongrel's creations. The rest were used from various places. If I had known about a bore light before I jumped into this hobby, I would have saved myself hundreds of dollars. If someone does not want to let you drop a light down the bore, hand it back to him and bid him good day. And don't let yourself be talked into buying something of questionable shape with a low price. I think everyone here will agree with this. And remember if you have specific questions, take a picture and post it here with your concerns and we will jump all over it. We like pictures.
I love to shoot flintlocks.
I like all the rituals about it. It is somewhat like ritual actions of smoking a pipe: clean out the old tobacco; put in new tobacco; tamp it down; light it; take a few puffs; light it again; light it again; tamp it down and light it again.
I rarely curse. Flintlocks give me the opportunity to use profanity often and get it out of my system. ;D Actually, that is not true. As I have learned the subtleties of the flintlock, the opportunities to curse have become few and far between.
Ron
Quote from: RonRC on November 24, 2016, 06:38:21 PM
I love to shoot flintlocks.
I like all the rituals about it. It is somewhat like ritual actions of smoking a pipe: clean out the old tobacco; put in new tobacco; tamp it down; light it; take a few puffs; light it again; light it again; tamp it down and light it again.
I rarely curse. Flintlocks give me the opportunity to use profanity often and get it out of my system. ;D Actually, that is not true. As I have learned the subtleties of the flintlock, the opportunities to curse have become few and far between.
Ron
Agreed, although I have greatly expanded my vocabulary shooting with other flinter addicts. I would also like to add that the patience required with flintlock shooting will make you a better shooter overall. It really does make shooting more than just pulling a trigger.
Thanks everyone for the replies, I'm thinking I'm gonna start with the percussion... seems like less stuff I can break! Plus, I've got a bit of a soft spot for 'em, seeing as the first long rifle I ever shot was a .54 percussion some years ago on a church camping trip.
Flintlocks are definitely going on the wish list, though.
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!
:mini-devil-28492:
Really like my little flinter. 16ga, smoothie that only weights 4 1/4 LBS. But it does have a tendency to shorten/thin my beard every shot...( I shoot left handed, but only have a right handed flinter). And it if you get a large flinter pistola, they are a real ball to take quail hunting!!
Doug
thmbsup I am an equal opportunity shootist I like em all.....lol
Quote from: Dogshirt on November 23, 2016, 03:33:20 PM
Invest $15 or so and get a DROP IN BORE LIGHT. Turn it on, slide it down and it will allow you to see the condition of the bore.
It will save you a lot grief and money. Any reasonable seller will not have an issue with you looking at the bore. "It just needs a good cleaning" doesn't cut it. The only time a "good cleaning" will help is when it is just oil and dust, rusty barrels(inside) CAN be saved sometimes, but it takes a lot of work, and there are no guarantees that you won't end up buying a new barrel.
On a side note, get a light that will fit .45 barrels, some only fit .50cal and bigger. As for anything smaller than .45, there are small mirrors that are made to drop in reflect a flashlight back but I have no experience with them.
Autoparts stores (O'reilly's and Autozone here) sell a very thin pencil light that will slide dow the barrel of a .32 cal and shine bigger bores like daylight... all for around 12 US dollars....
Mick;
You have received very sound advise from these old guys. I would add one thing when inspecting a used muzzleloader. A bore light will NOT tell the whole story about the bore. I have seen many rifles with rust and pitting too close to the breech plug to be seen with any bore light. If the bore passes the bore light test, ask the owner if you can run a couple of cleaning patches down the bore. First one with a bit of oil (non-petroleum) then a dry patch. Use a jag of proper caliber not a loop type patch holder. If the dry patch gets stuck at or near the breech plug, don't buy the gun, it has serious pitting at the breech. At the very worst the only thing you are out is the price of the cleaning rod and not the price of a rifle that is not usable.
No one has mentioned this but you deserve to be forewarned. You can't get into Heaven unless you have a flintlock. Sure, you can start off with percussion, they are fine, but you need to eventually get a flintlock so the chariot won't pass you by. ROFL
Also know this.......once you get into shooting flintlocks, you will become a zombie, where your mind will only think about shooting flintlocks, buying flintlocks, building flintlocks, trading off everything to get more flintlocks! It is an incurable addiction! BEWARE
Don't know about the zombie stuff but the rest is correct. I got my first flint yesterday and am already considering selling my 375 Holland & Holland to finance a couple more flinters. As far as reliability, in my very limited experience the flint is as reliable as my cap guns. Accuracy is also just as good. The brief hissboom took two or three shots to get used to, but no big deal. I've been shooting front stuffers for over 50 years and can't help but wonder why it took so long to go rock lock, better late than never I suppose.
OK, the zombie thing may have just been a bit too much coffee that morning. ;)
I will admit that the argument between flint vs percussion has been going on since back in the day when percussion came into being.
Kind of dates me when I quote an old cigarette commercial; Us Terryton smoker's would rather fight than switch. ;)
I have shot both, and much prefer the percussion lock, I am primarily a hunter and it always seems to rain or snow during muzzleloader season here in Vermont. It would be interesting to try flintlock again at targets, but for hunting, I'll keep shooting my TC Hawken and black powder.