Flintlock Snobbery

[Jay Templin]

Flint guns are just a whole lot of fun!
Of course, pretty much ANY gun is a whole lotta fun...
I came up shooting flintlocks working in museums and doing F&I and Rev War reenactments. Been shooting flints for 30 years now. Actually got licensed to carry a concealed percussion revolver back home (NY has some crazy laws) and been shooting steadily more percussion for the last 10 years or so.

Best advice I can give you is to shoot both, and often. My first black powder rifle was a flint because that's what came to me in my price range at the time. Get what you can to start, but never think you're stuck with the system you start on. As for the gun your dad is building, if I were you, I'd go with a flint just because I think they're cooler.

 

[Grenadier1758]

In my case, failure to fire was not the blocked touch hole, that would have evidenced by a flash in the pan. Number one cause was failure to prime followed by a dull flint. Thankfully due to social isolation, I didn't have many witnesses.

 

[Critter Getter]

I have never been a flintlock snob as the first flintlock I bought made me giggle every time I shot it.......seriously, I giggled. I just don’t believe that a giggling flintlock shooter could ever hold his nose in the air long enough to be considered a snob!! Lol. Greg

 

[Flinty Scot]

Your father is building you both a rifle and an heirloom, with the potential of 200+ years of functional service (fun and seeding an interest in history) to your descendants. It will be a better investment, imho.

I've had this BP addiction for over 60 years and have gone back and forth through percussion, BP cartridge, and flint. I've watched BP weapons go from virtual give-aways, with powder and ball easily and locally available, through waves of collectors driving prices up and availability down fror originals and the rise of good new-made; to what I consider a new golden age of BP gunmakers artistry. All paced by a dwindling public awareness of and direct exposure to BP guns, with accompanying rising wave of fear of any firearm and willingness to equate any to modern military weapons: restrictions on the availability of powder, ball, cap, and venues to use them.

Now I shoot with flint because I find the focus it demands the most relaxing, the guns the most beautiful tools, and -if necessary - I can make or find powder, ball and flint. (My next project is to learn knapping.)

You and your descendants will be able to as well, if they want.

All that blather aside, I agree that the pattern is to eventually get curious about flintlocks- and get hooked. You can always have a caplock converted but it won't be what your dad built.

Have him make it a flinter.

 

[brazosland]

Back when I had more time than money I started on Italian guns with flint locks. None worked that well, and being in my own in the pew internet days I had no idea how to make the most of them.

I gave up and went percussion. I now have the funds to buy quality guns with quality locks and it makes all the difference. Avoid import rifles and import locks.

To me using a flintlock is more satisfying.

 

[Nessmuck56]

Flintlocks and Straight Razor kinda go together

Plastic Bic throw always for everyone else

Some of you old farts must use a Straight.....

 

[oreclan]

I caught 'the muzzleloading bug' about 1971 from a friend and classmate, 2nd Lt. Mike Brosee, USMC may he rest in peace. Mike got two original percussion rifles from his dad who was living in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mike got one repaired and we shot it in the swamp near Cherry Point. Soon after I bought parts from Golden Age Arms and after transferring to Camp Del Mar built it...a flintlock, because of the history it invoked and my Western Pennsylvania background. With the exception of an 1861 Springfield for Civil War re-enacting and a Numrich Arms swivel breech I use flintlocks. I don't feel they are complicated at all and you don't often drop the flint as I have with caps.

 

[Bledfor Days]

When I first started shooting muzzleloaders, I was shooting a Lyman .54 percussion rifle and was picking a spent cap out of the hammer before putting the new one on. A shooter beside me stepped up and let fly with a flintlock, spraying me with hot gas and bits of flint in the ear and neck and cheek. We're only about 5 feet apart at our shoots and his rifle had a particularly nasty side blast. My fault for dallying on the firing line he said. Oh really? Flintlock snobbery at its finest!

 

[sportster73hp]

Bought my first flint in 2003. Didnt know how to make it work and got frustrated. Used a TC encore for a while then shot nra high power and uspsa pistol. Back to blackpowder now, shot a spanish caplock for four seasons and was going to use flint only this year before the corona. I do own a Kibler, an RN Chadwick and was going to use a TC .45 flint.
If you don’t know how to use the equipment you will leave the “game”. Start with the easier percussion gun . I like to shoot and i suck at golf and softball.

 

[Grenadier1758]

As a regular flintlock shooter, I try to be aware of whose is on the line at the sa.e time I am even though most of my flint locks have flash guards to minimize the spray of the jet of fire from the touch hole. That awareness of the effects of the firing is simple good manners. After all how can one present the superiority of the flint lock if one doesn't have consideration for the other shooters on the line?

 

[Carbon 6]

My fault for dallying on the firing line he said. Oh really? Flintlock snobbery at its finest!

That's just A-Holery at it's finest.

 

[Jay Templin]

Flintlocks and Straight Razor kinda go together

Plastic Bic throw always for everyone else

Some of you old farts must use a Straight.....
View attachment 30177

My hands aren't that steady. I use a 1930s single-edge safety razor. Blades too dull for my delicate baby-smooth face get repurposed for craft projects.

 

[LuVerne Schumann]

My hands aren't that steady. I use a 1930s single-edge safety razor. Blades too dull for my delicate baby-smooth face get repurposed for craft projects.

Razor? What's that?

 

[Bob McBride]

Razor? What's that?

Exactly. I've got a big old beard that I've decided is going to grow and grow and grow......

 

[Jay Templin]

Razor? What's that?

Well, when I was working in the 18th century, I had to look right, and face fuzz was not the norm. Now that I'm back in the 17th, I get twicet the use out of my blades because I only scrape off the sides!

 

[Nessmuck56]

My hands aren't that steady. I use a 1930s single-edge safety razor. Blades too dull for my delicate baby-smooth face get repurposed for craft projects.

I have a 1956 ( Birth Year) Gillette Super Speed Red Tip DE razor...just to have. But I use to strop those blades on the palm of my hand....and bring them right back...wicked Sharp.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Since we morphed into shaving I switch off a couple of Gillette double edges. Haven’t gotten the nerve to use a straight edge. I like flinters too.

 

[Flinty Scot]

Taught myself to shave w/ straight razor in high school. Found it, with strop, in a cupbord when we moved into an old house. Used it through college but converted to disposable garbage after for a quicker morning prep for work.

Recently, I've gone back to a double edge safety razor. (I try the straight occassionaly - nothing gives that smooth a shave- but neither my eye nor my hand is reliable enough any longer).

I found an old "Axolite" dished hone, which lets me renew the edges of the blades, so I can go a month or two before treating myself to a new blade. I hate wasting anything or throwing it out before it's fully worn out.

 

[Stophel]

There also seems to be a lot of "reverse snobbery" directed towards those who prefer a correctly built piece.

Most definitely. In fact, I see and hear FAR, FAR, FAR more of it than any perceived "Flintlock snobbery"...

It's one of the reasons that some people are staying away from message boards like this.

 

[LuVerne Schumann]

Most definitely. In fact, I see and hear FAR, FAR, FAR more of it than any perceived "Flintlock snobbery"...

It's one of the reasons that some people are staying away from message boards like this.

I'm shocked, shocked I say!