flintlock in a drizzle

[dakota]

The number one reason why I have not yet gone from percussion to flintlocks is that I think hunting when there is a light drizzle is sometimes the most productive hunting times.
Keep in mind I don't ever hunt from a blind or a tree and in this area you almost always have to stalk your game. There are times when the deer are moving when you can be sitting in a good spot by a trail or water hole or whatever but that usually is only about two hours a day.

Tell me, do you flintlock shooters hunt in wet conditions - drizzle, rain or snow? If so, what is your method of keeping the powder dry?

[dakota]

Or are flintlockers by definition fair weather hunters.

[bounce]

I'm pretty much with you Dakota on that!! How ever some do, Cow's nee is one canvas is two, Plastic bag is three, and dump & wipe a lot is four, Add cemicals is five That I have heard of. I gave them up years ago as I most offten drop the barrel before the ball is gone partickualy at targets do some better hunting

[twomoons]

I carried a flinter in light rain for 3 days and at the end the gun went bang. I carried the gun with a fold of my capote over the pan area. I greased around the rim of the pan. When I crossed a fence I brushed out and re primed and at night I brushed out and used my quill in the touchhole. It just takes some care and a little different mind set. I have actuall had more misfires in the field with a cap lock, maybe because I didn't have the keep checking mindset.

[klsm54]

Since our PA season is after Christmas, there are lot's of days when the the weather is not conducive to flintlockin'...

But the season is short, so there are still hunters out there...rain or shine.

I have used several different methods to keep the flashpan dry. The best that I found was a piece of plastic that I glued to a piece of heavy flannel. It was about 14" square. I would carry the gun cradled in my arm, something you get used to with a flintlock anyway, and drape my conncoction over the lock. I kept the plastic side down so the cloth would absorb the rain or snow.

Did it work? Sometimes... The simple fact is that on some of those days, especially a day with drizzle when the temperature is just above freezing, it is just about impossible to keep the powder dry. There is enough humidity in the air to foil your attempts at keeping the pan dry.

I always carried some dry cloths in my pocket and wiped the pan and frizzen often and changed the pan powder. It still was always an adventure when you pulled the trigger on those days... ;D

[dakota]

When I got my Hawken kit gun the winters were much colder. I think it was about 40 below when we were hunting whitetails near Aberdeen, SD at Sand Lake Refuge. At the time, I was worried about ignition and bought a hot shot nipple or something like that to help ignition.
Now I read where people are using pistol primers in their BPCR's for better shot to shot consistancy.
Will a flintlock give better consistancy or a percussion? Should a guy use mild percussion caps or hot? I am primarily interested in accuracy, however if a rifle fails to fire when I want it to, I don't like that much.

[bounce]

It Is Best not to use pistol primers in BPCR's as some are shorter than reg. and can slam back. use 1st reg FEDERAL or 2nd Winchester both good Do not use magnum at all. on percusion I use anything that fits & goes Bang, for accuracy just do not mix brands stay with whats working

[ssettle]

It's been over a year since I last posted here...sorry, anyway hunting in the rain with a flintlock I don't do anymore. When I was young I'd hunt in rain if it wasn't heavy. A drizzle is OK with the guns I have, they have very good Locks on them. And I would sit more instead of walking. I carry my gun in my left arm and rest my right arm over the lock which pretty much protects it. Later...ssettle

[dakota]

I guess the Jaeger kit is on the got to have list. Sometime this Winter I will have one - I think. I will try going out in nasty weather to see if I can make it work. I supose the toughest part is trying to pick a caliber. There is so much to know about those rifles that I need to work on. I never heard of a swamped barrel before about two weeks ago. Is the more expensive barrel worth it? Maybe I should be looking at something that has a false muzzle.

[bounce]

Chouse a .54 Go swamped with a taperd muzzel on the inside for the last 3/4" or so for loading patched balls much easyer, Just thought I would help!! LOL and forget the false muzzel unless your strickly a paper puncher. PS. 34" barrells are super!! 32" are awesome!! As they get longer than 34" so does the pain in the ass of loading them my 44" I like but not for loading or transporting

[deputydon]

I have huntedw/ my flinter in freezing rain turning to snow. While not fun hunting conditions I did shoot a deer w/ my gun.........As I recall I did have a short "hang-fire" So it is do-able

[twomoons]

As with any traditional muzzleloader it is all mindset. The guys in the 1750's had to hunt and fight wars and they couldn't pick the weather. You leard to carry the gun differently. You check the pan often and use your quill when you need to. I drape my capote over the lock area as I walk and I tend to stand under shelter when ever I can. You learn to greae the pan edges and most of all you learn to buy a good lock in the first place. More folks are turned off on f/l by cheap locks than anything else. A well tuned and properly made flinter wil fire even if dunked in a bucket of water. Unfortunatly these locks cost more than a whole inline outfit. Why do you think a custom flinter runs into the 1000 dollar mark? That lock on the gun is 100 bucks alone and that is before it is tuned and set up. I have a Manton lock that I have demonstrated by priming the pan and then dumping a cup of water over the lock and then BANG! Bill had one of these locks on his 32 until he wimped out for a persuction gun. The better the lock and the better it's tuned the more reliable. No your CVA or TC lock won't go off in a heavy fog, you can see light through the pan when the cover is closed and the touchhole is probably in the wrong spot to boot. I will put a GOOD flinter up against any gun in any weather, but I wouldn't give spit for a cheap flintlock.

[dakota]

So then what is your opinion of the Jaeger kit? That seems quite cheap to have a good lock, is what I'm thinking.