trying for my first deer with a flinter

[William Eyre]

I have killed several deer over the years with percussion rifles and even a turkey with my flitlock fowler but I have yet to hunt deer with a flintlock.

I was fortunate enough to meet another member here Skychief yesterday evening and do some swapping for a 45 caliber flinter he had that my dad built probably 20 plus years ago. I had to let go of one of my favorite percussion rifles to get it but I couldn't be happier to own that flintlock rifle!

I plan on hitting the woods after work this evening and all weekend with hopes of getting a shot at a nice fat doe. Skychief tells me he is 100 percent with that flinter when it comes to deer hunting so no pressure on me if I miss :redface: I have already filled my Indiana buck tag and another doe tag with 2 of my other 45 caliber rifles that my dad built so hopefully I can keep my luck rolling and take my first ever deer with a flinter this year too.

 

[don hepler]

I don't know if you flinch, when firing a flintlock, but it can be a problem. When I first started shooting the flintlock, I went to the shooting range and sand bagged the rifle, and never gave any thoughts about flinching off the flash. However, my first trip to the woods, deer hunting, turned out to be a problem. I have hunted, since I was a kid, taking many deer, including several nice trophy bucks. I missed the first two does, broadside, at close range. In my stand, deer often come in from behind, and to my right. This means, that I have to stand up, and turn, and shoot off-hand. I must have flinched, because there is no way, I would have missed two clear open shots, at close range. I talked to an experienced hunter, who told me, he missed 10 deer, before figuring out that he was flinching. Bottom line......get over the flinch, or rest the rifle. Best of luck.

 

[Patocazador]

Good luck on the doe.
I hope you do better than I did on my 1st flintlock try this year.
I had a standing shot at 40 yards at a 7 point. The pan flashed, barrel dropped, load went off ---> right under the deer. He looked around and hopped off unhurt.

Use a rest if possible.

 

[roundball]

I plan on hitting the woods after work this evening and all weekend with hopes of getting a shot at a nice fat doe.

That's neat to be able to take possession of a rifle that your Dad built a couple decades ago.

And...not that you "couldn't" just go right out and bag a deer first time ever shooting a Flintlock...but I would have a few reservations similar to those expressed by the others.

Speaking only for myself from my own learning curve, there are a number of things that go into the care & feeding of a Flintlock to ensure it'll go off with fast ignition every time, especially when you need it to with a deer (squirrel, turkey) in the sights.

Even relatively simple examples like priming, then managing the prime while out on a hunt...and ensuring a razor sharp knapped flint, etc.
You need to know where the rifle is sighted in for...need to know the sight picture and POI you'll get for your particular build and hold.

If there is anyway to make your first outing a couple hours session at a range, I'd sure think you'd want to do it...it would be very bad to have the good luck of a 10 pointer step out in range and for one reason or another, end up with a gut shot and lose the deer to suffer a slow death somewhere.

Just trying to offer some reality / caution as some balance to the understandable excitement that you have...

:thumbsup:

 

[davescott]

Good luck

 

[Skychief]

Ah shucks Briarsdad, go drill one and post a story and a pic here.

That rifle practically shoots itself! :thumbsup:

Glad ya like the flinter. IT was My favorite flintlock. :haha:

I'm happy with the half stock. It's given me the itch to do a little doe hunting too. :hmm:

Happy hunting, Skychief. :hatsoff:

PS- Briarsdad is a great guy that grew up surrounded by black powder mentors. I hope he will share more with us. He shot a great buck this season with a rifle his Dad finished just before the season and has several great examples of the super guns his Dad builds. I told him about the good guys on here and urged him to come and meet us. I'm glad he's here.

Welcome Briarsdad!!!!!!

 

[mzloder]

Best of luck in your endeavors, it's cool that you're using a gun built by your father's own hands!

 

[William Eyre]

Thanks again Skychief for making the trade with me. I really like the flinter.

Thanks for all the pointers guys.I appreciate any and all information as well as tips and tricks that yall can share. Im always open to suggestions and hearing what works for others. I should have added that I am not new to black powder or shooting flintlocks. I have shot black powder for about 30 years now. I dont mean to sound like um bragging here but my dad has been building rifles for over 40 years and has figured out how to tune a flintlock with no delay when firing.

I am confident that I can shoot this rifle just as well as I can my fowler or my percusion rifles or I wouldnt take it to the woods. The last thing I want to do is make a bad shot on any animal.

Thanks again for the help guys and keep the info coming. I didnt see any deer this evening but there us always tomorrow evening and a couple weekends left in the muzzleloader season here in Indiana.

 

[Skychief]

Get the grease hot!!! :applause:

 

[roundball]

OK, that wasn't clear (to me)...sounded like you'd be picking up a Flintlock and heading right to the woods with it.
Enjoy...

 

[stinkyfeet]

Hey good for u knock em dead

 

[Silex]

Good luck and come back with meat, a nice story and pics... :wink:

Silex

 

[Skychief]

Wondering if you've made it out any more Briarsdad?

 

[William Eyre]

Hello Skychief! I did make it out a couple times this weekend. The deer are not working with me though. I saw several does but all too far. I even walked up on a nice buck that didnt even know I was in the world. Too bad I already filled my buck tag because he was close enough to shoot. Thats the way it goes I guess. I will give it another shot next weekend.

 

[Skychief]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: