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Jonathan Taylor (courtesy The Truth About Guns)

The enemies of gun rights claim the Second Amendment is outdated. It should be subject to “reasonable restrictions” reflecting today’s technology and society. That’s just silly. There’s one way to fully grasp the fallacy: get to grips with a flintlock. Texas Governor Perry’s right hand man for economic development did so at a recent spot-and-stalk hunt at the Benson Farm and Ranch in Johnson City, Texas. With the help of guide Brant O’Day, Jonathan snuck up on the beast from behind an agarita bush and shot it at 50 yards with a Traditions Firearms muzzleloader. Have you shot a flintlock? Did it reveal any insights into the thinking of America’s Founding Fathers? Did it change your opinion of the Second Amendment?

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107 COMMENTS

  1. Flintlocks were also used by pirates and our military, so civilians should only be allowed to carry matchlocks.

    • Actually we had flintlocks during the revolution of 1775, so the 2nd amendment only applies to keeping and bearing flintlocks, which really is fine by me. If every able-bodied man carried 1-2 flintlocks and were decent shots, we could still defend this nation from enemies both foreign and domestic tyrants. It is a lot like moose hunting, lots of tags but not enough moose to fill them all.

  2. Yes, and the resulting pan flash that got in my eyebrows convinced me that AK47s are MORE GOODLIEST BESTER.

    • Louis L’Amour had an old Indian in one of his novels, who as a young man had an accident with a flintlock. He was named “Powder Face”.

  3. No, but they sure look fun.

    Unfortunately, my current gun safe is full–as is my credit card– and I told my wife I wouldn’t get anything else if (I truly thought it was an “if” equation when I got started a few years ago. Ha ha) that happened.

    • I’m pretty much in the same position, safe almost full, same with credit card. I told my wife I wont buy any more guns, unless I sell one. Also, I try and get a “spouse receipt” This is a fake receipt that puts a price on the gun much lower than the actual cost.
      When the little woman doesn’t buy it when you tell her the new shotgun was on sale for only $69, you whip out the “fake” receipt and lay it on her. Has worked so far.

      • She never confirms it, or expresses suspicion that a firearm would be so cheap? That’s gonna end badly for you bud….

      • Honestly, Id tell her the truth. Id say, “listen, I’m going to buy which ever gun I want, when I want, whenever I have the extra money. If you gotta problem with that, maybe we should discuss how much your paying for new shoes each year.”

      • Unless you have reason to (her being a no-good wife or something), you should not lie to your wife like that. If you have to be that dishonest with your significant other, than IMO it is time for a divorce.

      • Gunr, that is some Jedi husband stuff right there. The force is strong in you.

        It reminds me of my dad who was on a big milsurp kick in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Whenever he made a new purchase he would sneak it in the house. Then, he would put in the attic. Sometime afterwords, he would bring it down to the kitchen table and start breaking it down, getting the cosmoline off, etc. Inevitably, my mom would get all suspicious and ask “where did you get that gun.” He would tell her, with a straight face, it was an old one of his (and, of course, they did look old) that he found up the attic. The fact that he has always been pretty forgetful helped sell it.

        Anyway, Mom and Dad have been married almost 45 (fairly happy) years. So, no, lying to your spouse about gun purchases is probably *not* the best reason to call it quits on a marriage.

    • I recommend to everyone to have the deal that my wife and I have. Each month we have $250 each to spend on clothes, eating out, entertainment, and toys. So if she buys a fancy new camera, or buy my 18th gun, neither of us can complain.

        • Same here, but we send money from each check into our own accounts. Whatever we spend from our own accounts cannot be disputed. But I don’t have the wife doesn’t like guns problem. My wife likes to spend quite a bit on her collection as well.

  4. Nope, but a friend has a custom built one and has promised to introduce me to muzzle loaders on our next range trip.

  5. No I have never shot a flintlock but have shot cap & ball. It’s just as much fun.

    One thing I would like to point out is that the gun grabbers would have you believe that 2A was meant for flintlocks and C&B guns but yet they will suck in as much of the newest fangled technology there is, and all the while wanting their body guards to have the latest and greatest guns and tac gear they can get.

    Hypocrisy at it’s finest!

      • Yes, even with the longer ignition time it’s still fun and even smokier LOL

        It’s funny you brought it up because when I first started (I was only 23 at the time) I didn’t understand that it wouldn’t go off right away so i had to hold on target until it did. It took a while to get used to 🙂

      • If set up correctly, lock time is only a few milliseconds longer than c&b, so not really noticeable. Or have too much effect on accuracy.

