Caplock vs Flint

[Snakebite]

Since on the flintlock thread it was asked what people preferred, flint or cap, and most prefer flinters there, I was wondering what the response would be on the percussion side.

I shoot both and enjoy both about equal.

 

[necchi]

 

[Huntin_Dawg1215]

Caplocks, but I don'thave a flintlock.

 

[Ron_T.]

I, too, shoot both, but find the percussion cap rifles with their removable barrels much easier & faster to clean and a little less trouble to shoot since I've never had a failure-to-fire using percussion caps... although it does happen in rare cases.

For that matter, I haven't had that much of a problem with my flintlock firing, but there have been a few times when I was almost at a loss to figure out why my Long Rifle flinter failed to fire.

That said... there is no doubt that a flintlock has more historic appeal and tends to be preferred by those of us who admire history and the "olden ways" more than the convenience of ease-of-use and reliability.

And what rifle is more graceful & beautiful than a flintlock with a well marked "tiger" maple stock, gleaming brass patchbox and "furniture", a double-set trigger and a 40-inch barrel?

While my Pennsylvania Long Rifle flinter is gracefully beautiful, my two shorter, stouter Hawken rifles are more "business-like" and purposeful... and both have their own special appeal. :wink:


Strength & Honor... :thumbsup:

Ron T.

 

[ebiggs1]

And now for the correct answer!
You NEED both. Maybe even 10 or 12, they both are better!!!!!!

 

[Otter]

And now for the correct answer!
You NEED both. Maybe even 10 or 12, they both are better!!!!!!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!!!!!!

 

[S.Kenton]

I have 3 caplocks.. I have considered getting a "Flinter"..ain't got around to it yet.

 

[Rat Trapper]

Cap locks !

 

[rafterob]

Let's see.. Load powder, patch and ball. Put on cap, cock and pull trigger..BOOM! or, Load Powder, patch and ball. Prime pan, cock and pull trigger..Klatch! :cursing: :hmm: :idunno: :surrender: Caplock=very reliable. Flintlock= More fun! I think its because there is a certain joy when something so primitve works.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I shoot both but for hunting where I want to be certain of a good shot, whatever the weather and no matter how long the load has been in the bore, I use percussion.
There are good reasons why percussion replaced flint in new gun production within 20 years after caps became available. Not only did new made flintlocks become rare by 1845 but most original flintlocks were converted to percussion. The US military converted its vast stock of flintlocks even though speed loading a musket with paper cartridges was probably faster with flint than the fumbling to extract a cap from the pouch and fit it to the percussion nipple. The army felt the advantages of percussion outweighed the slightly slower reloading even though volume of fire was what the military was all about.

 

[rawhide]

I have and shoot both but I like the flinter the most.

 

[rafterob]

The army felt the advantages of percussion outweighed the slightly slower reloading

Hence, the rapid progression to cartridge weapons also.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

I shoot percussion guns because I don`t have alot of disposable income to spend on my guns and affordable flintlocks seem nonexistant .
Used caplocks turn up all the time around here for only a couple hundred $$ and I can afford to fuel my blackpowder shooting and tinkering hobby.
I can`t even remember the last time I saw a flintlock for sale in person. Folks around here are hunters and old sidehammer guns get traded all the time, cheap, for new inlines. I just have a problem spending as much for just a lock, than I can for another complete gun.
I will admit though I`m getting bored with percussion guns and a flintlock fowler is in my future somewhere.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Caps, then flint for me. I have never had the problems others have listed regarding bits of cap in the eye or arm, or mechanical failure. Just lucky I guess. :idunno: Both are fun. For reliability in all kinds of weather I would go with the percussion. They don't seem to be as fussy.

 

[wattlebuster]

Got both, like both, shoot both, but I do shoot my flinters more :hatsoff:

 

[jethro224]

The only cap gun I ever shoot anymore is my GPR because I really really like that rifle. It is VERY reliable and almost always hits what I shoot it at. Won a bunch of matches and killed quite a few deer with it.
Been cut by a cap fragment once. The guy behind me got one stuck in his forehead once.

Otherwise I shoot the several flinters I have. Just have more fun with them. :idunno: I find that when I make sure to do everything right they are almost as reliable as my GPR cap gun. Every once in a while I do get an unexplained missfire. Hardly ever if I pay attention to the details.

 

[rr11]

Have both shoot the flint more, Have killed more deer with the caplock :idunno: Need both :youcrazy: I gess.

 

[Zonie]

Like I said over on the Flintlock forum, the question is very much like walking into a Vintage Chevy Club and asking, "Which is better, a Chevy or a Ford?"

Properly loaded, both styles will work.

There is a better chance of the Percussion working and this is the reason people gave up their Flintlocks for Percussion guns back in the 1800's.

That isn't to say that a muzzleloading Percussion gun is as reliable as a modern cartridge gun. They aren't.

All muzzleloaders require the shooter to load and prime or cap them correctly and even when this is done both will have mis-fires.

Because the shooter must do more with a flintlock to get it ready to shoot, there is a greater chance that something will go wrong.
That is the reason that when everything goes right, there is more satisfaction in shooting a Flintlock.

If someone is only concerned about reliability the Percussion wins.
If someone is interested in doing everything right and being rewarded for their knowledge and ability, the Flintlock wins.

 

[mr.flintlock]

Gettogun, A well designed and built flint rifle will rival any cap lock in ignition speed as well as reliability. On the other hand, some of this stuff coming out of Spain and Italy(but not all) is nothing but trouble. When building a percussion rifle just about any old lock will do because it dosen't take much pressure to bust a cap. When building a flint rifle you need to buy a high quality lock if you want reliable and fast ignition.

 

[rr11]

Mr Flintlock is correct, flintlocks need to be setup properly ( polished and hardened) to work well. In a flint you get what you pay for most of the time. Caplocks are not as hard to make work properly.