Flint vs Percussion shooting

[The_micked_kettle1]

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!

[DandJofAZ]

 
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

[Hawken50]

   I am an equal opportunity shootist I like em all.....lol

[Red Badger]

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....

[rdstrain49]

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. 

[Hanshi]

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.   

[Cranbrook]

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

[rdstrain49]

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.

[Cranbrook]

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. ;)

[rusticbob]

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.