  6. Nope never shot a flintlock but I’d love too. As soon as I get some spare cash I’m going to get a modern replica of the land pattern brown bess musket.

  7. @RF, I’m a builder of flintlocks. I love to go to the range and train with the boys…running and gunning through the drills. And at the end of the day pull out a real smoke pole. The fun part is, virtually no one has the foggiest notion of how to “run” a flintlock. It is pure art. I love it.

  8. Yes, I hunt with a flintlock. A copy of a French Fusil,.62 smoothbore, from the French and Indian war era. I shoot it and other traditional percussion cap muzzleloaders. They are fun but also difficult as you need to get close.
    When ‘friends’ say the 2a doesn’t apply to modern firearms, then I say then the 1st shouldn’t apply to the internet. Most see how silly their comments are.

    • Sorry but flintlock or not, shooting “wild” game on a private game ranch with the assistance of a guide isn’t my idea of hunting.

  9. Do you really think the people who would restrict gun owners to muzzle-loading flintlocks would actually allow you to buy and store explosive powder in bulk?

  10. Never owned one, or a replica. Never shot one, though I handled a pristine one some years ago and when told of its value, I slightly quivered and gently handed it back to its wealthy owner. There are other antiquated guns we could qualify to use, if the idiots who misinterpret the U.S. Constitution or add to it rights that are not anywhere to be found (Right of Privacy and its commutations), the would also keep the government and all its alphabet agencies to the same standard.

    • @SouthernPatriot: “add to it rights that are not anywhere to be found (Right of Privacy”

      What?????

      Are you saying that you believe that there is no right to privacy? That the government has carte blanche to monitor my most intimate activity?

      If so, you are really insane.

      Notwithstanding Amendment IV: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

      Please say that your post was a joke!

      • He also neglects amendment nine, which is admittedly a bit tricky because one can use it to justify ANY fictitious right.

      • Sorry Rich. It says what it says, and that’s all it says. Finding emanations and penumbras is bad hermeneutics.

        • The Fourth Amendment pretty clearly protects a right to privacy, otherwise, what else would it be there for? Just as the Second Amendment protects an individual right to self-defense without using that explicit wording.

        • It says what it says, and that’s all it says.

          Not by a long shot.

          Amendment IX: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

          In modern English: “This isn’t an all inclusive list. Anything we haven’t mentioned here is still covered.”

  11. I’ve owned a few flintlock rifles – a couple Lymans and a T/C Renegade. I also owned a Pedersoli Brown Bess for a little while. It never failed to get attention at the range, especially when people saw me using dried corn husk or the campus newspaper as musket wadding. I wish Pedersoli had chosen to copy an earlier version of the Bess to make it accurate for F&I War reenacting (and more realistic for Revolution), but it was still a hell of a lot of fun. I’ve still got some musket balls and flints waiting for my next one.

    To the topic at hand, consider this: At one point, Washington ordered musket cartridges loaded with a combination of buck and ball. That puts one 65+ caliber ball and about a dozen buck or swan shot sized pellets downrange toward the British with every trigger pull, and basically a 13 shot burst with three of them per minute in well trained hands. Top that with a seventeen inch bayonet. Now try and convince me again that the Founders wouldn’t have wanted our AR-15’s protected…

  12. My douche canoe respone is: 21st century! BEYOTCH! I got extendos (for you non-wiggers that means extended magazines).

    My real response is: No, would love to have a modernized version. Something with electrical ignition and crank for the battery, preferably breech-loading so that I can stick a suppressor on it. Maybe one of those revolver carbines, modify it with a electrical trigger/hammer and sealed cylinder (to eliminate cylinder gap)? Will probably get one in the future.

  13. Real BP is somewhat tricky to come by in my area, so no flint lock. But my percussion hawken is fun until I have to clean it.

    • you can make your own BP easily with over the counter items (or use local hardware store and amazon) charcoal, salt peter and sulfur

  14. During the Bicentennial, I was a member of a colonial reenactment group out of Gloucester, MA. We used to hold “militia drills” with our reproduction Brown Bess muskets and matching pistols. We even had a functional cannon that fired concrete-filled frozen orange juice cans. I gained a great appreciation for the difficulty of hitting a man-size target out past 100 yards!

  15. I have never shot a rifle, period. I would love to try a flintlock though. Is it any cheaper to fire than a cartridge-fed weapon?

