How many shots in a row without picking or wiping pan ?

[J.D.]

Get a pick.

I pick the vent every time a charge goes down the barrel. Wipe the pan and frizzen as needed. It's very rare to have a misfire.

 

[hanshi]

I almost never use a pick (very rarely). I don't wipe the bore between shots, strings or sets, actually not at all. I wipe the frizzen and maybe the pan with my thumb when I think about it. If the humidity is bad enough I suffer just like the others and all bets are off.

 

[springfield art]

At the Battle of Braddock, during the Bi-Cen, I got 23 shots in a row with a replica Charleville at the re-enactment. Could have gotten more, but the battle ended!

 

[CyrusP]

Just today, I spent a glorious 4 hours in perfect 62 degree weather at my range with not a soul in sight! Shot 25 or so rounds through my .45 Kibler SMR. 50 grains Goex 3F, .012 pillow ticking with my spit and .445 round ball. Swiss 4F in pan. 50 yards standing couldn’t miss a 12” gong. I picked the vent hole every shot because I was getting failures to fire. Sometimes pan would light and sometimes it would not. Tightened flint once, wiped flint and pan every few times. It would eventually fire but couple times it took more than 2 tries to go off. I need to spend more time with this wonderful rifle to get her figured out.

 

[Mgbruch]

I don't know. I wipe them, with my thumb after every shot. Then I wipe my thumb on my pants (or leggings). It's just of the routine of loading and shooting.

 

[bpd303]

I was taught to do the same by my grandfather. My grandmother was not thrilled when wash day rolled around but never said anything. She used an old electric wringer washing machine and it was my job to run the clothes through the wringer for her. Boy those were some good memories.

 

[Sun City]

For TOTAL ACCURACY after every shot!! All BS aside!!

 

[tenngun]

I’m one of those guys who blow down the barrel after the shot. I thumb the pan and frizzen face too
I have a prick but never need it.
I like to swab between shots too with a damp patch.
Now folks are all bothered by blowing down the barrel, but if you run a patch down you get to hear a whoosh and see a puff of smoke blow out.
Even loading fast in military style you’re still looking at a hunk of time before your shots ready. The fastest I ever saw a load was twelve seconds.
No reason to rush, redcoats ain’t going to bayonet you, Blackfoot won’t lift your hair. Slow down, do the little steps,shoot with nary a misfire.

 

[kyron4]

I’m one of those guys who blow down the barrel after the shot. I thumb the pan and frizzen face too
I have a prick but never need it.
I like to swab between shots too with a damp patch.
Now folks are all bothered by blowing down the barrel, but if you run a patch down you get to hear a whoosh and see a puff of smoke blow out.
Even loading fast in military style you’re still looking at a hunk of time before your shots ready. The fastest I ever saw a load was twelve seconds.
No reason to rush, redcoats ain’t going to bayonet you, Blackfoot won’t lift your hair. Slow down, do the little steps,shoot with nary a misfire.

 

[Mike in FL]

One. Always just one.

 

[CyrusP]

I have a prick but never need it.

Yeah, I’m married too.

 

[Harry Marinakis]

Yeah, I’m married too.

PRICELESS

 

[Greenjoytj]

I found on my LGPR that wiping the smoke residue off the frizzen every 6 shots was very important to stop failure of my flint to create sparks. If I don't wipe the 8th shot usually doesn't produce a pan flash. I believe the smoke coating the frizzen acts as a lubricant that reduces the ability of the flint to scrape a chunk of metal off the frizzen face.
On my GPR with an after market RMC vent liner installed, picking the vent has not been required, if the pan flashes the main charge always lights and I get a boom.

 

[CyrusP]

In my limited flintlock experience, I tend to agree with you. Wiping can only help and certainly can’t hurt.