Hunting with a flinter

[BlueSky]

I'd like to hear how the flintlock hunters carry and maintain their rifles while afield. Do you keep them primed while walking/still hunting and sitting? If so, how often do you change out the priming? At the end of the day, do you unload completely or just un-prime? Is there any danger in leaving a a load in for 2-3 days in a row?

 

[Robert Scheffler]

I will hunt with the flintlock primed, and depending on the weather and humidity I may change the primer powder every hour or not at all if it isn't snowing or raining and is freezing. At the end of the day, if it is super cold and I leave the rifle in the truck, I'll just unprime it. If I'm to bring it inside, I always unload it,for safety, and so that the condensation doesn't affect the load.

 

[RC]

:haha: uh oh!! this'll start'em up.. :wink:
okAY,,(IMHO..or the way I do it...I have the gun primed whenever I'm hunting,..sitting,or walking, I check the prime alot, one to make sure it's still there! and to make sure it isn't damp or caked,,jus change it when it needs it.. I leave my gun loaded if I haven't shot it, and it's been a dry day,,a wet day I may shoot and clean and reload next morning,,(there are no kids or non-gun people around my "loaded" gun at camp or home!) others unload everyday, I've left it loaded fer a week and haven't had a problem,,yet(not saying if you clean and load everyday you won't have a problem!..always wonder after a week when gun goes right off,,why'd I shoot that now??) :rotf: get a cow's knee fer yer lock and pay attention when your carrying it in the rain or sittin, you can keep them pretty dry.. good luck! lotta "western" n.y. where bouts is you? :hmm:

 

[BrownBear]

If it's dry enough that I don't need a cows knee, I use a stall any time there's prime in the pan.

 

[BlueSky]

:haha: uh oh!! this'll start'em up.. :wink:

Yikes, didn't want to start anything, just wanted to spare myself some rookie mistakes this fall. It's a given that there are many ways of doing things and all are welcome IMO.

...lotta "western" n.y. where bouts is you? :hmm:

The little town of Eden, ~15 miles south of Buffalo.

 

[John Wasmuth]

I carry it primed and ready to go. If I am done for the day I whisk out the pan, swab it with an alcohol swab, plug the vent with a tooth pick and lay the cock down and the frizzen open. Whipe it off in the morning, reprime and keep going. Been doing this for many many many years and havent had a negligent discharge yet.

 

[RC]

Here ya go,,,here's the poll an comments on unloading or not...
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...d/232266/fromsearch/1/hl/UNLOADING|POLL/tp/1/


eden? know a bunch of guys out that way,well closer to lockport,,,club named alabama hunt club...these are blackpowder shooters..I'd have to check exactly where,,but be a place to get too!

 

[BlueSky]

Thanks for the link, a good discussion there.

Alabama is about 1-1/2 hours drive from me. Not too far, but not done casually either. Maybe I can get together with them some day, I'll keep it in mind. :thumbsup:

 

[Kentuckywindage]

primed while walking/sit hunting. In Colorado its walk walk walk, sit for 30 minutes or so and start walking again. And the end of the day i dump my prime and plug the touchhole with a toothpick.

 

[rabjr]

I'd like to hear how the flintlock hunters carry and maintain their rifles while afield. Do you keep them primed while walking/still hunting and sitting? If so, how often do you change out the priming? At the end of the day, do you unload completely or just un-prime? Is there any danger in leaving a a load in for 2-3 days in a row?

I do things a little differently. First, stalking/still hunting is not an option for me. so I rely of my predator brain to figure out where the best ambush site is. It really depends on the day but I must confess I have gotten into the (bad) habit of not priming my gun until I have a deer sited. I usually have plenty of time, seeing most deer over a 100 yards out before coming in. I suppose this will bite me in the arse at some point but so far it has worked for me and I don't do it all the time. Unless it is wet weather I fold a coupe of clean patches and close the frizzen down on to them. Cased, locked in a barn or truck works for me. If the weather is wet I'll unload, reload. Otherwise when I shoot, its at a deer. :thumbsup:

 

[alrany187]

eden? know a bunch of guys out that way,well closer to lockport,,,club named alabama hunt club...these are blackpowder shooters..I'd have to check exactly where,,but be a place to get too!

