For you flintlock hunters, how often (if at all) do you reprime the pan? I find myself constantly fussing over my priming powder. Is it fresh enough? Is it positioned evenly in the pan? Is it clogging the vent? Should I keep the gun level at all times? Am I being paranoid or is this what will help ensure that my gun goes boom instead of click (or whatever noise a flintlock would make if it misfires)?
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Repriming
- Thread starter Bunyan
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Depends on the day. If it is damp and humid I dump & reprime about every other hour (even when using a cows-knee).
As a rule I rub a tiny amount of beeswax around the outside rim of the pan to help shed "tree-drops" that occur when the frost is melted by the sun and other "incedental" moisture. Be careful not to get any on the face of the frizzen.
If it is dry and crisp I might just re-prime once at lunchtime, or not at all if I tip the frizzen and it apears OK.
As a rule I rub a tiny amount of beeswax around the outside rim of the pan to help shed "tree-drops" that occur when the frost is melted by the sun and other "incedental" moisture. Be careful not to get any on the face of the frizzen.
If it is dry and crisp I might just re-prime once at lunchtime, or not at all if I tip the frizzen and it apears OK.
Guest
Yup
When sitting on stand in clear weather, I usually have the flinter laying across my lap, lock side down so the prime is always away from the vent.
(If it's raining I'll keep it up close to my body under my coat or raingear but still canted over)
In any event I visually quick-check the prime every 15-20 minutes to ensure it's not starting to "cake up" from humidity, and change it every hour regardless...we tend to have higher humidity here in NC than some of the northern locations
If walking/still hunting, I check the prime quite often to ensure it's not leaking out from all the changes in gun handling positions, etc.
(If it's raining I'll keep it up close to my body under my coat or raingear but still canted over)
In any event I visually quick-check the prime every 15-20 minutes to ensure it's not starting to "cake up" from humidity, and change it every hour regardless...we tend to have higher humidity here in NC than some of the northern locations
If walking/still hunting, I check the prime quite often to ensure it's not leaking out from all the changes in gun handling positions, etc.
Guest
That noise is called a "Klatch"...the sound that follows is called "a string of obscenities"...
:curse: :curse: :curse: :curse: :bull: :bull: :curse: :youcrazy:
I didn't think "click" sounded right. I know "snap" would describe a percussion cap. I know firsthand what that "string of obscenities" sounds like from my first muzzleloader hunt. Misfire on a doe at 10 yards! (I was on the ground, too)
KyFlintlock
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Quote of the day I think.....
Rat
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Fussing and fretting and carrying the gun just right is part of the fun!! It's called "attention to detail"!
I probably check my prime about every twenty minutes...but I can tell by looking if the prime is damp...so I don't dump it if it looks good. But, not very humid here in the Northwest. Then again, last time I hunted when it was raining off and on, I never noticed my prime getting moist at all. When I do fire the gun with a prime that's been in the pan all day...she goes right off like normal. Generally speaking, if it's a dry day, or does not actually rain, I can keep the same prime in the pan all day.
On the other hand, if anything looks suspicious I'll dump the pan for sure and without hesitation...but certainly not if it looks good...and not every half hour, hour, three hours or whatever.
Rat
I probably check my prime about every twenty minutes...but I can tell by looking if the prime is damp...so I don't dump it if it looks good. But, not very humid here in the Northwest. Then again, last time I hunted when it was raining off and on, I never noticed my prime getting moist at all. When I do fire the gun with a prime that's been in the pan all day...she goes right off like normal. Generally speaking, if it's a dry day, or does not actually rain, I can keep the same prime in the pan all day.
On the other hand, if anything looks suspicious I'll dump the pan for sure and without hesitation...but certainly not if it looks good...and not every half hour, hour, three hours or whatever.
Rat
Priming with 3f will greatly reduce the need to worry about a damp prime....... as for a level prime, prime your gun then shake rattle and roll it , then open the frizzen and see where the powder lies..level the gun a bit and tap the lock with your hand, usually the powder will level out. In the field just tap occasionaly, the prime will be level and you do not have to look
Rat
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Really...what tg sez, after a while, with experience, holding and tapping the rifle just right to level the prime will become totally, absolutely second nature. You'll just do it, and if you flip the frizzen and look, it will be perfect.
Took me about a hunting season and a half! But most satisfying when you get to that point...where you know where your prime lies without looking.
Rat
Took me about a hunting season and a half! But most satisfying when you get to that point...where you know where your prime lies without looking.
Rat
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Here in Idaho we don
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