Don't know how y'all do it....

[Dusty_Traveler]

I would make sure that the priming powder (4F) in the pan isn't above the vent hole, but just below it. Also, when I fit a new lock or flint, I get my space phone out and record the cock falling on the frizzen in 'slow-mo'. This way I can see exactly where my sparks go, and other fine details lost in the 'snap'

 

[Tasbay]

I always try to shoot from a rest, Tree, Log ,post, My back pack anything , even the Mate I`m hunting with.

 

[D.Summers]

Space phone! LOL!

 

[Juice Jaws]

If I had to rely on this contraption to put groceries in the house, my whole family would be on a starvation diet!

I've been giving my flinter a good college effort here lately... I'm getting good ignition (when I have a good flint) with a solid "click-fiz-bang"..... There honestly isn't much hang time. Accuracy is good off a bench rest but I cannot follow through good enough when the sights are lost in the smoke from the pan flashing to be any sort of a half decent off hand shot. I can't hit a milk jug very consistently at 25 yards, that alone at 50 or 100. I have a whole new respect for Boone & Crockett and fully understand why the Mountain Men went straight to percussion when the tech became available. I've about decided I'm going to send this barrel to Mr. Hoyt so it can become a smooth bore shot gun that maybe I can hit something with it.

I hope you all are having a great summer!

Todd

All great advice, but flintlocks are not for everyone.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

If I had to rely on this contraption to put groceries in the house, my whole family would be on a starvation diet!

I've been giving my flinter a good college effort here lately... I'm getting good ignition (when I have a good flint) with a solid "click-fiz-bang"..... There honestly isn't much hang time. Accuracy is good off a bench rest but I cannot follow through good enough when the sights are lost in the smoke from the pan flashing to be any sort of a half decent off hand shot. I can't hit a milk jug very consistently at 25 yards, that alone at 50 or 100. I have a whole new respect for Boone & Crockett and fully understand why the Mountain Men went straight to percussion when the tech became available. I've about decided I'm going to send this barrel to Mr. Hoyt so it can become a smooth bore shot gun that maybe I can hit something with it.

I hope you all are having a great summer!

Todd

There is such a difference in transitioning to shooting a flintlock. With modern firearms, or to some extent percussion muzzleloaders, once the shot is released, I’m done and I can relax & lower the firearm.

With flintlock, it’s like everything is delayed. Once the shot is released, for a split second longer you need to maintain your concentration and shooting stance…then relax and lower the firearm. It’s hard to put into words…

There is a definite nuance to shooting a flintlock, compared to any other firearm ignition system.

 

[Rodd Boyer]

Follow through, follow through, follow through.... and as stated, find the least amount of prime that will ignite the main charge. A 1/16" vent hole helps, too.
Good luck, shoot straight and God bless.

Rodd

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

If I had to rely on this contraption to put groceries in the house, my whole family would be on a starvation diet!

I've been giving my flinter a good college effort here lately... I'm getting good ignition (when I have a good flint) with a solid "click-fiz-bang"..... There honestly isn't much hang time. Accuracy is good off a bench rest but I cannot follow through good enough when the sights are lost in the smoke from the pan flashing to be any sort of a half decent off hand shot. I can't hit a milk jug very consistently at 25 yards, that alone at 50 or 100. I have a whole new respect for Boone & Crockett and fully understand why the Mountain Men went straight to percussion when the tech became available. I've about decided I'm going to send this barrel to Mr. Hoyt so it can become a smooth bore shot gun that maybe I can hit something with it.

I hope you all are having a great summer!

Todd

Todd, don't concern yourself with the smoke hiding the sights. By the time that happens, the ball is well on its way to the target. Dan

 

[maillemaker]

You aren't alone. I'm pretty new to flintlocks - picked up my first one about a year and a half ago. Funny thing is I went to my first NMLRA regional shoot about a year ago and took second place in offhand shooting with it! Of course, I don't know how many people entered...

Anyway I shoot once a month with some NMLRA guys I met at the regional. We shoot scored targets for fun. I can't hit the broad side of a barn off hand. I have gotten some very good groups off a bench, but the delay in the firing gets me, I guess.

And I can shoot. I have been shooting caplock Civil War guns for a decade in the N-SSA and have more medals than I can shake a stick at.

I'm shooting a Pedersoli Pennsylvania flintlock in .50. Using Tom Fuller flints from Track of the Wolf.

Last weekend I did some very careful load workups from 40 grains to 80 grains in 5-grain increments. I weighed all my bullets (Lee cast .490 round ball) and discarded any outside of +/- .5 grains from average. I switched to using .02" thick cotton duck canvas (Given to me by one of my NMLRA shooter friends). I lubricated the canvas using a mixture of 1:3 Ballistol/Water and let the water evaporate out. So I was using cut patches instead of pre-cut patches. Walter Cline says in his book you can't get as good of good groups with pre-cut patches as you can with cutting at the muzzle.