      • Why are you being so rude? Nothing wrong with not having fired a rifle.

        I would recommend a .22 LR, ammo prices are returning to normal, just be patient.

        • Well you know, so he’s never shot a rifle before? Why do you gotta attack him? We should welcome him into our ways instead of pushing away. Not only is it the decent thing to do, but the more gun owners there are, there better off we all are. He’s here looking for advise and info on how to get into shooting. I mean, that’s what TTAG kind of all about.

      • “THOROUGHLY UNNECESSARY COMMENT MODERATED”

        ahahahaha! wow! I’ve never seen that one before.

      • You have to forgive DG.

        He was born holding a rifle and a pistol, and his first shot in life kneecapped the doc when he tried to spank him. So he just doesn’t have a lot of … empathy? tolerance? understanding? … when it comes to other people’s experiences.

    • Great Scot,

      Most large bore rifle cartridges start around $1 per round and go up from there. Muzzleloaders can be less or more per shot. Black powder and a primer cost about $0.35 per shot. The bullets can run anywhere from roughly $0.25 to $1.00 per shot. I am not sure what it costs to shoot lead balls.

    • I would recomend precussion rather than flintlock . We have blackpowder group at my club , and I don’t know of any injuries. never pour powder from anything but a single charge measurer , dont smoke near power or get it near a campfire. Flint is fun , but pecussion is easier and its fun too. it is fairly cheap after you buy the gun. I buy the round balls rather than mold them to save time.

    • There are positives and negatives to black powder guns. In most states, you can order one from a retailer and have it sent directly to your door. You can sometimes find them at decent used prices too, but make sure they haven’t been neglected too much. Lead round balls are affordable, but more so if you can luck into some soft lead pipe or lead sheeting and cast your own. In some places, real black powder is hard to come by. I prefer flintlocks myself, and they generally don’t work as well with a BP substitute, so percussion guns make more sense to some.

      I definitely wouldn’t start with a muzzleloader though. They can have a learning curve, so I wouldn’t want a new shooter to get discouraged.

    • They’re really not any cheaper, but that isn’t exactly the point.

      If you know someone that has one, ask to shoot theirs first before you go buy one.

        • Actually no. BP cleans up using nothing but water. I lube my barrels, inside and out with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and never have rust. I do use Break-Free on the lock parts though.

          Craig

  16. I have never shot a flintlock muzzleloader but I own and shoot an inline muzzleloader that uses shotgun primers. It is the most accurate rifle that I have ever shot. I can take any game in North America with that rifle. It will easily take deer out to 150 yards.

    The only difference between that muzzleloader and a “modern” rifle is rate of fire.

  17. Been actually contemplating getting a Kentucky Long Rifle, but have not done much research.
    Who makes the best modern production KLR?

    • A great source of information on black powder shooting is Dixie Gunworks. I haven’t traded with them in a few years, but they used to put out a dead tree catalog that had lots of good articles and advice on getting started in the hobby as well as lots of good stuff for sale.

  18. I’ve hunted white tail with a Hawken style percussion rifle. It was lots of fun and made you think a little more when you realized that you only had one shot.

    The old Brown Bess smoothbores were the assault rifles of their day. A well drilled soldier could get off three rounds a minute. At ranges under 50 yards a .75 caliber soft lead ball will ruin your day. Throw a couple of volleys of lead at the enemy and finish them with an 18″ triangular bayonet. Sort of like dueling at short range with break open 12 gauge shotguns and then getting into a knife fight afterwards.

    Pennsylvania rifles have captured our imagination but they were too slow to load and lacked bayonets. Great for snipers and skirmishers but not for the line of battle. Washington wanted disciplined troops who would stand and deliver fast volleys at short range and mix it up with the British when it came time for the cold steel.

    The original 2nd Amendment weapons were the best military technology available at the time as they should be today.

    • I think the PA rifle gained its place because it was a uniquely American adaptation. Smaller balls meant the guns were easier on powder and lead than muskets, larger bored European rifles, or even most fowlers. That makes a difference when you’re far from town and can’t afford to waste money. The rifling made them accurate enough to reliably take game at longer distances, and that quality also served skirmishers and irregular troops well. It was made for the American backwoods lifestyle and fit well into the style of fighting we learned during the F&I War. It helped us overcome challenges that the Europeans just didn’t have.

