1st time shooting a flintlock

[Red Eye]

I have updated this post by starting a new one instead of latching on to this one.

 

[Panama Red]

I joined a few months ago, haven't posted much but have read tons of posts to learn about flintlocks.
Bought a Traditions 50 cal. Hawken Woodsman from a member here; finally got to the range today. Yes, way different than in-lines or even my sidelock percussion T/C Renegade.
Shooting 70 gr. of Schuetzen 3 F with 4F in the pan. 275 gr. T/C Maxi hunter. Trying to work up a hunting load for PA. late flintlock deer season.
The good...... love the rifle, went off every time out of 20 shots, only had about 4-5 shots with a slight ignition delay.
The bad.....I suck with open sights ( 70 yr. old eyes) and flintlocks, LOL. Probably flinched on a couple of shots also. I was only able to keep about 8 inch groups at 50 yards after adjusting the sights some.
I know I'll need to try different loads, maybe try the 320 Maxi or even round ball to see what this gun likes ( 1-48 twist) but I've got plenty of time before next season to figure it out.
Just wanted to thank everyone on this site for the wealth of knowledge I've already acquired. IT WAS FUN !!

Congrats on that first flintlock! I can relate to the eyes getting old. A few years back I bought a nice match grade rifle to get in to NRA long range competition. It was the first time I had tried to sight in on 600 yards without a scope… found out, I can either see the sights with my readers on, or the target with my readers off, but never both.

 

[martyorlow]

Shot my first flinter about two weeks ago. Now I'm hooked and looking for my first one.

 

[buckleymarka56]

I'd definitely try patched roundball. Those fancy conicals get expensive and aren't really necessary for deer.

If you shoot alot. Get a lead furnace online, a mold, ladel thermometer, and make your own.
Once the lead gets to 850, or does not stick to the ladel, it's ready.
I cast about 100 last night in about 1 hour..
I get my lead from scrap yards for a dollar a pound, cut it up,with Tin snips, melt it, scoop out all the organic crap, ( it's usually commercial roofing vents, they are lead)
.flash it with parifan wax and have about 95% pure lead.

 

[Red Eye]

Casting my own doesn't work for me since I live in an apartment complex, otherwise, good idea.

 

[Mike Keel]

OK Guys I neeed help. Got my 1st flintlock (inherited) it is lefthandes I am right handed ,can I learn to shoot it advise and please be gentle

 

[Grenadier1758]

Well, @Mike Keel, the simple answer is yes, you can learn to shoot it based on the comments from left handed shooters that learned to shoot right handed guns left handed.

It will take some practice and overcoming a possible right eye dominance for sighting.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Just teach yourself to not move after you pull the trigger, and you will see those groups shrink. It's tough to do at first but you'll get so used to it after a while, you won't even think about it.

 

[IanH]

Well, @Mike Keel, the simple answer is yes, you can learn to shoot it based on the comments from left handed shooters that learned to shoot right handed guns left handed.

It will take some practice and overcoming a possible right eye dominance for sighting.

I don't understand the last part, he said nothing of being cross-dominant. Just hold it the normal right-handed way, yes, it will be backwards, but so what? Us southpaws do just fine with backwards guns.

 

[NorthFork]

For the flinch reaction try inserting a wooden flint in the lock and dry fire concentrating on your target. by concentrating on the target you will learn to ignore the flash. I used this method and at one time when I had a flash in the pan and didn't realize it. The flinch went away! Have fun with your flintlock.

This is excellent advise!

 

[NorthFork]

Welcome to Flintlock shooting.
Coupla thoughts come to mind that you might find useful. In no particular order:
1. Learn to knap your flint as needed so that you’re getting the best performance ( read: fastest ignition).
2. Front sight is critical, when you squeeze the trigger….Hold Throooouuugghh the shot.
3. An optometrist who has experience with older eyes and iron sights can provide some help. I’ve used Decot shooting glasses for 43 yrs. As my eyes aged ( I’m 73) I lost the ability to use iron sights. They “ tweaked” my prescription for my strong eye and got me back to seeing sights well enough to take a small Whitetail with a patched round ball at a measured 100 yds. ( I had a rest ) 1shot… DRT.
4. I’m also going to suggest that you try round balls. Mild loads of 50-55 gns of powder and a tight ball/ patch combination will surprise you out to 50 yds. Less cost, less recoil… more fun..!

