What's the attraction

[David W.]

Sounds like I need to move to Arkansas. Chris

We have a few really nice sized one's here too. Lots of soy beans and other good stuff for them to eat over by the Mississippi River!

About ten years ago, I was sitting at the edge of a open field, sitting on a stump, watching 30+ doe and one came close enough for me to touch her with the barrel of my S. Hawken. I guess she wanted to check me out.

You can sit, or move on the ground, you just have to learn stealth. By the way, I was smoking a cigarette at the time. The 10 point buck was behind me about 50 yards, but I didn't know it until I decided to move on and saw him out of the corner of my eye. The load was 75 gr. FFFg Swiss, .610 RB, .021" Demium patch, Old Zip grease, 4 gr. FFFFg Swiss prime. The deer ran about 20 yards, looked back at me and fell over.

 

[hanshi]

Well, there's probably more deer now than 1770, in the east at least. virgin forests don't make good deer habitat; they need undergrowth.

I've done lots of hunting sitting in a canvas folding chair or just in the leaves. Too risky for me to go up a stand nowadays. Flintlock rifles were still the ticket there, too.

 

[August West]

Well, there's probably more deer now than 1770, in the east at least. virgin forests don't make good deer habitat; they need undergrowth.

Guess Dan'l Boone and the rest that were making "bucks" were full of manure when they reported game amounts. And much later George Washington Sears on his walk through Michigan as well. Chris

 

[bucktales]

one came close enough for me to touch her with the barrel of my S. Hawken. I guess she wanted to check me out.

Something like this?? :haha:

 

[Pete44ru]

Well, I have pretty much the same reasons already posted - AND one other, that no one has put into words yet.

Those words are:

What if ?

What if our "enlightened society" finally finds a way to deny shooters factory-made shooting implements - like percussion caps ( or centerfire primers, cases, etc) ?

A flintlock owner/shooter can alway keep self-sufficiently shooting, via making their own Holy Black, searching out some rock suitable as a gun flint, and some soft/moldable metal (like lead) for a projectile.
Patch material & lube can be found just about anywhere humans live and/or work.

.

 

[David W.]

:hmm: Another curious one, huh?

 

[David W.]

Well, I have pretty much the same reasons already posted - AND one other, that no one has put into words yet.

Those words are:

What if ?

What if our "enlightened society" finally finds a way to deny shooters factory-made shooting implements - like percussion caps ( or centerfire primers, cases, etc) ?

A flintlock owner/shooter can alway keep self-sufficiently shooting, via making their own Holy Black, searching out some rock suitable as a gun flint, and some soft/moldable metal (like lead) for a projectile.
Patch material & lube can be found just about anywhere humans live and/or work.

.

I have enough lead to sink a battleship. Not much problem there. Quartz or chert are at least two sources of flint. Old blue jeans work great.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Well, I have pretty much the same reasons already posted - AND one other, that no one has put into words yet.

Those words are:

What if ?

What if our "enlightened society" finally finds a way to deny shooters factory-made shooting implements - like percussion caps ( or centerfire primers, cases, etc) ?

A flintlock owner/shooter can alway keep self-sufficiently shooting, via making their own Holy Black, searching out some rock suitable as a gun flint, and some soft/moldable metal (like lead) for a projectile.
Patch material & lube can be found just about anywhere humans live and/or work.

.

I wouldn't own a gun for that reason, but if I was worried about it. 5000 caps doesn't cost that much.

 

[dckcrk]

The State of Texas now reports that there are more deer in the state now than at any time in history. The combination of the hunting to extinction of all their natural predators and competition (bison) has caused a population explosion. The habitat competition from feral hogs is the only thing limiting deer populations here. The hogs have become a plague on the habitat and Texas has declared war on them. No closed season, hunting by spotlight at night (except during deer season), trapping and unlimited bag limits with no licence requirements. Pretty much shoot on sight. I live down in the Sabine river bottom and you can loose the front end on your pickup any night. I find a 12 ga. double coach gun loaded with a Lee slug on a case full of FFG very good hog medicine. I am looking forward to busting a few with the new flintlock. Y'all come down and thin 'em out sometime..

 

[hanshi]

I'm not saying Daniel didn't see plenty of deer. I doubt if he had a comparison to go by, however, and I've never read any results of sampling he might have done to determine populations. What I'm saying is that habitat controls populations. Virgin forests simply can't support the deer numbers that "edge" can. This is not just my opinion but is one of the foundations of wildlife management - yes, I am a professional manager (retired). I highly recommend you read "Our Wildlife Legacy" by Durwood L. Allen for a better understanding of population dynamics rather than relying on anecdotal comments that really have no context to aid comparison.

 

[MattNH]

I love flint!!! my uncle builds them and he built me a lancaster in .50 I really appreciated the gift but was kinda unsure what to do with it...He said "shoot the thing!!" i took it out and was hooked! I now have a couple .50 cal pistols a .58 rifle and a dragoon in the making!
my percussion guns have been pushed aside..there is much more involved in flint and it makes it almost as fun to load than shoot

 

[zampilot]

Hmmm....lots of good reasoning on both sides. One question: how well or not so well do flintlocks go over at Rendezvous??
I'd think there had to be a few in the mountains of that day.

 

[Rhett Griffith]

I love flintlock for numerous reasons: the challenge, the history, the feel, etc. But one of the best parts is the look on the faces of people who only occasionally shoot cartridge guns when you can actually hit something with a flintlock! :grin:

 

[CrackStock]

Why?
If I have to explain, you would not understand...
(I ride a Harley, so I am a bit twisted and a glutton for paying too much, spending a lot of time in a shop and being behind the times in terms of technology. But I love it all the more)

Seriously, I am another MLer who shoots both cap and flint. For me, the challenge of the flint is the next logical step after becoming proficient with the caps. I like the history and look of these older styled guns. I also enjoy learning the additional skills that are needed to make them sing.
There is also my interest in the Colonial, Revolutionary and Golden Age time periods of US history.
But most of all, I enjoy seeing the wonder in the faces of people who watch us shoot or see us before, during or after a hunt. They cannot believe that some guy goes out in period gear (most of it home made)with a flinter and takes game when they struggle to match results with the latest thunder wonder mega magnum and all the latest fashions and techno gear from the yuppie outdoor shop chains.

I shoot a flinter for the same reason that I cast my own ball and use 2 foot power to get myself into the woods. I enjoy the escape to another time and a flinter greatly enhances that experience for me. Klatch/boom is music to my ears.
YMHS,
CrackStock

 

[RiverRat]

They work better!

 

[hoochiepapa]

Nice!! Wish I had some of that venison.

 

[rawdog]

IF the Lord had intended for men to use caplocks, He woulda' strewn the hillsides with percussion caps....

 

[hanshi]

He didn't!!?? :shocked2:

 

[rawdog]

Sorry, I had to say that.... !


But I mean it. Where I live in TExas there is flint almost anywhere, and generally true in lots of other places. I haven't used store-bought flint in a gun in probably 20years... although I have some English flints only for keepsakes.

That strikes me as a significant advantage of flint over percussion.

 

[rawdog]

BEsides, if you have seen any hillsides strewn with percussion caps, it was hapless pilgrims what done it.