Do you prefer percussion?

I prefer flint by far, but I have percussion guns that get used as well.
As some have already pointed out, if there is a noticeable delay when you shoot a flintlock, something, somewhere, is wrong. It might be the lock, it might be the touch hole, it might be something else. But it’s something. Even when I was a lot younger I was never able to hold rock-solid on target when shooting off-hand. If the rifles I shot back then had experienced the delay many associate with flinters I would have been lucky to shoot a 25. As it was I usually shot in the high forties with an occasional 50 with Xs thrown in for good measure. During those years I beat quite a few who were shooting percussion.
I have to agree that common sense would dictate that cap guns have an advantage when it rains. Nonetheless, I can remember Bill Disbro shooting the full course with a flintlock at a woods walk in a downpour that prevented several percussion guns from finishing.
For the most part I consider my cap guns as loaners for someone who wants to try the game and doesn’t feel ready for a flintlock. For me, it is flintlocks about 90% of the time.

 

[CrackStock]

I do not prefer percussion, but I do enjoy my percussion rifles at times - flints at others.

I do find that I am a better shot with one particular percussion than all of my other ML guns, but that only goes to a point is calculating favorite.

They all have their use and allure or they would not be in my arsenal.

CS

 

[damron]

I have had both and now only use percussion.The locals here that shoot flints think it's the only "real" muzzloader and turn there nose at us cappers.And "real" smokepoles dont have rifling according to them.it has put me off to the point of not wanting to be associated with that crowd.Maybe its just me?its all just a hobby anyhow.

George

 

[Leatherbark]

I have both and use both. What governs which I am shooting at the time is my interest at the time. If I'm reading alot about 1755 to 1812 I might be shooting my flint guns. If I'm reading alot about the 1830's up into the civil war I mess with my cap guns. My target rifle I recently converted to percussion for a few matches coming up where both are allowed.

I must admit the long range shooting in these matches I do better with cap. Not a difference up close, but when I shoot at a target offhand at 125 yards that little delay causes me a larger spread and maybe a miss. I've shot flintlocks since 1980 and percussions since the early 70's and I love both.

It is just what timeframe in history I am interested in as to which I am shooting. I have no real personna of both, but if I had to have my pick of a personna it would be of a woodsman or trapper of the 1830's which would allow both styles

Bob

 

[Ron_T.]

I've got a flinter long rifle (commercially made) with a 1:66 twist plus two commercially made cap-lock rifles with 1:48 twists. All 3 rifles are .50 caliber and have double set triggers... and all 3 "like" my target load of just 47 grains (volume) of Swiss FFFg and a patched .490 swaged Hornady rifle ball.

I started out with the flintlock and learned to make it go "BOOM" in the most efficient and reliable way, but it's not quite as "fast" igniting the main powder charge as the caplock rifles.

THEN... I bought my first Hawken caplock... a badly used CVA with surface rust all over the barrel and very "rough-looking".

A "touch" of some 0000 steel wool wet down with WD40 and the barrel looked like new with good bluing. I added some "TLC" to the rest of the rifle and it came out looking almost like new. I designed this Hawken with a 28 inch barrel (7.5 lbs) in a 1:48 twist as my "target rifle".

Then I bought a nice little older model CVA Hawken Carbine with a 24 inch barrel (6.75 lbs) that I designed as my "hunting rifle".

Once I began shooting (and CLEANING) the Hawken rifles with their removable barrels, I never went back to the flintlock long rifle.

The flinter is much more attractive and all three rifls shoot very accurately once one figures out the amount of powder they "like".

HOWEVER, the caplock Hawken rifles are less of a hassle at the range and much, much easier to clean once I get home where, the majority of the time, I'm "pooped" for several hours spent at my club's rifle range.

I don't know why I feel like I do about the flintlock being a hassle at the range... I have few mis-fires or refusals to fire outta the flinter, but the caplock Hawken rifles just seem a whole LOT easier to shoot and definitely more reliable to fire.

I truly like the graceful lines of the flinter long rifle, but I much prefer shooting the Hawken rifles

I've shot up 7 pounds of black powder in the past 4 years in coming to the conclusions I've come to... so this thinking wasn't the result of having very little experience.

I think a man handicaps himself in target shooting using a flinter vs. a caplock due to the very, very slight "hesitation" after the trigger is pulled in the flinter when seriously shooting targets like at our monthly Club Shooting Match.

By the same token, I doubt that the very slight difference in bullet strike while hunting makes much difference, but for target shooting... I'm gonna stick with the caplock Hawken rifle for target matches and go to the flintlock long rifle if I wanna be real "traditional". :stir: :grin: :stir:

I'm sure that my position may upset a fair number of the dyed-in-the-wool flintlock lovers, but that's how I see it... and that's been my experience over the past 4 years since getting into shooting muzzle-loading black powder rifles... and TRUST ME, I "know" and use all the flintlock shooter's "tricks" to cause my flintlock to ignite the powder charge ASAP.

I'll also admit that the difference in time in my flinter firing (once the trigger is pulled) vs. my Hawkens firing once their triggers are pulled is almost undetectable, but none-the-less, it's "there"... and in that split second is when the sights wander off the bullseye during a Club shoot.

