Flintlocks and manual transmissions

[Rudyard]

Well I used both Matchlock & Wheellock rifles even hunting with the cheek stocks over extended periods or did when younger. Aside of the occasional pan flash ect (common enough with most open spark ignitions ) I found Ide get so used to their differences that they where much the same as flint guns , You got used to them. & ballistically the performance was on par . If the Wheellock or any cheek stock is a pain to shoot prone definatly an ' off hand 'proposition if that answers your question,
'Regards Rudyard

 

[andy52]

Here you go. This is not a conversion, it was clearly built this way from the beginning. Poses some interesting questions about the early percussion days.

View attachment 102700

That is just over the top, a double ignition system.

 

[cornstalk]

That is just over the top, a double ignition system.

When I first saw it my mind was aswim with different thoughts, questions and hypotheses.

First of course was this destroys the belief that if something isn't in primary documentation it didn't exist or wasn't used or isn't period correct. I've always held the belief that if the materials existed, and they had the skill, and it was something needed, then it probably existed- whether or not it survives to today. Obviously they were as smart as we are, as talented as we are (perhaps more so in some things), and lived this life day to day (which we aren't doing).

Next was why build this? Imagine how time consuming it was to figure out the mechanics, create the castings (the hammer/**** for instance is a single piece), make the components, and assemble the locks. Again, but why build it?

1. Maybe this was a proof of concept gun. Be a great test bed to see if percussion caps work as well or better than flintlocks under all conditions. Load and fire the flint, load and fire the cap-under identical conditions with the same gun. But it sure is awfully pretty to be a proof of concept so that probably isn't it.

2. Certainly it was built at the very beginning of percussion caps. Maybe for someone whose lifestyle took them to areas where it would be hard to impossible at times to find percussion caps, but the gun was critical to his survival. Okay, but why not just stick with a flintlock.

More questions than answers...but wow...it sure is something.

 

[cornstalk]

Another thought just occurred to me. Perhaps this was a "differentiator". To be successful in business one must differentiate oneself from the competition. Perhaps that's what this was. As a customer walking the streets of Birmingham trying to decide which gunsmith will build your next gun. You happen into one shop and are handed this gun. "Would you like a flint or percussion gun, I can supply you in a fine gun with either". Okay, he has my attention now.

 

[sportster73hp]

Shooting for score I regularly scored 130/200 with percussion. Went to flint only and work hard to make 100. Don’t plan to go back even though top shooters are using caps.
As a side note , watched a skit on SNL last night where the car thief couldn’t drive a stick . Lol. Taught my son at 16 how to do burnouts , and how not to. Has served him well.

 

[Treestalker]

It’s not our guns that are a threat to polite society, it us, the crazy eyed, Constitution defending, Bible believing, Bambi murdering, tax hating, pickup driving, lunatics. It’s US they want to get rid of. I believe it was Maxine Waters iirc who said when this generation dies off all the issues of acceptance ( of various groups ) will no longer be a problem. I’m sure she assumes the “gun problem” will die with us.

Just imagine a world without meddling things like maxine waters clones...

 

[Josephg]

Why bother using caps? You're a flintlock guy.

Nice piece. Bout the time you think you've seen everything.........

 

[Jim Wag]

Your
Follow through
Is as important in
Shooting
As it is in
Life

Jim in La Luz

 

[Dale Lilly]

Well I am the odd man out, I learned to drive on a John Deere tractor, all our trucks were stick shifts...Bought my first flintlock in 1977, a custom made rifle, made by Bob Watts, Siler Lock, Davis Double set triggers...First shot bullseye...Never looked back, learned to keep the flint sharp, powder dry and load down a clean barrel with an open touch hole...Nothing to it fellows...

Learned to drive in a wheat truck during harvest in Kansas. I was 12 and the truck had to be adapted [I was little]. Why? Because all the men were off keeping the world safe from the Axis powers. Dale