Testing the flintlock?

[toot]

guy's thank you for the reply to my queries. now I know.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Zonie, That was a very patient and considerate response. Good for you!

 

[Macon Due]

I have seen an underhammer flintlock where the lock was on bottom. Yes - it fired just fine.
Wet powder will not burn - period.

Yep, my Early Lancaster fires fine upside down.....but I can't hit too well that way.....

 

[Larry Pletcher]

The link below has a bunch of slow motion videos of flintlocks firing using a camera set at 5000 frames per second. Near the bottom are a couple of large Siler locks firing upside down. It's likely that the lock is faster in this position. I did a batch of these in 2007 and 2009 - these were done in 2009.
https://www.blackpowdermag.com/new-high-speed-video-from-friendship-09/
Regards,
Pletch

 

[griffiga]

hope this is not off subject, but can a flint lock fire upside down? and under water? rely curious about it.

Flintlocks will (should) fire upside down. That's how you can tell if you have a good, fast lock. My Charleville and Brown Bess muskets as well as my rifle all will. Underwater? I doubt it. Once powder gets wet or even damp, it's toast.

 

[hanshi]

My rifle never fails to fire when I hold it upside down and pull the trigger. It will fire occasionally when tested with an empty pan.

 

[Griz44Mag]

SUPER KOOL!
Thank you for posting this. Fascinating how little it can take to set off a charge - and how some, especially the Silers, can generate such such a massive cloud of sparks.

My rifle never fails to fire when I hold it upside down and pull the trigger. It will fire occasionally when tested with an empty pan.

I keep hearing that and have tried it a few times. Never could get it go though....
I figured on the Bess it might because it has a large flash hole and sometimes I get a bit of powder in the pan when loading the bore.

 

[tenngun]

hope this is not off subject, but can a flint lock fire upside down? and under water? rely curious about it.

They did make wheelocks that were said to fire underwater

 

[SDSmlf]

They did make wheelocks that were said to fire underwater

What were your results with a wheellock under water? Obviously I’ve lead a sheltered life and missed where wheellocks fire underwater, could you please provide the source of this info? Thanks.

 

[tenngun]

I don’t think it was a regular practice
This is from ‘The Great Guns’ by Harold Peterson and Robert Elman

 

[SDSmlf]

I don’t think it was a regular practice
This is from ‘The Great Guns’ by Harold Peterson and Robert ElmanView attachment 44773

Thank you.

 

[Mulebrain]

 

[George]

Flintlocks usually fire easily when they are held upside down. This has been proven thousands of times.

Many years ago an article in Muzzleloader magazine detailed tests done on flint locks by Peter Alexander. He tested locks off the gun. Each lock was primed, closed, finger put over the opening to the barrel, submerged in water for 1 full minute to test for proper fit of frizzen to pan, then fired upside down. Almost all fired every time.

Spence

 

[SDSmlf]

Many years ago an article in Muzzleloader magazine detailed tests done on flint locks by Peter Alexander. He tested locks off the gun. Each lock was primed, closed, finger put over the opening to the barrel, submerged in water for 1 full minute to test for proper fit of frizzen to pan, then fired upside down. Almost all fired every time.

Spence

Maybe a good test for checking frizzen to pan fit, but with that pesky opening to the barrel and the touchhole, unlikely the pan powder, let alone the main charge would have been ignited if the lock were mounted on a gun. Particularly if held under water while attempting to fire.....

 

[Griz44Mag]

I don’t think it was a regular practice
This is from ‘The Great Guns’ by Harold Peterson and Robert ElmanView attachment 44773

PICTURES! I gotta see one of these....

 

[Carbon 6]

hope this is not off subject, but can a flint lock fire upside down? and under water? rely curious about it.

Yes, you can fire a flintlock upside down.

Under water ? NO.

In the rain ? YES.

 

[toot]

Carbon 6,thanks for the reply. now I know.

 

[hanshi]

In rain? Absolutely, I've done it many times. Just gotta keep the lock dry which isn't all that difficult.