In todays rainy Sunday flintlock questions…

[John Spartan]

1) Do you store your flintlocks with flint screwed in the jaws or out?
Used to leave them in but found random maintenance to be simpler without the flint in. Obviously it just takes less then a minute to put them on if I’m going shooting.
2) Anyone use “wooden flints” for dry firing practice with their smokepoles?
Saw a pic one time from somewhere (here?) and thought it was a clever idea so I just made a bunch out of bamboo.

 

[Are. M.]

I'll swap my flints out for wood immediately after a range day and use them for dry fire practice in all my flintlocks. It won't wear out the frizzen, and there's no chance of sliced fingers or a spark should the cock fall unexpectedly.

Make sure you swap the wood for flint before you load, though. You might feel like a dummy if you don't.

 

[TDM]

I remove my flints for cleaning, then reinstall for storage. But definitely use wooden flints for tunning and dry fire.

 

[oldwood]

I always leave a flint in the jaws after shooting . Seldom do I shoot more than 20 shots to practice at the range , and get tired. Go home , clean the flinter , and store it muzzle down , ready for the next adventure. First thing I do when going back out , is check the tightness of the flint jaw screw. Invariably , it's loose. It's a mystery how this can happen , 'cause I even put grease on the jaw screw threads , to insure frictionless tightening of the top jaw and screw threads. I also , widen the screw driver slot in the screw to use a larger flat blade driver. Think I might have a flint hammer gremlin in the shop.

 

[French Colonial]

I never take the flint out unless I am putting a wood one in to dry fire, other than that it stays in until time to replace it after knapping it several times while it is in the jaws.

Some cocks seem to loosen on the flint and others do not, why, I do not know, another mystery.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Flint in the jaws un-less cleaning, in non-use I use a frizzen stall.

 

[deerstalkert]

a turtle backed flint slowly creeps forward from the pressure of the jaws.
my flints stay in even while cleaning. the liquids i use cause the leathers to swell and form to the flint.



the real reason is because i am lazy.

 

[NorthFork]

Flint out of jaws after cleaning.

 

[NorthFork]

a turtle backed flint slowly creeps forward from the pressure of the jaws.

You just might right there!

 

[TDM]

Flint in the jaws un-less cleaning, in non-use I use a frizzen stall.

I've been meaning to make a few frizzen stalls/covers for a long time, keep getting distracted. I'm going to make it next on my list.

 

[Togo]

Flint left off after cleaning.

 

[Rató:rats]

I've been meaning to make a few frizzen stalls/covers for a long time, keep getting distracted. I'm going to make it next on my list.

Making a hammerstall is a fun quick project but I got too lazy even for that. Now I just go to the thrift store and buy a pair of leather gloves for $3 and cut the fingers off at home. With a little trimming I’ve got 10 hammerstalls and supported a local charity.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Once a flint is locked in the jaws, I leave it there until it is replaced. Most of my rifles are double-set triggers, so any practice is trigger practice: set, aim, click. I do have a beautiful .50 calibre 1795 Contract Rifle, that is single trigger. I bought it because of my love of the Lewis & Clark journey…I’ll probably put a wooden flint in that gun for practice, I just suck shooting a single trigger on a muzzleloader.

 

[user 53891]

a turtle backed flint slowly creeps forward from the pressure of the jaws.
my flints stay in even while cleaning. the liquids i use cause the leathers to swell and form to the flint.



the real reason is because i am lazy.

ds you are awesome!!

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

1) Do you store your flintlocks with flint screwed in the jaws or out?
Used to leave them in but found random maintenance to be simpler without the flint in. Obviously it just takes less then a minute to put them on if I’m going shooting.
2) Anyone use “wooden flints” for dry firing practice with their smokepoles?
Saw a pic one time from somewhere (here?) and thought it was a clever idea so I just made a bunch out of bamboo.

My guns are stored, ready to go less loading and prime/cap. I do use Walnut wood flints when I choose to dry fire. If the gun has double set triggers, and do not cock the lock.
Larry

 

[cal.43]

I only put the flint out if I replace it. Never do things like practice without powder and ball .

 

[M. De Land]

I always leave a flint in the jaws after shooting . Seldom do I shoot more than 20 shots to practice at the range , and get tired. Go home , clean the flinter , and store it muzzle down , ready for the next adventure. First thing I do when going back out , is check the tightness of the flint jaw screw. Invariably , it's loose. It's a mystery how this can happen , 'cause I even put grease on the jaw screw threads , to insure frictionless tightening of the top jaw and screw threads. I also , widen the screw driver slot in the screw to use a larger flat blade driver. Think I might have a flint hammer gremlin in the shop.

If you use leather to hold the flint in it dries out and shrinks which is why it loosens.

 

[M. De Land]

Once a flint is locked in the jaws, I leave it there until it is replaced. Most of my rifles are double-set triggers, so any practice is trigger practice: set, aim, click. I do have a beautiful .50 calibre 1795 Contract Rifle, that is single trigger. I bought it because of my love of the Lewis & Clark journey…I’ll probably put a wooden flint in that gun for practice, I just suck shooting a single trigger on a muzzleloader.

The reason full cock motion dry fire, with a wood flint, is better off hand practice is because it teaches one how to hold through the aim disturbing motion of the cock fall and pan ignition that set trigger dry fire eliminates. The additional miliseconds it requires for a cock fall and pan fire to produce ignition allows a large amount of front sight movement off target. Holding through the shot sequence uses that additional time to bring the sights back into alignment with the target at the shot report.

 

[Joemolf]

ds you are awesome!!

So I learned a new term here today!
Turtle back flint?
Is it safe to assume that a turtle back flint is a flint with a hump vice being flat?
I find them problematic in that as noted they tend to move. How do I know the difference when ordering? I have both but prefer the flat flints almost never know what I am getting when I order flints. I’m sure they are geared towards a certain lock can anyone explain the difference. I find the flints with a hump a PIA for me.
Thanks!
Joe

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Joemolf, when you order flints add the comment to your order that you want selected flints that are flat on top and bottom. You will have a better chance of getting good flints than if you leave the selection of flints to the supplier.