    • Well at the Battle Of King’s Mountain, Scots-Irish “over the mountain men” did quite well against a well trained and well led British line regiment, the 71st foot, which was armed with the Brown Bess. Despite having the advantage of having chosen high ground for his defense, Major Patrick Ferguson, his regiment and loyalist volunteers were handily defeated by Scots-Irish settlers armed with long-rifles. The battle lasted 65 minutes. The Brits never had a chance.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kings_Mountain

      • An American marksman named Tim Murphy greatly contributed to the victory at Saratoga when he shot British General Simon Frazer. Many historians argue that Saratoga was the turning point where the French decided to stop watching and start helping us, so without that victory delivered partly by Murphy’s rifle, we may not have been able to win the war.

  19. Yep. Many years ago when I was a teen, my dad was into French-Indian War era recreations. Good thing he also let me shoot his 30-30, or I would have never enjoyed firearms. Holding a 6-foot and only The Lord knows how many pounds rifle on target for more than two seconds is not fun. Even less fun when the powder doesn’t ignite, and you have to hold it up for a minute or more.

  20. I snagged a Jukar Kentucky pistol from my dad. I’m not sure where he got it from. It was neglected so I did a mini restoration on it so it looks good again. I replaced some parts and it should be ready to test. It is cap not flintlock although traditions makes a Kentucky pistol flintlock kit. They use the same parts.

    In the future I want an 1861 Springfield and a Brown Bess. I was able to see a 1776 made British Brown Bess. The store wants 5000 for it but it looks really good.

  21. Not something that ever really interested me enough to pursue it, as I don’t know anyone that has one. I’d sure shoot it i f someone put one in my hands, though.

  22. Flint is tough for lots of folks due to what can be an extended lock time. This is even worse with the lower quality of flint lock seen on some modern reproduction guns. A well made and set up lock with a properly knaped flint can be a joy if it is well maintained but a cheap one with a worn flint can be a real trial. You touch off the shot and the heavy lock work well of the centerline will pull the gun off of the target and while the powder in the pan is flashing and sending the fire to the main charge you have to bring the gun back on target before the ball departs the muzzle.
    This takes quite a bit of practice for most folks and even more so if all that they have ever shot are modern cartridge guns with their fast lock times and moving Parts that are on the centerline of the bore.
    I have sometimes had better luck teaching folks that have never shot a modern gun as they have no expectations of how a gun should work.
    Also flintlocks are far less tolerant of fake blackpowder and unless you can get hold of the real thing you can save yourself a lot of angst by using percushon cap lock guns for your old fashioned gun experimentation.

  23. I shot one into a breeze. It blew a perfect smoke ring that drifted a few yards downrange and then drifted right back over me. It was cool.

    BTW, this happened at a public range. The guy next to me was shooting his flintlock, which he had built from a kit. When he saw me admiring it, he asked me if I wanted to try it. So I did.

    If you admire a guy’s car or wife, he won’t ask you if you want to take them for a spin. Admire a gun guy’s gun and you get an invite to try ‘er out. Ya gotta love that!

  24. We had access to a few during the two summers when I was the Boy Scout Shooting Sports director at Camp Castle Rock in Mauston, WI. I taught archery, rifle shooting, shotgunning, and black powder merit badges. The flintlocks that we had were not terribly reliable, which wasn’t a good combination when trying to instruct impatient teenagers. We usually went with percussion rifles instead since the percussion caps gave us much more reliable ignition. I’m sure a more experienced shooter could have achieved much greater reliability, but the flintlocks seemed to fire on the first trigger pull only about 70 or 80 percent of the time.

    I’m curious what kind of reliability the more experienced shooters were getting.

    • @Accur81, a lot depends on the lock, how it is tuned, and the overall build of the rifle. A quality build, will fire every time.

  25. I don’t believe I’ve ever fired anything but modern-type centerfire and rimfire; the oldest tech I’ve ever touched off is a mosin nagant (and it’s still pretty modern all things considered–the round is still in military use!) Bolt guns in general are the oldest tech I’ve dealt with, though of course they are still developing; many of the ones on the market use leading edge manufacturing technology.

  26. I have never shot a flint lock before. I have shot and do own a replica of the 1836 Colt Paterson. I have only took it out once, and was having trouble getting the caps to ignite. Not sure if it was because the caps were too insensitive, or if the main spring is just too week. It’s an interesting replica, that was older than the guy that sold it to me said it was. He had said it was 80’s production but according to the few markings it has, it was actually built in 67. It does have the import company marked on it, though it’s missing the markings of the company that actually produced it.

