Flinter or caplock?

[Doug Lykins]

I'm sure this has been covered before but for my own curiosity let's run it once more. I have limited experience with any MLer and have recently been shooting a flintlock. Which do you prefer and why? Do you hunt and which do you use for hunting in all types of weather?

 

[rabjr]

Used a caplock for 20 years, then switched to flintlocks, been using them for 5 very enjoyable years now. Thats all I really want to use right now. I no longer have a caplock in the stable but I have been tossing around the idea of building one caplock to have.

I have taken two deer in the rain so far with the flinter, just keep it covered and reprime often, not a problem. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Flintlock for everything...rifles, smoothbores, small game, big game, targets, year round, older technology, the country was settled with them, very satisfying to learn about and use them, etc...all reasons why most folks who get bitten by the Flintlock bug don't return to caplocks
:grin:

 

[Coot]

The only caplocks that I have are repo CW guns. To me the flintlock is the more traditional of the two ignition systems and gives both more personal satisfaction in it's use and a higher "wow" factor from any onlookers . It also happens to be the correct type for the 1750-1790 period that currently interests me the most. Once the myth of 'unreliable' is dispelled, there was no reason to continue with caplocks except for fitting into a later period (and plinking with my '51 Navy). Heck, they are all fun to shoot - get one of each & shoot both enough to get comfortable with them & make your own decision.

 

[cowpoke1955]

Like a lot of people, I started with a percussion. My first was a .54 GPR. About 15 years ago I bought my first flinter, a Pedersoli .45 Blue Ridge. I was hooked on flint ever since. My next one was a .54 GPR flint kit. I did buy a used .54 T/C Hawkens percussion two years ago, because I got a good deal. I plan on getting a nice flintlock fowler next year and already have my eye on a couple custom flint kits. It's like the steps of growing up. But since I've tasted flint, there is no going back :thumbsup:

 

[Swampman]

I used flintlocks only for years, but I currently prefer caplocks. They are much more reliable IMO. They are also more correct for the time period that interest me.

Unlike most folks, I don't see an interest in flintlocks as a sign of being more advanced in the hobby. They are mearly a different interest.

Both systems (like all guns) are interesting.

 

[pulaski]

I started with a caplock because that's what the man who taught me had . Later , after seeing guys shoot flintlocks , I just had to have one .
Been shooting flinters since (15 yrs.).
In the rain or snow I prefer the flinter . Never had it fail .
From a survival aspect I think the flinter is a better choice also . I can pull the lock to start a fire , I don't have to rely on caps for the next shot , and if I were to run out of shot or ball I could always shoot sand or river stones .(it actually works )
Went on a one man treck for 11 days with nothing more than a knife a smoothbore and my shooting bag . It was a hell of an adventure and I can say I never felt like I was in harms way .
I should also state this is not for the average person . I am younger , fit and have no medical malidies , as well as years of training .
JM2C

 

[renovato]

I've been shooting caplocks for over 30 years, and flintlocks for less than 3. I still have a preference for percussion guns, but that might be just because I'm more used to them. I find them a little easier to work with, so I can concentrate more on the shot itself. I consider myself a shooter first and a muzzleloader and hunter second.

Don't get me wrong, I'm passionately in love with flinters, and mine is growing on me more every day. In fact, the gun I'm interested in building next is definately a flintlock. I just don't see them ever pushing percussion completely out of the picture. I can see my interest becoming about 50/50 down the road, though.

 

[longfowler]

