Yep Rick, me too...and I don't think it's unique or special in any way, Others have been telling me that same thing for years.
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Ever since I was a kid.
We referred to ML's as Bang Booms.
They almost always made that sound.
It is so fast , that it is actually hard to hear if it is a percussion gun.
But flinters seems to have a definite Bang Booms to them.
Just my opinion, but my hearing is going bad now also.
Agreed. Definitely more noticeable if you're a spotter and not the shooter, too.
You learn to shoot a ML with decent accuracy it'll make it easy-peasy to shoot modern firearms. Unless they have accuracy issues, obviously.
I think many people think they are hearing a 'report'. Not so with a ML.
Bang-BOOM!!!
I have shot flintlocks that were instantaneous, no bang-Boom!
It really isn't a Lag in the discharge in most cases.
It is just the two different sounds.
My ears hear the sharp Pop from the cap.
And a very fast BOOM when the bullet leaves the barrel.
But I only hear it that way when I am watching someone else shoot.
If I am shooting.
The sound is almost the same timing because the line is the cap , than the bore in a distance from my ears.
Those of you who remember Fess Parker as Daniel Boone may recall his rifle always went, “chik-BOOM” but I suspect the noise was artificially generated for the show.
I have noticed,
If I do Blank Loads in my rifles.
It seems like there is a greater space between the flint or cap popping and the sound coming out of the barrel.
I always thought it was because the barrel load did not have a lot of restrictions that the bullet or ball provided.
So the load was burning more as it went down the barrel with less pressure.
So the blank load isn't as big of Boom as a regular load.
But the question is...does the caps increase the noise at the end of it all?
Or does it make no difference?
Which is more pleasant to the ears?
I never shot with a flintlock.
IMO.
The cap is a sharper sound than the flint is.
But both are not bad on the ears.
I do not wear ear protection when shooting muzzleloaders, Unless there are other people at the range shooting centerfires.
My ears never start ringing when I am out hunting with a ML.
But they often do with centerfires , even if I am shooting something like a .22 LR.
Blackpowder is always a softer noise ,quite distinct from smokeless ........the only really loud blackpowder gun Ive heard was a 4 bore that fired some 200+ grains of powder.