My best group seems to be 65 grains. But it is hard to say for certain because on some of the targets (like 55 grains) some holes went through the same hole, at least I am pretty sure. It doesn't seem likely as "on target" as I was that I could have missed the paper entirely. But in the On Target software, I only input the holes I was sure of. So the group size would be smaller for some of the targets with only 4 holes visible (except for 55 grains where I know for sure the first 2 shots went in the same hole just to the left of the X ring).

So for me, it's all about flinching and the delay of ignition from the flintlock. I can definitely hear the "ca-CHACK-WHOOSH" before the gun goes off most of the time. I have found that it is better to underfill the pan than to fill it to the rim. I'm using 3F to prime (I don't have any 4F). A sharp flint also makes more sparks and so you get faster ignition.

I have also purchased a .45 ACP caliber laser "cartridge". These are for boresighting cartridge firearms. I wrapped it in a few layers of painter's tape and set it in the muzzle of my flinter. Now I can practice pointing it at a spot on the wall and holding it. The gun feels very muzzle heavy compared to my military caplocks.

 

[flconch53]

One thing that helps is to polish the works on your lock. I like it smooth enough so it "surprises" you when it goes off.

 

[yonderin]

I’ve had that exact conversation with my brain a few times and it hasn’t listened yet. I’m betting lots more practice as suggested above will help cure my ailments…

Todd

Shooting is shooting; air gun, cartridge or muzzleloaders. Only two things differ. How you load and the amount of smoke. Principles of Marksmanship don't change.

Ignore the forthcoming cloud of smoke. If you're hunting, once it clears you have one of a few things;
a. Dead critter;
b. Clean miss;
c. Tracking job, or;
d. peed off bear coming over to chastise you severely.

 

[mushka]

I was told by several different people at different times and places that if I wanted to shoot my flintlock well to shoot only the flintlock for a year. Nothing else. I would get better with it. Sadly I am unable to do that as I have too many other ML guns. I still like the flinters but I'll probably never get really good with one of them.

 

[maillemaker]

One thing that helps is to polish the works on your lock. I like it smooth enough so it "surprises" you when it goes off.

My Pedersoli Pennsylvania has a double-set trigger and it is is a very light touch to set it off. It is adjustable but I have never adjusted it as it came out of the box. The trigger is fantastic.

 

[sheriff john]

Focus on front sight. Target blurred, rear sight blurred. Both eyes open, lest you lose depth of field.

I've found when shooting my flinters, all that extra flame, smoke, and movement right in front of my face is what causes me to flinch unless I've been shooting the flintlocks exclusively for several sessions. I know my problem. It's between my ears, not the guns.

 

[Tenring]

You don’t want to make a smooth bore out of that style rifle, with some heavy practice No flinching and let the Rifle follow through you will be touching holes at a 100 yds , go easy on the amount of Frizzen powder it doesn’t take much and this will keep your flinch to a minimum , stay at it.

 

[Just-a-hunter]

Thank you all again for your insights and advice to my problems. It definitely sounds like I am using too much 4F pan powder as I am leveling off the powder channel. I will back off a lot and work up to what makes reliable ignition and shortens hang time without so much burn by my eyeball.

Todd

 

[Josephg]

Hunger and desperation improves follow through.

 

[ArmorerRoy]

It's the challenge that makes it interesting and worth the journey.

 

[Just-a-hunter]

Hunger and desperation improves follow through.

That explains a lot. If you saw me you'd understand. If we all started starving to death right now together as a group, I'd outlive most of you!

Todd

 

[COTNTOP]

I know what you are talking about. A member here let me shoot his flinter and my groups were about 2ft at 25yds. It was such an experience that I am just now back to studying on purchasing one. Wanting a Kibler SMR just don't know if I can really handle it.

 

[BP Addict]

At a local match, a friend of mine let me shoot his flintlock rifle. I couldn't get over the "flash of the pan". When I switched to flint myself, it took quite a bit of practice, to not see that flash anymore. When you first start, it looks closer than it is. The flinch often is in anticipation of that flash.

You may be using too much powder for priming. I've never seen smoke from the pan cover my target so much that I can't see it. Before I load my first ball, I fill the pan with powder, cock the lock and pull the trigger, to clear the flash channel. I do this with the gun on the bench. From what I've seen, the smoke goes straight up.

Lastly, as others have said, follow-through is more important on a flintlock than a percussion.

Good Luck!

Walt