Flintlock mythbusters

[RBak]

I always hear a distinct lag between when a cap pops, and the charge ignites.

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.

[Edward]

I always hear a distinct lag between when a cap pops, and the charge ignites.

Only if you can't properly clean the gun and donate a couple caps to clear what you missed/left ./Ed

[Sandro_ventania]

I always hear a distinct lag between when a cap pops, and the charge ignites.

My hearing isn't that good. I usually hear just one sound.

[LAGS]

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.

[Hannibal]

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!!!

[dondiego]

I have shot flintlocks that were instantaneous, no bang-Boom!

[indian joe]

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.

you boys got better ears (or a different brain) than me
If you can hear a lag in a capgun that thing aint built right or it aint workin right

[LAGS]

It really isn't a Lag in the discharge in most cases.
It is just the two different sounds.

[waksupi]

you boys got better ears (or a different brain) than me
If you can hear a lag in a capgun that thing aint built right or it aint workin right

I think it's only noticeable to flintlock shooters standing by caplock shooters!

[Hannibal]

It really isn't a Lag in the discharge in most cases.
It is just the two different sounds.

Yes. Exactly right.

[LAGS]

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.

[HWooldridge]

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.

[LAGS]

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.

[Sandro_ventania]

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.

[LAGS]

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.

[Sandro_ventania]

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.

yes... muzzleloader are better! Especially the ones with a very long barrel.

[john.k]

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.

[indian joe]

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.

Its how 90% of flintlocks behave at the range - if these things were instantaneous we would not need to be good at follow through ? and good follow through is the mark of a good flintlock shooter - you cannot flinch these things and get a decent result .

[HamGunner]

I have shot a cap gun for a good while, but only more recently have I owned a flinter. I was overly critical I suppose when I first started shooting flint locks, as to more consciously trying to hold it steady after trigger pull. But unless I fill the pan wrong or manage to tilt the rifle towards the flash hole, I find the shot to be almost instantaneous with the pan igniting. I do not seem to have to worry anymore about holding steady after the trigger pull.

My flinter is a TC Hawken and the lock is not likely what one would call a precision piece. It is not all that bad either though. I suspicion that it is only middle of the road.

I do not normally flinch when shooting anyway. I never seemed to develop all that much of a flinch from way back as a boy shooting whatever. My first handgun was a .44 mag. Flat top Ruger Blackhawk. I overcame any flinch that I had by shooting that darned thing.

[HamGunner]

I have never shot a top grade flint lock, but if I keep the pan only half filled and a bit more powder away from the flash hole, my TC seems to fire rather quickly. I learned right off that too much powder in the pan was not a good thing.

I am constantly double checking my flint. A poorly sparking flint can certainly cause a delay in ignition. When at the bench, I try to go as far as it will go before adjusting or replacing the flint, but the target will still be there if I have a mis-fire. Not so while hunting.

I like the Black English flints the best, but I have some amber colored English as well as French and some of my own Missouri White flints that I made myself from rocks that I picked up out of my driveway. The near by quarry where the 1" screened gravel came from had a lot of white flint mixed in with the limestone. Good flints seem to help get a good ignition.