Actually, it's closer to Batavia. About a half hour from Lockport. They hold some real nice shoots there too.

 

[kherring]

I have my rifle or fowler primed and ready to go in the field. If you don't, that deer will sneak up from behind you, look, stamp, and snort and you will not be able to prime before he runs off. I change my prime about every hour, sooner if it's damp out. I always shoot out the load at the end of the day and clean the rifle. I don't know if it's really necessary but I don't want to risk a misfire on the next hunt from the powder getting fowled.

 

[BlueSky]

Well what I'm hearing is a relief. I was figuring I'd need to leave it primed while afield, since my woods are too dense to expect much advance warning before getting the hammer back. Changing the prime every so often doesn't sound like a bad idea either. When it's time to unload and shooting out isn't really a good option, is a ball puller easy and safe to use (assuming the rifle is de-primed first of course!)?

 

[TinStar]

I have a .54 cal. Renegade and at the end of the day I unload it using one of those CO2 cartidge thingies from Cabelas. Works great. Mine is a precussion but I think they have one for flinters too.

TinStar
Soli Deo Gloria!

 

[Rancocas]

Well what I'm hearing is a relief. I was figuring I'd need to leave it primed while afield, since my woods are too dense to expect much advance warning before getting the hammer back. Changing the prime every so often doesn't sound like a bad idea either. When it's time to unload and shooting out isn't really a good option, is a ball puller easy and safe to use (assuming the rifle is de-primed first of course!)?

I hunt primed and ready at all times, regardless of whether I'm sitting or still hunting. Depending on the weather, I'll reprime from time to time. I usually leave my rifle charged for a day or two, except when the weather has been bad. In that case I'll either shoot out the load, or use my ball puller.
There shouldn't be any problems with using a ball puller. Just make sure the weapon is not primed, and open the frizzen or put a cover over it. Of course, keep that muzzle pointed AWAY from your face!
I do a lot of back country hunting where I've hiked in and camp out. I keep a ball puller in my shooting bag and an adapter to fit it on my ramrod. I find it a bit more difficult to use it on my ramrod because I can't get the leverage to screw into the ball that I can when using my range rod, but it can be done.
I keep my range rod at base camp (my truck).

 

[fort fireman]

I reprime every so often depending on the weather. However last year I didn't reprime often enough and had a doe run away as my charge just kinda fizzled in the pan and no boom to follow. I'll reprime more often this year! If I know I will be back out the next day I will leave the gun loaded but unprimed over night.That is if the weather wasn't to crappy. If it was a damp rainy day or it's gonna be a few days till I get back out I'll fire that load. It's a good excuse for alittle target practice at the end of theday. I wouldn't use you ball puller unless you absolutely have to. If you decide to use it unprime the gun. Then flip the frizzen forward and it's not a bad idea to render the charge useless with some water in the vent. That way there is absolutely no way for an accidental discharge. Welcome to the wonderful world of flintlocks. It's all downhill from here :grin: Andy

 

[Halftail]

I have a nasty habit of hunting with my flintlock primed and ready to go on fine days.On wet or lightly rainy days I hunt unprimed and maybe a softwood plug in the flashole,with the frizzen closed on a small rag.I know sounds stupid but usually sitting and have primer close at hand so it's no prob to prime.
On really wet crappy rainy/snowy days I leave the flintlock at the camp and ((((GASP)))) hunt with my caplock.The deer aren't that plenty here that one can afford blow what might be your only opportunity for the season.

 

[rabjr]

You crazy Canadian, why don't you drive, or is it sail? your boat down here, can catch me some bugs and I'll show ya some flinter pointers. :thumbsup: :grin:

 

[Halftail]

You crazy Canadian, why don't you drive, or is it sail? your boat down here, can catch me some bugs and I'll show ya some flinter pointers. :thumbsup: :grin:

:blah: Are you north of New York?My Geography aint right.... :blah: I only got my Capt papers to go so far as New York...Aint that funny? :hmm: Suppose then I'd have ta get a passport for me and them little clawed fellas....Lots of red tape... :wink:
Just can't seem to keep the water out of the flash hole while hunting in the heavier rain...it likes to follow up the barrell channel....then on in through the Scupper...er...I mean...Flashole. :grin:
I need tips ...don't ya think?

 

[rabjr]

Yuk New York!! :barf: