Flintlock flash guards for competitive tournaments

[IanH]

I'm considering entering a muzzleloading competition for the first time, next spring. I intend to shoot flintlocks exclusively but the firing lines have no shields of any kind and all NMRLA rules apply. Reading the rules, flash guards are required for all flintlock arms. I have guns with both Kibler locks and one LH L&R Queen Anne. The L&R looks to only need a longer frizzen screw to mount a standard flash guard, but Kibler's locks are designed with the frizzen screw head on the inboard side of the lock.

Before I overthink this, has anyone installed flash guards on Kibler's locks or locks of similar design, and how did you do it? Longer screw so the threads protrude and then put a small acorn nut on to retain the guard? What metal did you use, is sheet brass sufficient? If it is humid, how much of a pain is it to wipe the pan out with a guard in place?

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I don't know the exact rule....
However, I seldom see flash guards on flintlocks at Friendship.

 

[2 shots]

check out track of the wolf.. the have them[ kibler bolts]

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Interesting ... have shot the New England Flintlock Championship Shoot for the past 2-years, allegedly shot under NMLNRA rules, in fact run by Reps thereof ... and I don't recall ever seeing even one on the line of 45 to 60 shooters ...

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have a Late English lock by L&R on my Derringer replica. The L&R lock has the frizzen bolt head on the inside of the lock. I sent the lock off to Mike Lea to get the flash guard installed. He drilled the bolt hole through and tapped the hole for the hold down screw. That works well.

Not all of the flash guard additions are as easy as the addition of a flash guard to the Siler lock.

Here's a photo of my Derringer rifle and my fowling gun with its flash guard attached to a Siler lock.

In the above picture, you can see that the L&R lock has a blind bolt with no simple way to attach a flash guard before I sent the lock off to be modified for a flash guard.

 

[Keyhole]

Totw has a replacement frizzen bolt and cap nut for the siler lock that is especially designed for this. There may be others or maybe that one will work

 

[Howard Pippin]

I have a Late English lock by L&R on my Derringer replica. The L&R lock has the frizzen bolt head on the inside of the lock. I sent the lock off to Mike Lea to get the flash guard installed. He drilled the bolt hole through and tapped the hole for the hold down screw. That works well.

View attachment 267672

Not all of the flash guard additions are as easy as the addition of a flash guard to the Siler lock.

Here's a photo of my Derringer rifle and my fowling gun with its flash guard attached to a Siler lock.

View attachment 267676

In the above picture, you can see that the L&R lock has a blind bolt with no simple way to attach a flash guard before I sent the lock off to be modified for a flash guard.

I did the very same thing about 15 years ago with my flintlock and I will say that Mike Lea did a fabulous job. Still on the rifle, I still use it.
Squint

 

[Iceman]

I have never used a shield on my guns at Friendship, or anywhere else.
The only rule I can find on use is specific to bench rest and buffalo matches.

1260–SAFETY SHIELDS All flintlock bench rifles and flintlock buffalo rifles must use a safety shield. Offhand flintlock matches fired under the covered firing line at the NMLRA range will be shot next to one of the safety shields provided.

 

[Commodore Swab]

I refuse to shoot anywhere flash guards are required. They are a modern bolt on that decreases safety.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I refuse to shoot anywhere flash guards are required. They are a modern bolt on that decreases safety.

I'm in totally agreement with you.
Once..I was invited to a SAR grave Marking ceremony that required flash guards on the guns.
No way I wasn't going to put one on for the ceremony or any other time either.
I passed.

 

[BruceHH]

I believe the NMLRA rule for flash guards is totally something different from what you are thinking. It is a shield that would be on a post or something on your right side to keep the shooter on your right from being sprayed by you firing or from being hit by a flint that comes out of the jaw while you are shooting.

 

[Commodore Swab]

I'm in totally agreement with you.
Once..I was invited to a SAR grave Marking ceremony that required flash guards on the guns.
No way I wasn't going to put one on for the ceremony or any other time either.
I passed.

I built a hand cannon for a friend and it's debut was at a pirate invasion in the park where all the "rules" were attempting to be followed by the ignorant staff. They were very confused trying to check the safety on a matchlock. . . For fun I put a flashguard and frizzen stall on the hand cannon. They had no clue what to do!

 

[sturmkatze]

I refuse to shoot anywhere flash guards are required. They are a modern bolt on that decreases safety.

How do they decrease safety?

 

[Commodore Swab]

How do they decrease safety?

More prone to misfire and powder spillage reduce reliability. Typically a generic bolt on is not an improvement whether it's a musket or car. Other than that the NPS calls for FF powder in the pan with the flashguard installed. FF burns slower than FFFF and the pan will redirect sparks up and over a greater distance than FFFF with no flashguard installed increasing the safety distance required rather than decreasing as intended. Couple that with the added difficulty loading, increased possibility of dropped powder, and less reliability you can see why I disapprove.

 

[Desert Dawg]

Flintlock safety glasses.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I built a hand cannon for a friend and it's debut was at a pirate invasion in the park where all the "rules" were attempting to be followed by the ignorant staff. They were very confused trying to check the safety on a matchlock. . . For fun I put a flashguard and frizzen stall on the hand cannon. They had no clue what to do!
View attachment 267807View attachment 267808

That's a funny story.
However, that gun looks like a beast!

I love it.

 

[Howard Pippin]

More prone to misfire and powder spillage reduce reliability. Typically a generic bolt on is not an improvement whether it's a musket or car. Other than that the NPS calls for FF powder in the pan with the flashguard installed. FF burns slower than FFFF and the pan will redirect sparks up and over a greater distance than FFFF with no flashguard installed increasing the safety distance required rather than decreasing as intended. Couple that with the added difficulty loading, increased possibility of dropped powder, and less reliability you can see why I disapprove.

Being as how I have shot my left handed flintlock with and without the flash-guard, I am stumped. Can you explain it differently? I was not aware that I had a problem.
Squint

 

[Commodore Swab]

Being as how I have shot my left handed flintlock with and without the flash-guard, I am stumped. Can you explain it differently? I was not aware that I had a problem.
Squint

I have photos showing the difference on the computer. Next time I have it online I will try to remember to post them. Most ignore the rulling about FF but follow the flashguard rule. I wish all rules were selective but then they wouldn't be rules.

 

[Tumbledown]

I refuse to shoot anywhere flash guards are required. They are a modern bolt on that decreases safety.

Not true. I've been hit in the face by ejecta from a flintlock 10 feet away.

 

[Tumbledown]

More prone to misfire and powder spillage reduce reliability. Typically a generic bolt on is not an improvement whether it's a musket or car. Other than that the NPS calls for FF powder in the pan with the flashguard installed. FF burns slower than FFFF and the pan will redirect sparks up and over a greater distance than FFFF with no flashguard installed increasing the safety distance required rather than decreasing as intended. Couple that with the added difficulty loading, increased possibility of dropped powder, and less reliability you can see why I disapprove.

What you describe sounds more like user error and an inability to adapt.