Dixie Jaeger rifle

[Renegade]

I bought my Dixie (pedersoli) Jaeger a few months ago and had some troubles at first with my first flintlock, but with advise from some of you here and lots of shooting, things have really turned around. I also learned how important a good sharp flint is, I switched to Rich Pierce flints and and learned how much 4F to prime the pan with and The delayed ignition is gone. just one big boom now. Shootin a Flintlock was a little rough at first but boy I'm sure getting to really like it, I can't seem to remember where I put my cap guns. Went to the range today and started out at 25 yards and ended at 50, I shot over 20 rounds with out a misfire, that was a first for me. Here's my last 5 shots at 50 yards using a bench rest. I need to tinker with the sites just a tad.

[mongrel]

Flinters are addictive, that's for sure. In the event of a malfunction they're also simpler than percussion guns to get back in operation. By that I mean the potential problems with them are each simpler; the flip side to this is that there are MORE potential problems to be encountered on a flinter than with a cap gun. Up and running properly, too, they're in a speed-of-ignition class with any percussion system other than That Which Must Not Be Named. They just require a lot of attention and generally a whole re-learning of how to shoot.

One selling point I use to good effect, with flinters, is that mastering one of them will inevitably make you a better shot with any other form of rifle you pick up. The follow-through of your shot, in particular, is critical, as is eliminating even the slightest bit of flinch. Since one of the facets of a proper trigger squeeze is that you learn to concentrate on the squeeze and the sights, and not on when the gun is going to go off -- and anticipation/dread of the gun going off is a major factor in flinching -- the flinter is a helpful tool in regard to that point, also. When I encounter someone who gets just too flat-out obnoxious in his insistence that you can't shoot well with a flinter, I tend to lose patience and counter with my opinion, which is that the complainer actually never learned to shoot properly to begin with, otherwise he'd understand focus, trigger squeeze, and follow-through. There's no magic or luck involved with flintlocks, just a lot of self-discipline and practice.

Congratulations on being well on your way to mastery of this most excellent mechanism.

[Renegade]

Thanks Mongrel for the words of wisdom
I feel like I'm learning to shoot all over again, But it 's really teaching me how to focus which even at 51 will hopefully make me a better shooter.

[The Ghost]

I am on thed road shooting every winter mostly in the Western U.S. I only shoot "Rock Rifles" as do many dedicated M\L match shooters. The "Rock" shooters are always in the winners circle. The reason is they are more serious shooters to start with. My Big Bore match rifle is a .58 Yeager. The .58 caliber is the smallest caliber allowed in these matches. The Yeager always draws a lot of attention. The big locks on these rifles which take 1" or 7\8" flints will fire all day with little attention to the flint. The flint loads fast in speed shooting. No one can place a cap on nipple as fast as a flinter can be primmed. The speed prime is done by pouring 2F into the palm of your hand. The rifle on the line ready position. Triggers set frizzen open. Go! you the powder in your hand over the pan and close with thumb and Bang. This puts the flint lock miles ahead of the cap and nipple fumble.