Rain and the Flintlock

[tenngun]

When walking I keep the lock area under my arm. Will grease with mink oil around the frizzen and pan. When setting I keep the cover of my coat over, Check often and will drap a oiled cloth over it like a knee. Here in the Ozarks we have lots of cedars and I will sit under those in view of the trail.. Was it Rex Harrison who said that the rains a pain in the forest or the plain.

 

[Rifleman1776]

the reason we use flintlocks is to put ourselves in a position to learn how to make these guns function in all conditions

True, but, more importantly for me is to experience and understand what our predecessors had to go through to survive in the days before TV and canned beer. To me, "experience" and "understanding" add up to 'appreciating'.

 

[George]

”¦.the reason we use flintlocks is to put ourselves in a position to learn how to make these guns function in all conditions..

To really find out how the old boys did it, it seems only fair to only use the methods they had available. I get the most pleasure and learn the most when I limit myself that way. The only things I've ever found original references to are a lock cover and a " Ball of Wax... to defend his Arms in Rain", so when I'm doing it primitive, that's all I allow myself. A cow's knee and a bead of paste lube where the barrel meats the stock, to protect the stock and to prevent water from channeling into the lock works for me most of the time. I've never sealed the pan cover.



Spence

 

[Dean2]

Load main charge and seal the barrel with electrical tape. No need to remove to shoot.

:thumbsup: That goes for any rifle. It's easy for barrels to get clogged with snow, mud, or foreign matter. Clogged barrels can lead to some unintended consequences. If you use a big enough piece of tape you can use the portion that wasn't shot away after your re-load. That way you don't have to bring a roll of tape with you in to the woods. Of course, that's a big game sort of thing if you don't think you'll do much shooting in any given day. If you plan on shooting a lot then bring the tape with you.

Wrap a few lengths of spare tape over the first ramrod thimble and the barrel so you don't need to carry a roll.

As to the posts with the knees etc, given how long it takes to remove these cock the lock and fire I find priming at the last minute quicker and quite a bit more reliable. Rarely when hunting in a medium to heavy rain is the shot a rushed one.

The slip off waterproof gun cover has a lot of appeal for hunting in the rain. I may just try that option next time it is raining.

 

[Grumpa]

Lots of good advice here, none more so than Brown Bear's. Practice in the rain, to find out what works for you. Until then, it's all theory.

Look up Spence's Black Powder Notebook, and Paul Vallandigham's "Flintlocks, How To Shoot Them"
The latter is here on the Forum.

A small bottle of alcohol in your bag can be used to clean the sludge out of your pan if you have to reload after the first shot. The salts in that sludge are what soaks up water from the air around you.

Good luck, and "Keep your powder dry!" It can be done. :thumbsup:

 

[AZbpBurner]

Where I live it only rains a few times per year, so I don't even own a cows knee, but in the few times I've gone out in bad weather, a sheet of plastic cut from a shopping bag or bread bag works great, and doesn't absorb water as a handkerchief will.

 

[BrownBear]

...a sheet of plastic cut from a shopping bag or bread bag works great....

Yup, any port... er, cover... in a storm. A surprise squall means I'll be eating my sandwich early, just so I can split open the ziploc for a "knee."

Note- That actually works quite well. Split it up either side, then you can drape it over the lock and close the zipper to hold it in place. I pack all my sandwiches in quart-size "freezer" bags rather than sandwich bags because they're tougher.

 

[stinkyfeet]

A pop up ground blind works great in this situation. plus it keeps you dry too. And if ya need to make a move on the deer to get closer just pick it up and move a few feet and set it back down like in the old cartoons

 

[Billnpatti]

My experience in this area is a bit limited but based on my personal experience, I have found that if it is raining, you will need to protect your pan by keeping it under your arm. If you are wearing a poncho, you can keep it under your poncho. If not, you can use a "cow's knee" but you must keep it tight to keep out all water but at the same time, you must be able to remove it quickly to shoot. Another trick is to rub small bit of lube on your thumb and then carefully wipe it all around the edges of your open and primed pan so that you leave a very small bead of lube all around the edges of the pan to seal it so no water will get it. Then carefully lower your frizzen and check to be sure that all of the edges of your pan are sealed with the lube. Use only a very small amount, just barely enough to seal it so that you don't get it into your priming powder. No matter what you do, you will need to empty your pan and wipe it out occasionally and recharge and reseal it because, the cotton pickin' moisture will eventually get to your prime and it may not fire when you are ready to shoot. :cursing: Hunting with a flintlock in rainy or drizzly weather is a challenge but in the final analysis, if you weren't up to a challenge, wouldn't you be hunting with a modern gun instead of a muzzleloader.....especially a flintlock muzzleloader? It is all a part of the fun of meeting the challenge and bringing home some meat. :thumbsup:

 

[palonghunter]

I use a cow's knee, which seems to work ok in light rain. The other thing I've found that helps at least a little is to use 3f for your priming, the larger grains don't draw water as badly.

If there's a chance of heavy rain I usually stay home or carry one of my bows instead (all of our muzzleloader seasons overlap with archery).

The other option is to hunt from a blind that has a roof.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The very first deer I took with a flinter was in a drizzling rain.

I use a cow's knee and they to seal edges of pan with beeswax. And sit under a tree to slow down the rain.

I do this now as well as Kenny, but on that first time I didn't have a cow's knee, and it started raining as I walked out to my hunting area. So I opened my wool coat and stuck the lock under my armpit inside the coat. Looks odd but worked.

Made a cow's knee shortly after that.

LD

 

[bpd303]

I have never hunted with a flintlock in the rain so never gave it much thought. After reading all the responses they make sense. Then I found this on Pedersoli's site looking for something else. http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/rivista-dettaglio.asp/l_it/idne_79/flintlocks-in-wet-weather.html
Looks like everyone is doing it right.

 

[chuck-ia]

2 years ago, hunted all afternoon in a light drizzle, kept the lock under my arm, checked the prime powder a few times, water dripping off the stock, just getting dark and a doe presented herself about 25 yards away facing me, went off just fine. flinch

 

[Toomuch51]

A waterproofed caplock.

:barf: Those new fangled cap guns will never catch on! :idunno:

Toomuch
..............
Shoot Flint

 

[Toomuch51]

What works best for me is to use a calf's knee or leather covering over the lock till ready for your shot.
Also using 3f for the prime will help as the larger granuals and glazing will not draw moister as much.

Toomuch
...........
Shoot Flint