vern faulkner
54 Cal.
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primed and on half cock.
Vern
Vern
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carrying a flintlock in the woods
- Thread starter sickle hocks
- Start date
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I normally carry the gun unprimed until I am at the stand. I use a frizzen stall on every flintlock I have. :wink:
I have never had an accidental discharge on one but I have never had an accidental discharge on any of my firearms flintlock or whatever. So the stall may not be the reason but they sure don't hurt. :hmm:
I have never taken a 'hurried' shot at a deer either, so I have plenty of time to prime the gun. I don't carry my cap guns with caps on either except when I am pheasant hunting. :grin:
The position of the prime in the pan is an old myth that doesn't want to go away.
I have never had an accidental discharge on one but I have never had an accidental discharge on any of my firearms flintlock or whatever. So the stall may not be the reason but they sure don't hurt. :hmm:
I have never taken a 'hurried' shot at a deer either, so I have plenty of time to prime the gun. I don't carry my cap guns with caps on either except when I am pheasant hunting. :grin:
The position of the prime in the pan is an old myth that doesn't want to go away.
hanshi
Cannon
Primed & on half cock, often a hammer stall but not always. :shocked2:
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I carry mine primed and on half cock, but with a stall dangling from the trigger guard. It's strictly still hunting up here rather than stands, so you're mostly on the move. I don't like or feel the need to have the stall in place as I stalk.
Why is the stall even there if I leave it dangling? Because this is tough terrain with steep slopes that sometimes require about 5 hands and 6 feet to go up or down. At points like that I add a slip-on sling and put the stall in place to free my hands.
Used to dump the prime too, but I was coming down a steep bluff and lost my footing, then skidded on my hiney right down into the willows at the bottom. And Mr. Big Brown scooted out the other side of the willows, more worried about getting out from under me than staying to fight for the spot.
Why is the stall even there if I leave it dangling? Because this is tough terrain with steep slopes that sometimes require about 5 hands and 6 feet to go up or down. At points like that I add a slip-on sling and put the stall in place to free my hands.
Used to dump the prime too, but I was coming down a steep bluff and lost my footing, then skidded on my hiney right down into the willows at the bottom. And Mr. Big Brown scooted out the other side of the willows, more worried about getting out from under me than staying to fight for the spot.
sickle hocks said:
Where I live "priming just before the shot" could result in the shooter being turned into a turd. Literally. When I go away from the road I become part of the food chain. Well more so than normal anyway.
I carry primed and on 1/2 cock just like my ancestors did.
Dan
cowpoke1955
58 Cal.
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Another vote for primed and half cock :thumbsup:
paulvallandigham
Passed On
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When I am moving SLOWLY thru woods and brush, with my gun loaded, primed, and the cock at Half Cock, I hold the gun in both hands, with my trigger hand wrapped about the stock, so that my hand is directly behind the cock( hammer). I do the same when carrying my percussion shotgun. That way , No brush, or branch can push the cock back far enough for it to slip out of the half cock notch, and fall to fire my gun.
I use my hammerstall simply as an additional "safety" to protect me, and others in case of a fall. It happens. Brown Bear's description of slipping, and sliding down a steep hillside into a ravine and scaring a large brown bear out of the ravine is a classic example of how this kind of "fall" can, and DOES happen- more than most of would like to admit. :redface: :rotf: :haha: :thumbsup: :grin:
Find ways to be safe, but remember that you are there to hunt. If I get tired using the two hand carry or my hands get cold, I switch to the cradle carry, so that one hand can warm up in my pocket, then switch again so that I can warm the other. But, I always have control of that hammer.
Having an unloaded gun on a hunt is silly, NO? Having an unprimed and uncocked MLers just makes it more unlikely that you can take advantage of an opportunity when its presented to you.
Don't worry about never having stories about " The one that got away when......." If you hunt long enough, it will happen to you, too. Then you will have a funny story to tell hunting buddies, and friends.
I had a father and son team take my Hunter Safety Course one fall, and the father told me that his son was going deer hunting now that he has his card, and could legally shoot a deer.
I ran into them a couple of months after the season, in the grocery store, and Dad proudly pulled out a Polaroid to show me the large buck his son had shot from his deer stand, at powder-burn range. The boy had fallen asleep, and apparently his snoring is what brought this deer right up to the foot of the tree to look up and see what was making all that noise. The boy woke, saw the deer, took the safety off, and shot the deer in the chest, killing it instantly. The boy told me he actually had to step over the buck in order to get down out of his treestand.