my first muzzleloader was a flintlock Lyman trade rifle, and even though I now own more cap than flint, I'll never forget that "first love". like my motorcycles, even though I don't ride that much, I'll never be without one. EVER!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Its a personal preference for most shooters. Most of us begin with a Percussion lock gun, and learn how to shoot and load these guns with that type of action. Then some of us want something more of a challenge, and we start watching those few shooter with their rocklocks, and that becomes a fascinating PULL to us. " I CAN DO THAT!" is what goes through your mind before you take the plunge! But once you go to flint, you don't want to go back to Percussion. I think most flintlock shooters take a great deal of personal pride in the investment of time and effort needed to learn to shoot their guns effectively. A lot- not all for sure-- of percussion shooters are simply not interested in learning all about flintlocks. When you go to flint, you find yourself is a very small " Club " of shooters, all of whom have had to endure the razzing of percussion shooters about getting those rock locks to fire, kidding about taking a lunch break while waiting for the gun to fire after the priming pan has been lit, etc. When you learn how to tune a lock, how to load and shoot it, and the gun is going off as fast, and faster than a percussion gun, the same guys from the Percussion ranks start coming down kidding you about going back to Percussion, until they see your gun. Then they go into shock that the gun went off so fast. I had one friend actually stand around and watch me clean and load my gun, prime it and fire it while he watched closely to find out the " Secret " of getting a flintlock to fire " fast". The fact that I hit my target was self evident.

In fact,at my club, it was the Flintlock shooters who asked the club officers to stop dividing flintlock shooters into a separate match, because we wanted the opportunity to win the bigger valued prizes offered to the percussion shooters. The club has not had separately scored matches for Flintlocks for more than 20 years now!

Good luck to you. :thumbsup:

 

[redwing]

RB is right on this one. It looks like you live here in Wyoming. As you know it seldom rains that much. :thumbsup:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I have both and use all of them. But if it came down to choosing between them, I'd probably go with my flintlocks. But then there's my late period Hawken and the Seneca...

 

[nchawkeye]

I've never owned a percussion, never owned a factory built muzzleloader...Started in 1977 and have hunted in the rain many times...

You learn to use what you have by actually doing it...

 

[Doug Lykins]

RB is right on this one. It looks like you live here in Wyoming. As you know it seldom rains that much. :thumbsup:

Ohh but the wind, the relentless wind here in SE Wyo. I've experienced having to turn my back to the wind just to get the pan primed on my flintlock. I've had some mis-fires and "slow-fires" w/ the flinter but I know it's largely my lack of experience. At this point I wouldn't trust myself to hunt with my beautifully made flintlock, I'd hate to draw a bead on a 6 x 6 bull, squeeze off and hear "click". :hmm:

 

[MSW]

well, i'll defend you absolute right to use whatever ignition system makes you happy: if it floats your boat to take your 'tricked out' black ops whatever with three muzzle brakes and four bayonet lugs and two laser sights with six zillion round magazines bolted together and "Hey, Jane Fonda! Look here!" engraved on the muzzle crown, and spray little bitty high velocity bullets over half the range fan while ejecting enough spent brass to fill the bed of a pick up...

GO FOR IT

done that myself in the wilder days of misspent youth, but now that i'm wiser, more sophisticated, educated, refined, better looking and infinitely more sexually attractive, well, add my name to the list if flintsnobs... there's just something about a flint..

if your sole and single goal is to put a hole in the [whatever you want to put a hole in] down range, then i guess any weapon will do, but once you've been bitten by the flint bug, everything else is a compromise.

just one guy's opinion, and probably worth what you just paid for it.

make good smoke!

 

[PJC]

I have used caplocks in the past but recently started with a flintlock. Ignition on my flintlock is ALMOST as fast and precussion or even centerfire. I am always amazed at how fast it is. No problem with going with a precussion. Just make your choice for the right reason. I am finding that if a precussion is fun a flinter is fun X 2. I would think that it is more important to get a quality rifle then anything else. One of the semi-custom rifles available are great value and will give you years of pride and great service.

Pat Cameron

 

[shmrck1]

I use both close to equal...maybe cap just a tad
more than my F/Ls. I think it depends on which
looks the sadest when I go to shoot on any given
day! :wink::rotf:
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[musketman]

I prefer flintlocks for two main reasons...

• 1. Those caps are hard to install with shaking hands.
  2. You only get one shot per cap, a well tuned flint can last 60+ shots.

 

[Darkgael]

I like flint guns because they put me one step further away from depending on others. May be that it sounds goofy, but I like not having to buy caps.
Pete

 

[jbtusa]

My 2 cents worth: Flint or cap is strictly personal preference. Quality flintlocks are every bit as reliable as caplocks so don't let that concern sway your decision.

But I will say that for me, flintlocks are more fun!