Make GOOD smoke... :thumbsup:


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

 

[ryoung14]

Percussion for me. It's practical, it's reliable, it works, and I'm not bucking for a slot in a museum.

 

[FRJ]

I enjoy both. I have a new to me 45cal flintlock that I'm going to try for deer this year or next depending on my knee surgery. I have a 54cal cap and its my go to elk rifle. IF I was limited to one or the other it would be the caplock but I hope I'm never stuck having to make that choice. FRJ

 

[Tony Logan]

I was a capper man until I shot my first flinter. Soon after I sold the cappers to buy more flinters, I am going to have 5 shortly. I practically gave the last one away. The last capper I shot , I shot very accurately and noticed the ignition seemed instant. Maybe because I had been working with a flintlock for a while. I have no interest in ever owning another one though. It seems to me that most of the guns I see people having trouble making go off are cappers. Its probably just the people I am around though.

 

[dbutch]

Own both... prefer flint in rifle...
Flint and wing shooting is a work in progress.
Both one shot challenge..enjoy the smoke either way.
Flint has the edge in the step back in time feeling.
clover leafing with flints makes me smile!
Cappers starting to get dusty in the rack.
Will always own both.... :v
36 cal in cap perfect for hooking first timers. :thumbsup:

 

[rodwha]

(There needs to be a smilie opening a can)
Other than the allure of tradition, what is the benefit to a flintier over a percussion?
I find it quite odd that there are many who turn their nose up to those who use percussion or conicals as though they are ignorant children in need of a whoopin'. It's all traditional...
:stir:

 

[jdkerstetter]

....what is the benefit to a flintier over a percussion?

Easy, flintlocks don't need caps! :slap:

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[nchawkeye]

I'd look like a dang fool giving talks about Cowpens, King's Mountain, Guilford Courthouse, etc using a percussion... :rotf:

Funny how some think a flinter isn't reliable...What the heck did Daniel Boone use during hus 85 years??? A good, reliable flinter is just as reliable as a percussion...

 

[Billnpatti]

A flintlock can be addictive but it is not for the beginner. Flintlocks have their ways and they can be frustrating for the novice muzzleloader shooter. But, once you master the caplock and are ready for somethign a bit more "interesting", a flintlock may just be the gun for you. When you are ready to move on to a flintlock and have the urge to do so, be careful because it can be addictive. I have both and love both but I have been building and shooting muzzleloaders for over 40 years. I find the challanges of a flintlock as just a part of what makes it so endearing. It also gives you a taste of what our forefathers experienced. When you are ready, go for it.

 

[jdkerstetter]

No offense intended but that is ridiculous. If you start by learning with a flintlock under proper instruction and it is all you know then it is no harder to learn for a kid than....well, any of the other things kids learn to master.

Thousands of Pennsylvania hunters can't be wrong. For those that don't know, and I can't imagine that there are many here who don't, Pennsylvania's primitive deer season is still flintlock only. Caplocks don't sell for beans here but a used CVA that won't bring $150 elsewhere brings top $$$ here.

If learning on your own, sure, caplocks many be less problematic but many a PA youth cuts his/her teeth with flint and have for a couple centuries now.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[nchawkeye]

A flintlock can be addictive but it is not for the beginner. Flintlocks have their ways and they can be frustrating for the novice muzzleloader shooter. But, once you master the caplock and are ready for somethign a bit more "interesting", a flintlock may just be the gun for you. When you are ready to move on to a flintlock and have the urge to do so, be careful because it can be addictive. I have both and love both but I have been building and shooting muzzleloaders for over 40 years. I find the challanges of a flintlock as just a part of what makes it so endearing. It also gives you a taste of what our forefathers experienced. When you are ready, go for it.

My firsts muzzleloader was bought from Bob Watts back in 1977, it was one he built for another fellow...He gave me maybe 15-20 minutes of instructions, I went to the range and shot a group dead center, balls touching at 25 yards...

I never looked back, felt perfectly natural to me...

I was 22, had shot a few percussion guns but never wanted a factory made percussion gun because they didn't look like the originals...

 

[cynthialee]

PA having Flintlock only for BP pushing up flintlock sales makes complete sense.

I was actually considering buying one of them unmentionable guns then I found out my state (washington) doesn't allow them for the special season. So I got a sidelock to be in compliance with the state laws for the BP season. That law set me on a path that brought me to this forum and addicted to my sidelock rifles. If the law was flintlock only here, I would have gotten a flintlock. If it had been anything goes, I probably would have gotten that inline and started with powder plugs and never had met you guys, what with the forum rules.

 

[yadkin]

Once you learn how to shoot that flinchlock you will be able to shoot anything it takes steady nerve to do it acurately. and patience me I shoot both but not as steady as once was my rocklocks are smoothbores amd my my rifles are percussion and I enjoy both of them bunches, hoped this helps keep the muzzle up and keep burning powder Chef.

 

[hanshi]

I own and shoot both but hunt only with flint and see no disadvantage. I have two cap guns I'll never let go but most shooting is with flint.

 

[7MAGMIKE]

I own two .50 cal percussion rifles, but would love to try a flintlock although I would probably stick with the cap guns for hunting (for now).

 

[pchwcf50110]

as to the OP's question, yup.