I asked his father, quietly, if he had already told his son that this kind of success is Not likely to happen again any time soon. Dad smiled, and said he had talked to the boy, and the kid understands just how lucky he was. A Great story that I am sure will be shared in that family for years to come. I don't recall now how many points the rack had, but he was huge. The live body weight was given at close to 300 lbs- a very big Whitetail deer any of us would be proud to claim, even if we had to fall asleep to get the chance! :blah: :shocked2: :hmm: :hatsoff: :hatsoff:
I use my hammerstall simply as an additional "safety" to protect me, and others in case of a fall. It happens. Brown Bear's description of slipping, and sliding down a steep hillside into a ravine and scaring a large brown bear out of the ravine is a classic example of how this kind of "fall" can, and DOES happen- more than most of would like to admit. :redface: :rotf: :haha: :thumbsup: :grin:
Find ways to be safe, but remember that you are there to hunt. If I get tired using the two hand carry or my hands get cold, I switch to the cradle carry, so that one hand can warm up in my pocket, then switch again so that I can warm the other. But, I always have control of that hammer.
Having an unloaded gun on a hunt is silly, NO? Having an unprimed and uncocked MLers just makes it more unlikely that you can take advantage of an opportunity when its presented to you.
Don't worry about never having stories about " The one that got away when......." If you hunt long enough, it will happen to you, too. Then you will have a funny story to tell hunting buddies, and friends.
I had a father and son team take my Hunter Safety Course one fall, and the father told me that his son was going deer hunting now that he has his card, and could legally shoot a deer.
I ran into them a couple of months after the season, in the grocery store, and Dad proudly pulled out a Polaroid to show me the large buck his son had shot from his deer stand, at powder-burn range. The boy had fallen asleep, and apparently his snoring is what brought this deer right up to the foot of the tree to look up and see what was making all that noise. The boy woke, saw the deer, took the safety off, and shot the deer in the chest, killing it instantly. The boy told me he actually had to step over the buck in order to get down out of his treestand.
I asked his father, quietly, if he had already told his son that this kind of success is Not likely to happen again any time soon. Dad smiled, and said he had talked to the boy, and the kid understands just how lucky he was. A Great story that I am sure will be shared in that family for years to come. I don't recall now how many points the rack had, but he was huge. The live body weight was given at close to 300 lbs- a very big Whitetail deer any of us would be proud to claim, even if we had to fall asleep to get the chance! :blah: :shocked2: :hmm: :hatsoff: :hatsoff:
Walks with fire
54 Cal.
Yep; she's primed and half cock 50 yards from the truck. No loaded barrels and no prime in the vehicles after the hunt though. Discharge and swab,sometimes I carry a gallon jug with water to clean after discharge or clean when home. I don't climb into tree stands with a barrel loaded muzzleloader either.
Ken Rummer
40 Cal.
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Using a hammer stall is certainly safer than not using one but they are very inconvenient. The stalls I have are all too thick. At half cock the flint contacts the stall and pushes the frizzen open.
What I would like to see is a stall that is thin enough to fit in the space. It would probably be a piece of brass shim stock attached to leather backing.
Till then I am half cock, no stall.
What I would like to see is a stall that is thin enough to fit in the space. It would probably be a piece of brass shim stock attached to leather backing.
Till then I am half cock, no stall.
when hunting I carry: primed at full cock with a hammer stall in place. That gives you the fastest shot. Naturally this also carries some risk. It's debatable whether half cock w/o a hammer stall is any less risk. As with any firearm, the bottom line is to keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times.
IMO, since a tumbler has two identical grooves for the sear nose...half-cock & full-cock...and the design of both notches is identical, neither one of them has any more safety designed in than the other.
In the unlikely event that something happens to allow the hammer to fall, a sharp flint falling against a bare frizzen from half-cock is as likely to generate sparks as one falling from full-cock...so to me, the idea that carrying one on half-cock compared to full-cock is a false sense of security as long as that bare frizzen is still exposed.
The logical solution to me...if one is interested in safety to prevent an AD (accidental discharge) as I am...is to simply always use a good quality leather hammer stall as a safety, whether carried at half or full-cock...and once you put one on and intentionally fire the lock a few times to see how they work, you'll have 100% confidence.
