What's the attraction (to percussion)?

[crockett]

I'm not stealing the thread but maybe some other folks have the same impression as I do on the cheap flintlocks being unreliable. The T/C is okay? What about some other brands similarly priced? I thought the frizzens weren't tempered right, etc and they wore out pretty quick.- one reason I'm still shooting percussion. And, I thought you got about 6 shots out of a flint and then had to knap it and it was a difficult thing to do.- another reason I'm still shooting percussion. Thanks for any insights.
Anyone have a flint from Deer Creek?

 

[SgtSchutzen]

I don`t know about Thompson Center, but my brother has a CVA flintlock and another guy I know used to have a Traditions. Neither one would shoot worth a darn. My brother ended up putting a replacement L&R lock on his. That`s why I don`t have a rocklock. I`m leary of the cheap stuff and quality ones are expensive. My cheap caplocks on the other hand work just fine.

 

[roundball]

I thought you got about 6 shots out of a flint and then had to knap it and it was a difficult thing to do.- another reason I'm still shooting percussion. Thanks for any insights.

Good question, and you might want to start a new thread asking it in the Flintlock section...but for now, good gracious no...using real flints like a Tom Fuller black english flint, its not uncommon to run a 50 shot range session and never touch the flint. (that's why 100 shots on flints are usually cheaper than 100 caps.)

Or, halfway through the session when I stop to clean the pan/frizzen/vent and see that the flint is wearing shorter, I'll just flip it over from bevel up to bevel down and finish the session.

Then as part of the whole cleaning regimen back at the house I'll reinstall it and lightly knapp it...usually get another 1/2-2/3 of the way through the next range session before it starts wearing so short I don't want to bother with it and I replace it...

 

[rdillion]

Zonie, Points well made. Its like saying a bolt action Mosin Nagant is a better battle rifle than an AK-47. They both work, just represent different time periods. :thumbsup:
I've had hang-fires and failures to fire in my caplocks when using Pyrodex. Never when using real black powder. Even then I have never had a percussion cap fail to go off and I've been shooting caplocks since 1984. The only bad primers I've run across have been when reloading for my 357 mag and then only 5 or 6 out of 3000. I wasn't too upset because these were old primers that I got at a great price.
Ross :hatsoff:

 

[pchwcf50110]

i like the firearms (mainly British) from the percussion period. in my 24 years of muzzleloading i have never owned a flint and have zero interest in them. all the reading i did growning up of Samuel Baker, Ned Roberts, and H.A.Leveson probably had something to do with it. heck, i have never even looked at the flint section of this website.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Well I have news for you! 2 years ago a nice buck at about 40 yards angled away from me and looking the other way and I had a solid rest and click :shocked2: . Gave me the look and was gone! I pulled the cap and looked at it, it was clean, no boom boom stuff in it! Brand new tin! :cursing:

It's really not news to me. I know some have problems with caps. I said I never had problems, and I haven't.
I shoot CAS with C&B revolvers. I can't afford a cap not going off. I check all my caps for competition, or hunting.
Just like those with flintlocks need to fiddle to make sure everything is right. Caplock shooters need to do the same thing.

 

[BullRunBear]

Rich,

Speaking only of rifles, when I started with BP the caplocks were easier to find and more affordable for the quality. This predates the internet and I had no one else to learn from so I went with the simpler mechanism. I retain them for sentiment and because they are good teaching tools when I introduce folks to muzzleloading. If I used rifles for hunting I would go with percussion to avoid weather problems but that doesn't apply.

I still shoot them but the great majority of my ML rifle sessions are with flintlocks. They are a bit less expensive to shoot since I get 30 to 50 shots from one flint (I'm still going on the first of yours) and that is cheaper than a tin of caps. Also, for some reason, (and I wish I knew why)I shoot flinters a bit more accurately.

Of course, there are the cap and ball revolvers and the old CVA SxS 12 ga.

Jeff

 

[Pete Gaimari]

How much do you pay for flints?

 

[BullRunBear]

Capper,

The last batch I got from Rich ran a little over a buck a flint. The Tom Fuller flints from TOTW are more expensive. Going from memory of how long they last (I've had over 40 shots with the first of Rich's flints and it's still going) I can probably get 600 or more shots from a dozen flints if I knapp and reposition as needed. That's in my two flinters. Some guns chew them up more than others.

Jeff

 

[Pete Gaimari]

That's a good deal from Rich. I thought they cost more.

I need to find a video showing knapping. I can't picture making a straight edge with a hammer. :idunno:

 

[ebiggs1]

"Why do you choose to own and shoot a percussion rifle?"

I can't answer this question, cause I don't.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

"Why do you choose to own and shoot a percussion rifle?"

I can't answer this question, cause I don't.

You seem to be lost.

Flintlock forum is over there. >------>

 

[rdillion]

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[AZ Muzzle]

This is like asking me if I like blondes, red heads, or brunettes. If you treat them right, pay attention to them, they then their all good.

 

[Rogue River]

:thumbsup:

 

I like percussion rifles,thats what I started with several years ago....I do prefer flintlocks and have no problems shooting one...I still have one of my early TC Hawken perc.45 it shoots great and very reliable

 

[123.DieselBenz]

I shoot percussion because of the initial cost of the gun.

Caps are 5-6 cents a piece, and I have had a few Rem #11's that came "empty" noticed them loading my capper, and pulled them out, just a empty copper cup, no "boom-boom" inside!

 

[bwhoffman]

All my BP guns are cappers by choice, except one.
I have this local made made .62 trade gun rock lock.
It shots, goes bang and does its job.
It is another event for me to shoot.
My shooting buddy shots far better than I do and he doesnt have to clean it!

I call it the "humblizer", sometmes the humiliator!

It was acquired to bring me down a notch or two at times, and remind me that although I shoot pretty fair and tend to score higher than most, most of the time, I am by no means perfect or anywhere even close to perfect!

Every one here that is a strong capper shooter should have a rock lock, merely to shoot maybe once a year so to see and remind you how it would be if you didnt have a choice!

High scoreing flintlock shooters....my hat is tipped to :hatsoff: you!

 

[Tom Compton]

Still have some of the old per-suction guns. Why? 'Cause I haven't found a flintlock revolver that works worth a damn and converting shotguns don't seem to practical.

The persuction rifles are in minor (lack of funds) danger of being converted. :hatsoff:

TC

 

[dckcrk]

Wow! This thread was supposed to be about why you were attracted to caplocks but it seems most of you either prefer flintlocks or wish to have one someday. It looks to me that most caplock shooters aspire to being flinters in the next life. Interesting. Looks like rock envy.