    I did get some new caps yesterday, so hopefully that will solve my problem when I try it out next weekend.

      • That’s pretty much what I am expecting to be the problem. I figure that it does not hurt to try different caps, since worst case scenario nothing changes, but it’s not like I wasted money because I can still use those new caps I bought after the pistol is fixed. My big problem will be if it is the main spring, I am not sure where to get a new for a Colt Paterson replica, since I don’t think any company currently produces replicas. For that mater I don’t know if I do find some parts, If they are interchangeable between different companies replicas which might be a problem since I don’t know who produced mine.

        • Pietta and Uberti make Colt replica pistols. Traditions and Cimarron market the Peittas. Uberti is a Beretta owned company and are very easy to find, and is also sold by Taylor’s (who sells parts as well). Just Google them. They make pretty much all of the various Colt percussion models through the 1862 Pocket Navy, the Richards-Mason and Richards cartridge conversions, an open top Colt 1872, and a huge variety of 1873 (and later) (cased ammo) Colt SAAs in 45C, .357, and 44 mag. The cap and ball pistols are all around $300 or so, the cartridge pistols run from around $400 to $650 depending on finish and tuning. Also produced are the Remingtons.

          Colt also made several series of their cap and ball pistols, can’t recall the series names right off, most of which were made with Italian parts finished and assembled in the US, and with all of the very desirable and official Colt markings. Because they are “authentic” “Colts”, they carry a premium price.

        • You might try just bending the spring a bit straighter if that is the issue. Clamp it in a vice; from vids I’ve seen, this is how they are bent in the first place–by hand in a vice.

  27. I built my Kentucky flintlock from a CVA kit. I got my first whitetail doe with it from 90 yards away. Horrible trigger and I had to shoot right handed (normally lefty) to avoid the flash, but nicely accurate. Love that gun.

  28. I have. I found it while wandering in the mountains. The previous owner had a note that he pinned to his jacket that read “I, Hatchet Jack, being of sound mind and broke legs, do leaveth my rifle to the next thing who finds it, Lord hope he be a white man. It is a good rifle, and kilt the bear that kilt me. Anyway, I am dead. Sincerely, Hatchet Jack.”

    Firing it was not difficult. The real challenge was learning to hunt. Bear Claw Chris Lapp taught me all he could.

  29. Shot a 50? caliber flintlock kit pistol many years ago, definite lag time between flash and bang
    When you could make it flash there was a whole lot of smoke with a big lead ball on the way

  30. I’ve never shot a flintlock or any other muzzle-loader. I’d like to try it though, just to see what it’s like. I’m a big history buff, so this is the sort of thing that’s right up my alley.

    Is it true you don’t need an FFL to buy a muzzle-loader?

  31. Only when we had to repel boarders. I usually only got off one shot before switching to the cutlass. But, seriously…

    A friend let me shoot his many years ago. Flintlocks are smokey, dirty fun…but….I’ll stick to my cap and ball. That’s enough fuss…

  32. Yes I have. Since I’m from NJ and an avid hunter a muzzleloader is one of your few options (bow cross or other, shotgun and muzzleloader. A 22 is allowed for rabbits and other rodents) . While I use an inline mostly, I have used flintlocks. All my muzzleloaders are purchased in Pa. just as a fuck you to NJ who still requires you to purchase from an ffl and all the bullshit that entail. In America its just walk in pay at register drive home. In The Peoples Republic of New Jersikstan its apply for fid, wait about 6 months (if lucky) to get said fid, got to ffl and undergo nics take home rifle. Just saving to move to America.

  33. A lot of the slow lock time issues with flintlocks come from improperly positioned vents. If the vent (touch hole) is too low in the pan, the priming powder has to burn down to it like a fuse. The vent should be in a “sunrise” position near the top of the pan where the intense heat of the flash can set it off immediately. A well tuned flintlock with a sharp flint that’s primed right will go off plenty fast!

  34. Just like our first amendment rights may only be excercised with a quill, or a mechanical press. No computers allowed.

  35. I’ve had the pleasure of both flintlock and cap-n-ball in both rifle and pistol. Trying to hold the sights steady while a hang-fire is sizzling next to your nose is fun (I’m a lefty), but I certainly wasn’t thinking of George Washington at that moment. Mountain men, maybe, but not the Founders. The bottom line was, it was fun!