Carrying a Flintlock at full-cock with a quality leather hammer stall is no different than carrying a loaded/cocked center fire rifle or shotgun with its safety on.
PS: An added benefit of the Chambers Deluxe Siler design is that even at half-cock there's plenty of clearance for a leather hammer stall.
In the unlikely event that something happens to allow the hammer to fall, a sharp flint falling against a bare frizzen from half-cock is as likely to generate sparks as one falling from full-cock...so to me, the idea that carrying one on half-cock compared to full-cock is a false sense of security as long as that bare frizzen is still exposed.
The logical solution to me...if one is interested in safety to prevent an AD (accidental discharge) as I am...is to simply always use a good quality leather hammer stall as a safety, whether carried at half or full-cock...and once you put one on and intentionally fire the lock a few times to see how they work, you'll have 100% confidence.
Carrying a Flintlock at full-cock with a quality leather hammer stall is no different than carrying a loaded/cocked center fire rifle or shotgun with its safety on.
PS: An added benefit of the Chambers Deluxe Siler design is that even at half-cock there's plenty of clearance for a leather hammer stall.
Capt. Jas.
58 Cal.
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In all the years I have hunted with a flintlock, I have never used a hammer stall. It's not like I did not have the leather to do it :grin:
I guess I need to see if I can find a "roundtuit" and make up a few for deer hunting.
I guess I need to see if I can find a "roundtuit" and make up a few for deer hunting.
Walks with fire
54 Cal.
A piece of electric tape or duct tape can be stuck to the frizzen face and still keep the frizzen closed and the hammer sitting at half cock. It would serve the same as a hammer stall does and be thin enough. You would need to open the frizzen and pull the tape off then close and fire. It would be slow but still quiet.
Roundball, I'm not sure what you mean in this statement "IMO, since a tumbler has two identical grooves for the sear nose...half-cock & full-cock...and the design of both notches is identical, neither one of them has any more safety designed in than the other."
In none of the locks I have worked on are these two notches identical. The full cock notch is open and fairly slight, while the half cock notch actually captures the nose of the sear. Once, while shooting trap, in my excitement, I pulled up forgetting to put it in full cock and pulled the trigger, hard! I broke the nose clean off the sear of my finely tuned lock. A heart breaker for sure.
Robby
Oh, the gun failed to fire.
In none of the locks I have worked on are these two notches identical. The full cock notch is open and fairly slight, while the half cock notch actually captures the nose of the sear. Once, while shooting trap, in my excitement, I pulled up forgetting to put it in full cock and pulled the trigger, hard! I broke the nose clean off the sear of my finely tuned lock. A heart breaker for sure.
Robby
Oh, the gun failed to fire.
sickle hocks
36 Cal.
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Interesting discussion, thanks.
I'm glad to hear that carrying primed and loaded can be sensible...makes still-hunting a reasonable proposition.
A lock geometry that allowed a hammer stall at half-cock sounds like it would be ideal. For now I think it's going to be half-cock, or full cock with a well-fitted stall, and due care and attention either way.
I'm glad to hear that carrying primed and loaded can be sensible...makes still-hunting a reasonable proposition.
A lock geometry that allowed a hammer stall at half-cock sounds like it would be ideal. For now I think it's going to be half-cock, or full cock with a well-fitted stall, and due care and attention either way.
First off, to hunt w/ a rifle that's primed and at half-cock, the hunter must have confidence in the lock and must also use common sense in riskier situations such as steep grades and climbing into a tree stand empty handed and then w/ a rope pulling the gun up muzzle down. When I visited TOW to sell a LR, the first thing David Riplinger did was put the hammer at half-cock and then pulled the trigger very hard. I asked him if he found some locks that would release and he said every now and then. This is a dangerous situation and that is one of the checks I do on all my LRs. In the end and although I hunt "primed and hammer at half-cock", do whatever gives you peace of mind....Fred
I always carry my gun primed at haifcock and usually with a hammer stall and in really bad weather a lock cover but mostly keep the lock tucked under my arm and cape of my outer wrap garment, barrel is slightly downward and with a snug patch the ball will not go anywhere untill fired, os cards loosening concerns me a bit so I try to keep the muzzle up a bit when using shot. You can lean by trial and error where and how to tilt and tap the side of the gun to bring the powder to any place you desire every time so you can tap now and then and know it is right where you want it without looking.
