Turned Off To Flintlock Rifles

[flintlockmdj]

Hopefully this was an honest mistake or a fluke.
When I first started shooting in the 70's I saw a lot of interest killed in muzzleloading by the following practice.
Some thought it to be a big kick (no punn intended) to vastly overload a rifle and give it to a beginner to shoot. After a LOT of unnecessary recoil and smoke the shooter was quite often seen leaving and mumbling bad words about the person that did the loading and muzzleloaders (people and guns) in general. Needless to say very few of these people will ever shoot another M.L.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Too much of a good thing, even priming powder can be bad.

Been shooting nuttin but flinters for years. Never had one speck hit me.

 

[musketman]

Too much of a good thing, even priming powder can be bad.

Been shooting nuttin but flinters for years. Never had one speck hit me.

Can't say that for the poor fellow standing beside Claude after he primed a tad heavy, cooked his whole left side... :haha:

Good thing they weren't reenacting the Donner Party... :crackup:

 

[Pork Chop]

ROFLMAO!!! :crackup: :crackup:

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

I think he was standing to Claude's right when Claude pulled the trigger... ::

 

[Stumpkiller]

I had one similar experience with my Bess. I was using a Fedora style hat with a long, down-droopling brim and the Bess had a 7/64" vent with a pan that held a goodly heap of powder. Even with my glasses I took a blast in the eyes. I had fired that gun long before and long after with nothing like that experience. Could have also had a head-wind, but don't recall.

If that had been my fist ever "here, try this" shot with a flintlock I might have never tried a second.

Fellers used to benchrest shooting tend to lean way forward into the stock. I've developed a very upright stance and, on the occasions I do bench, try to raise the gun and keep my head up.

And then there's guys who will tell you you should always opt for a short length-of-pull. Nu unh. Not with a flintlock, thanks.

My current Cherry Girl has no sensation of heat or puff from the blast. 14-1/4" L.O.P.