Simple question…..

[sportster73hp]

Couldn’t you walk with a toothpick in the vent and only remove and prime when game is seen? This would also prevent accidental discharge . Yes i know this will slow the shooting process.

 

[TDM]

Why do the all knowing on the forum have to belittle others on the forum. It takes the the fun out of an informative thread and turns it into a head butting contest.
Good question ETipp, I appreciate it, thanks. We all just have to not take the bait. No response to that sort of post.

Actually there’s only 1 or 2 that are guilty parties. But that’s 1 or 2 too many.

 

[ETipp]

Just to nail it down, even with a good cows knee, it’s the humidity that kills the prime. Especially if using 4F. If you have to hunt in the rain use 3F or 2F prime and change it as often as possible if the rain lets up.

Thanks TDM. That makes sense.

I reckon I if I do invest in a flintlock I could use that on dry days only and my percussion on marginal days. But it is very humid here with lots of fog, sometimes very thick fog. More than not, when I leave the house here of a morning its clear up on this mountain. But as soon as I drop off of it, the fog is there. So I never really know for sure until I get down there.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

If we stick to shooting our flintlocks at below zero temps, rain is never an issue.

 

[TDM]

If we stick to shooting our flintlocks at below zero temps, rain is never an issue.

Quite true.

 

[Flint1]

ETipp, in an attempt to answer your question I will say I have always believed that a flintlock with a really good lock would be reliable in the rain. I believe the pan fit on those are better. I have shot matches when it has been pouring rain, but we were under a covered shed. Still there was moisture in the air and my lock time never changed. In the movie April Morning Tommy Lee Jones advises his son to wrap a rag around his flint because there is moisture in the night air. I am sure in the old days when people had to depend upon flintlocks to survive the locks were reliably made and the users knew from learning from others when they were younger and their own experience how to care for their locks in the rain. So I would say they can be quite reliable. I believe you said you were thinking about a SMR , so I am positive you would have a very reliable lock. BTW, the locks I used in the pouring rain were a small Siler modified by a good friend of mine who built that rifle and a Chambers on my Early Virginia from Narragansett.

 

[snakebit]

 

[snakebit]

I haven't been able to figure that out either?
Etipp, never logs off, he's always connected,, it's like he has live feed and never sleeps,
kinda like some of those games folks play today?

With all due respect, why is that even important? Better yet, any of your business how much he is on here? I have so many aches and pains I can never sleep through the night. That's just me, can't speak for anyone else. To me, that comment seems as if you are trying to run Ed down. If it makes you feel superior, or whatever that's pretty dang sad. Just hope you aren't kicking your dog.

 

[SOLANCO]

Perhaps the best way to deal with a "miserable jerk" is to block him/her, as I have done for this individual. If we all do it, perhaps he will go away. Jerks hate to be ignored.

ADK Bigfoot

Have done the same. Trying to deal with a jerk is akin to feeding a troll.

 

[azmntman]

Yeah...that's about right.

Ya know, asking on this forum IS DOING RESEARCH! OMG just shut up and don't offer up anything if you don't want to help a guy learn. NOT ALL but in my life's experience TEACHERS (especially professors) are some of the dumbest and most arrogant amongst us. NOT ALL.

 

[ETipp]

ETipp, in an attempt to answer your question I will say I have always believed that a flintlock with a really good lock would be reliable in the rain. I believe the pan fit on those are better. I have shot matches when it has been pouring rain, but we were under a covered shed. Still there was moisture in the air and my lock time never changed. In the movie April Morning Tommy Lee Jones advises his son to wrap a rag around his flint because there is moisture in the night air. I am sure in the old days when people had to depend upon flintlocks to survive the locks were reliably made and the users knew from learning from others when they were younger and their own experience how to care for their locks in the rain. So I would say they can be quite reliable. I believe you said you were thinking about a SMR , so I am positive you would have a very reliable lock. BTW, the locks I used in the pouring rain were a small Siler modified by a good friend of mine who built that rifle and a Chambers on my Early Virginia from Narragansett.

Thank you for the reply. My concern is not for the short term shooting, rather being out in the rain, fog and high humidity when the rifle has been loaded for several hours.

 

[azmntman]

With all due respect, why is that even important? Better yet, any of your business how much he is on here? I have so many aches and pains I can never sleep through the night. That's just me, can't speak for anyone else. To me, that comment seems as if you are trying to run Ed down. If it makes you feel superior, or whatever that's pretty dang sad. Just hope you aren't kicking your dog.

Or his wife. Pray for his wife.

 

[azmntman]

I plan to getting heavy into flintlocks in the immediate future. If I hunt in mist or rain I will not prime at all until game is sighted, then will wipe the pan with a dry something and prime. I am usually in a blind anyway so would have time. In AZ humidity is hardly EVER an issue. Our shade works

 

[snakebit]

Did you finish college? Or still trying to figure it out what your 4yr degree achieved for you?
Teaching, isn't giving the answer, teaching isn't showing how to look up the answer.
Teaching, is to nurture learning. Actual development of skill, the ability too learn and apply.

Seriously, read your own comment. You come across as very condescending and stuffy. And, no I didn't go to college. Couldn't afford to. Went to the military, then a job in law enforcement that I retired from 2 years ago. So I'm one of your deplorables I guess. I hope I never reach your state of enlightenment where I talk down to people like you do. Get nosebleeds up there on your high horse much?

 

[azmntman]

Another thought. It would be great to do more research and find out how the ol guys did it as they LIVED off their flintlocks and had to eat even when it rained for days on end. I am sure there are GREAT ways to handle this. Some here may even know some of these tricks but they won't share them. So research is good and can be FUN!

I have said before many times when an ol fools belittles a guy for asking a simple and very good question and suggested they use google and not ask a question that has been asked 100 times before. I say asking here IS ONLINE RESEARCH and I would take the real-life answers of my "friends" here over a guru on google any ol day. AND, each time the question is asked AGAIN there is a great opportunity for a grump ol man or woman to share a bit of wisdom we have not seen yet. So even if it's been asked 100 times THIS WEEK I welcome dumb questions from ignorant folks that can't spell (I was described this way by one of our "beloveds" shortly before he departed to the great land of the BOX).

 

[ETipp]

I plan to getting heavy into flintlocks in the immediate future. If I hunt in mist or rain I will not prime at all until game is sighted, then will wipe the pan with a dry something and prime. I am usually in a blind anyway so would have time. In AZ humidity is hardly EVER an issue. Our shade works

I’d say you will be a lot better off there than here in Kentucky. Everything gets gooey here, even a glass of water.

I don’t mind that so much but if it ever happens to my Kentucky whisky, there’s fixin to be trouble.

 

[longhunter 1776]

When it dose rain when were out its time to head back in,,for the dampness is another thing that efects the rifles as well as the rain coming down.I havemine coverd but who wants to set in the rain??

 

[longcruise]

In terms of research, I'm pretty sure that there are many things that we might like to know more about how they did it "in the day" but were too trivial to mention in a journal or story. We can look and research for hours and days and find nothing mentioned. Or we can read the conclusions of present day "scholars" for the answers which are often no more than their own suppositions.

Back "in the day" it would be hard to find anybody who didn't know how to saddle a horse or hitch a horse or team to a wagon. They didn't labor over explanations and neither did they write it in their diary. Today, who tells a story of taking a weekend trip and starts it by explaining if he started the car before fastening the seat belt or vice-versa?

Frontiersman certainly had little available reference material so they got ideas from others around them. I doubt if they took those ideas and practices as articles of faith to which they would revere and adhere. They figured a lot of things out for themselves and improved practices over time. We do the same thing today. As now there were undoubtedly multiple practices toward the same end that existed in isolation. Adapted to variations in climate, etc.

So this may not be a group of trappers sitting around a fire trading knowledge and lies. But we are doing the same thing right here. Back then it was considered poor form to shoot one of your companions on the other side of the fire and no more acceptable over this fire.

 

[S.Kenton]

I’ve learned so much here simply by asking questions, that’s how I’ve done my research in the past… by asking someone who might know. There’s a saying that holds true today; there are no stupid questions.. only stupid answers.To reply to the original question at hand, I live in Ohio where it seems like we can have all 4 seasons in one day. I use a cows knee along with chapstick to seal the priming pan, I also use only 3ff for my prime. I’ve had good results using these simple steps.

 

[smo]

Are flintlocks reliable when it’s raining?

IMHO

Yes

And there’s many ways of keeping your powder dry.
Which is a must do.

I’ve only shot flintlocks for around 15 years now so I’m no expert by any means.
However I’ve shot with a lot of Guys that’s shot them for 40 + years .. and I watched their moves.

First I think a cow’s knee is a great idea and useful tool, especially if sitting for long periods in damp environments..(Deer Hunting)

By damp I mean fog, rain , snow and humidity. All will cause problems if not addressed.

What I’ve found is as long as your lock is clean / un fouled , stays covered and protected from water I will shoot.

Once the gun has been fired I’ve found it best to wipe the pan & flint with a dry rag..
Keep it in your pocket or shooting bag.
But keep it dry as possible..

Once the gun has been fired I don’t re prime until the next shot presents itself.

Fouling is what draws the moisture turning pan powder too black slush..
You’ll lose a few squirrels by waiting possibly, but the more you do it the easier it’ll become.

Keeping the lock under your coat is another good suggestion… whatever you can do to keep the lock dry helps. Barrel down…

I carry a small bottle (Cracker Barrel Syrup) filled with alcohol in my bag just Incase it’s needed.

Here’s a couple cows knees I’ve used with success. All are saturated with bees wax inside &out.

On woods walks I simply keep the lock under my coat until I’m ready to shoot.

I then wipe the pan one last time …prime, cock , aim and fire!

During a rainy woods walk a couple years ago I was able too fire 28 of 30 shots required without any issues.
The other 2 failed to fire due to a water drop falling of the brim of my hat directly onto my frizzen/ pan about the time the hammer fell…
Saved by the alcohol!

I failed too mention I mostly prime with ffffg..
But have used fffg in a pinch.

ffffg does tend too plug those push primers quicker when the pans been fouled..