This is also great advise!

 

[NorthFork]

I agree, but I never said I wanted to use a bigger slug to make up for a bad shot.
I just believe, that given 2 shots on a deer, 1 with a RB, 1 with a 320-385 gr slug both in the same "kill zone", the heavier slug will anchor a deer quicker.
I'm sure some shooters will disagree, and that's ok, we all have our own opinion. I'm not saying a RB won't do the job, I just believe that a heavier slug does it better, harder impact/ shock.

I disagree. I have killed more than 120 whitetail deer in my hunting career. Yes you read that right. At the club we also autopsy EVERY deer killed, regardless of weapon used. NOTHING kills like a .50, 54, or ,62 PRB backed by at least 80 grns of FFG into the lungs or shoulder. Horrific entrance wounds, lots of bloodshot meat, PLENTY of penetration (most are thru and thru's) and large exit wounds with lots of blood to track if needed. Beats 20/12 gauge modern slugs and those pistol bullets in sabots shot from inlines. We can't shoot centerfire rifles here.

 

[NorthFork]

Just from looking at your pictures I noticed your ramrod is out of the gun. Are you sighting it in with it out? Or putting it back in its channel for each shot? I made the mistake and didn’t put the RR back in its channel for each shot one time sighting in. When I took it out to shoot the next time I shot it with the RR in its place and the point of impact was off from what I sighted it in at.

Yup, that CAN have an effect on POI.

 

[NorthFork]

If you shoot alot. Get a lead furnace online, a mold, ladel thermometer, and make your own.
Once the lead gets to 850, or does not stick to the ladel, it's ready.
I cast about 100 last night in about 1 hour..
I get my lead from scrap yards for a dollar a pound, cut it up,with Tin snips, melt it, scoop out all the organic manure, ( it's usually commercial roofing vents, they are lead)
.flash it with parifan wax and have about 95% pure lead.

Yup, the DIY method is superior to the wrinkled nasty cast balls or the expensive swaged balls.

 

[NorthFork]

Casting my own doesn't work for me since I live in an apartment complex, otherwise, good idea.

With some ingenuity you could do it.

 

[NorthFork]

OK Guys I neeed help. Got my 1st flintlock (inherited) it is lefthandes I am right handed ,can I learn to shoot it advise and please be gentle

Yup. Left handed flintlocks are a new thing. What did left handers do in 1740? They shot right handed guns.

 

[stephenprops1]

I don't understand the last part, he said nothing of being cross-dominant. Just hold it the normal right-handed way, yes, it will be backwards, but so what? Us southpaws do just fine with backwards guns.

If you are left eye dominant and shooting your rifle right-handed your dominant eye will be on the wrong side. What can happen is your right eye will be looking down the rear sight and your naturally dominant left eye can pick up the front sight. You will be a lousy shot. I am right-handed and left eye dominant. I have learned to close my left eye when I shoot a rifle or shotgun. When I shoot handguns, I have to close the right eye. It took me a while to master it, but I did it and so can you.

 

[IanH]

Wow.

Ok, I'll try one more time. Mike is right handed and presumably not cross-dominant or he would have brought it up. He has a lefty rifle. Just shoot the lefty rifle right handed, problem solved.

I am not cross-dominant, either so I don't need the tip, but thanks anyway. I shot IDPA and three-gun for years and became reasonably proficient shooting anything from either side, with either eye.

 

[Mike Keel]

guess that am worried about pan flash burning my eyes what is your opinion

Wow.

Ok, I'll try one more time. Mike is right handed and presumably not cross-dominant or he would have brought it up. He has a lefty rifle. Just shoot the lefty rifle right handed, problem solved.

I am not cross-dominant, either so I don't need the tip, but thanks anyway. I shot IDPA and three-gun for years and became reasonably proficient shooting anything from either side, with either eye.

 

[IanH]

guess that am worried about pan flash burning my eyes what is your opinion

Wear safety glasses.