Eye protection while hunting w/ flintlock

[Deadeye]

My thinking is never ever fire any firearm without
some sort of eye protection, especially flinters.
No matter if you don't like them or your too macho
or you think they take away from your good looks.
IT'S YOUR EYES, You only got 2 and you can't get more at the store. Same with seat belts, I bet old what's his name doesn't wear them either.

 

[roundball]

CIVIL WAR?

Don't know...but he was actually asking about Flintlocks :grin:

 

[tnlonghunter]

The day I killed my first deer was with my flintlock. I wear contacts, and actually lost the left lense. Because I'm right handed and right-eye dominant, I could still shoot, but I understand a little about what you mean trying to do anything half-blind. I haven't worn safety glasses to hunt, but always keep regular glasses and and extra set of contacts because of it. I imagine after that, and this thread, I'll think real hard about hunting without eye protection.

 

[brubincam]

WELL ,,,there were some flinters used,,, :v :v :v

 

I wear them at all times when there is a remote possibility of something striking my eye. Like when I talk to my wife.

 

[B. Miller]

Yes, I do wear eye protection when hunting. I wear it everytime I pick up a muzzle loader. The gas seal on my Sharps replica, not quite a flinter but you will get my point, was not working properly. A spark came out the back and almost as if it hade eyes got under my U.S. steel safety glasses. I could see it coming and still could not do anything about it. Well I still have a little burn scar on the bottom of the eye socket.
Bruce

 

[JCW]

I always wear eye protection at the range. While hunting, most of the time. Depends on the weather. The yellow lens seem to sharpen the image and cut through the morning/evening haze.

 

[jimmy82]

Some stories I have heard had people shooting flintlocks and later in life having a difficult time seeing out of their old aiming eye. I've also heard about how some people would turn their heads away from the lock before pulling the trigger. Mostly military because as long as you kept the gun at the same level it didn't matter if you hit to the left or right, you'd still hit someone in the rank in front of you. (I don't condone turning your head, the world we live in is to crowded to take your eye off the target and possibly send that shot in an unsafe direction)

I was brought up wearing eye pro, even for BB guns. I hate wearing glasses, if I didn't need them to see they wouldn't be on my face. But despite that I would still wear glasses while shooting. Sight is to precious to lose, even if I had bambi's dad in my sights. I hate glasses, but I think I would hate being blind more.

Guns blow up, sticks come from no where and protective glasses can be cheap and reliable and can save your sight.

 

[Flint311]

I'll admit, I don't wear shooting glasses. Sorry, just doesn't cross my mind. Will if'n I lose sight in one eye, though. Got lasik, so I don't wear glasses at all anymore. Maybe that's why I don't think of it.

I watched a friend shoot a flintlock once and noticed how much flint pieces fly off, amazing! Every direction! It does make sense to wear protection. I do wear them, when I think of it :redface:

 

[Ohioan]

I ALWAYS wear saftey glasses when shooting ANY firearm. That said,

The yellow/orange tinted glasses would probably help with shooting in the woods. They really do clear things up a bit.

Go to a sporting goods store and try some on. They have clear, smoke, full shade, and that yellow/orange. I'd see what works best for me if I were you.

I also always wear hearing protection when shooting. But, not when hunting.

 

[brubincam]

if I don't have my glasses on I see two bulls eyes,,,, :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

 

[Blackfoot]

Read my post about what happened to my the other day.

[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/213121[/url]/

 

[Ace-Man]

Range yes, with a flint. Hunting no! No weapon formed against me shall prosper. With a flint I'm prone to say a little prayer as I prime the pan and enter the woods. This has never failed me.

 

[LFC]

Range yes, with a flint. Hunting no! No weapon formed against me shall prosper. With a flint I'm prone to say a little prayer as I prime the pan and enter the woods. This has never failed me.

I'm a believer in the verse you cite--but I've gotta wonder whether that particular warranty covers weapons formed FOR you. :hmm: (Or non-custom, production weapons, for that matter. :wink: )

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Depends on what type of hunting. If birding, etc, possibly. If sitting in the woods for hours to shoot once, absolutely not. When i am clay shooting or other target shooting I use ear plugs but I dont use them for hunting. :grin:

I also frequently drive on public roads, keep my gun loaded from more than a week, and ride offroad vehicles without a helmet. :hatsoff:

 

[oneeye]

how many lost an eye during the CIVIL WAR? :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

Okay, I have to comment on this one. I lost my left eye in 1983 (I was 17) when another bowhunter mistook me for a deer at dark and shot me in the eye with a broadhead tipped arrow. The doctors told me I was lucky to be alive. 2 years later, I was bird hunting with a friend when a covey of quail flushed late and the other shooter swung my way and shot towards me. I was not wearing shooting glasses. The only pellet that hit me was in my right eye (my only remaining eye).

When I arrived at the University of Michigan Hospital, I was totally blind. The doctors there spent 2 days and 2 separate surgeries putting my eye back together. My right eye was so damaged that they would have removed it if it wasn't my only eye. They removed my lens, replaced the vitreous fluid in my eye with an artifcial fluid, and my retina was detached in 3 places. After they were done, they told me and my parents that I would most likely be permanently blind. 13 days later, I started to see light.

I eventually recovered and I have 20/15 (better than 20/20) vision in that eye, with the aid of a very heavy set of bifocals. Every day that I awake, I am thankful for still being alive and even more thankful to be able to still see.

Do as you wish, but I strongly recommend safety glasses when shooting and hunting. Good luck and be safe out there.

Dan

 

[roundball]

Good gracious Dan, that's a couple of terrible experiences...yes, not only are you lucky to be alive, but to have any vison at all...I don't know if glasses would have helped with the broadhead, but probably would have with the remaining good eye.

I have already set aside one pair of large reading glasses that I used for protection at the range with Flintlocks because the amount of tiny chips and dings got so bad I began to notice them...not said to imply that the glasses were about to fail...only to acknowledge that Saturday after Saturday all that debris would have been peppering my right eye...have a fresh new set of glasses in the shooting box now, and just finished wearing them during two hunting seasons with the Flinters.

 

[oneeye]

I agree that glasses would not have helped with the arrow, but it would have with the shotgun accident, as I was shot with a #8 shot from a .28 gauge shotgun.

To be honest, that is why it has been hard for me to get into flinters for so long. Plus, I don't know anyone else that does this to help me get started. I have always wanted one, so now I say heck with it and I am going to try it out. I will wear some serious safety goggles for sure :thumbsup:

Dan

 

[xxgrampa]

that was quite an experiance oneye, hope you never have another like it.. have fun with the flintlock..

take care and ..ttfn..