    I don’t know if shooting them gave me any more appreciation for the 2nd, but I know that the kids we introduced to shooting by way of blackpowder got all kids of excited about guns after that. The Mule Deer Foundation here in Colorado held a kids day yesterday, and my 4 1/2 year old got to shoot a (reduced load) .50 cal percussion rifle. His first question after the smoke cleared was, “can I do it again?” (He did – twice more!) My daughter, who loves archery more than guns, afterwards asked if she could get a .22 for her birthday. The pundits and historians can argue about muzzleloaders and the 2nd Amendment – I think they can have a huge positive impact on people today, which will lead to gun rights support tomorrow.

    If it wasn’t for all my other hobbies I don’t have time or money for, I’d have both an 1860 New Army .44 revolver and a Hawken percussion rifle. Then a Colt Walker reproduction, and a Sharps Shiloh, and…

  36. Shot a Kentucky Long Rifle a few years ago that a shooting buddy had built from a kit. When we went out he had just put a new frizzen and flint on it. We got off about ten shots, then something went wrong and he could not get it to strike a spark any longer. I got four of the ten shots and it was really fun. Lock time was good, so the main charge ignited fairly fast, but still took some getting used to. Eventually, he got it to work again, but had to move to another State due to a Family matter, so never got to try it again.
    Subsequently I bought a Traditions Hawken Percussion Cap Rifle in.50 cal. Has a double set trigger and is really accurate at 50 and 100 yds. I shoot it every now and then when I feel in the mood to spend a few hours cleaning it. I have no idea how the old boys kept theirs clean, especially out in the wild, but obviously they did. Shooting BP is really relaxing. You can just sort of putter around and have to think about what you are doing, so the pace can be whatever you want.
    Insofar as what the Founder’s meant, they chose the word “Arms”, which means whatever contemporary weaponry exists, especially firearms, and usually whatever a single person can bear and use without assistance. Makes it pretty clear and simple. Doesn’t it?

  37. Once. In the AZ desert. The darn thing would not fire. I coked it and pulled the trigger three times, and nothing. Then suddenly, a huge cow showed up out of nowhere! I raised the rifle so as not to hit the cow in case the rifle went off. After a few minutes the cow left. I added more powder to the flashpan and finally got it to work. It was a .50, so it would’ve been a LOT of hamburgers.

  38. For those that argue that the 2nd amendment only protects revolutionary war era weapons i would argue that a canons are therefore protected so instead of home defense shotguns being discussed in forums we would see home defense canons being discussed.

  39. The local range is usually under drought restrictions (eg no smoking outside, no black powder) when it isn’t actually raining, so my chances of shooting one locally are slim to none.

    I’d love to give it a try if I get a chance while on travel, though.

  40. only fifty I can afford lol, they are a blast to shoot and I believe help with teaching follow thru. if you move when u see smoke that doesn’t mean the bullet left the barrel lol

  41. I have numerous flintlocks and love everyone of them. But a ‘well tuned’ lock is a necessity. And ‘well tuned’ includes a LOT of things that are required for fast and reliable ignition. I do own some of them ‘new-fangled percussion’ rifles, but only for the pure novelty of it all……

    Flinters do NOT like replica powder. The higher ignition temps tend to make them not reliable.

    Clean-up is with water, but it MUST be done at the end of the shooting session because BP residue is hydroscopic, meaning it sucks up humidity, and WILL rust your firearm if you let it set a while. But Black Powder itself is NOT corrosive.

    One of the advantages of flintlock shooting is it really teaches a rifle shooter follow-through with the shot and the technique carries over into modern shooting and makes for a better modern rifle shooter.

  42. Never shot a flintlock. Maybe one day. Let me make a simple observation for the gun grabbers though. In the 1780’s, flintlocks were the modern small arms of the day. The founding fathers saw no problem with the average citizen owning and using them, hence the 2nd Ammendment. The 2nd Ammendment does not restrict us to matchlocks or bows and arrows or swords or clubs. Clearly the founding fathers saw no problem with citizens owning the same type of weapons that were in use by the militaries of their day. The notion that they intended us to be armed with weapons that were inferior to those in use by the military or civil authorities is complete bunk. If that is what they intended, they could have easily written it. They were intelligent men and did not mince words in the Constitution or other ammendments in the Bill of Rights. Instead, they wrote that the right to keep and bear arms “shall not be infringed.” If we take them at their word on the structure of government, separation of powers, and all the other ammendments, then we must take them at their word on the 2nd Ammendment.

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