Cold weather flintlock shooting

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

I don't know why, but I felt like shooting in 17* weather and don't you know it! As soon as I get loaded up an ready, the very light cloud layer says, lets snow on him! It got pretty good at one point I had to stop long enough till the wind died down enough that I could see my target. Nothing really built up, just a good wind blow snow that opened up to clear blue skies after I went back inside.

Anyway, I wanted to test my flintlock in this weather so I took 70gr Olde Eynsford 2fg charges, .020" patches lubed very thinly with my anti rust patch lube & also my buckskinners lube ( no i do not mix these lubes together lol) , 4fg goex and a freshly cleaned rifle. Had a couple shots get away from me, I think the wind blown snow got into my pan powder as I was charging the rifle and I got a couple very slight delays, but enough to throw me off.

I also got a much better hold on my rifle where I could get a solid cheek/shoulder weld and that really helped me out with flinching and my accuracy greatly improved to where I even shocked myself LOL.
https://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/19/04/51/92/img_8318.jpg
(https://servimg.com/view/19045192/385)

Top 4 shots are with my anti rust patch lube ( notice how both groups have a pulled shot? Those were the 2 slight delayed shots I got) Bottom 4 are with my buckskinners patch lube. Rendezvous will be fun next year with a group like that! Now to get practicing shooting that group off hand LOL.
https://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/19/04/51/92/img_8319.jpg (https://servimg.com/view/19045192/386)

Stupid day to go out shooting! My reloading hand got to cold it turned red and swelled up.
https://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/19/04/51/92/img_8321.jpg (https://servimg.com/view/19045192/388)

At no time did I ever take the time to wipe the frizzen/flint or even the pan clean, it was to cold for that ****.
https://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/19/04/51/92/img_8320.jpg
(https://servimg.com/view/19045192/387)

(https://servimg.com/view/19045192/387)

[Tatume]

Sounds like a fun day! I hope you get some nicer weather next time.

[Hickory]

I use to hunt Pennsylvania a lot when my friend was still alive, but only once in a while now. I sure miss Jesse, he was one of the best men I've ever known.
In your picture, the rifle with the cover on your lock, Jesse had one like that, only he added a pouch on the side to hold a hand warmer with a few vent holes to keep the hand warmer working good.
His theory was the heat would dispel the moisture that always seemed to be present there in Pennsylvania during the muzzleloading season.
I was sceptical of this method of 'keeping your powder dry' until Jess gave a little demonstration. We came in from hunting one day when Jesse's back was bothering him and the fog was thick. He left his gun leaning against a tree and we went inside to relax before supper. After supper was over and about 2 1/2 hrs. had passed we went outside and walked up to the tree where his rifle still leaned. Without comment or ceremony, he snatched up his gun flipped off the cover and fired the shot into his backstop 40 some yards away.
He said that your heat source should always be consistent, replacing the hand warmer ever 4-6 hrs. And never replace the next hand warmer until it is property heated up.
I have one of those lock covers w/ the hand warmer pouch and have used it when the weather is damp and it has never fail me in damp or foggy weather.