What do you do to weather proof your flintlocks??? I seen a show that showed them melting candle wax around the lock, has anyone ever done something like this???
you can seal the frizzen pan with candle wax. A real easy way is with a cow knee. It's a water proof leather cover that goes over the lock and frizzen. When you're ready to shoot, you just remove the cow knee and shoot.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
http://www.octobercountry.com/products3.php?productid=105 October Country sells the cow knees. Also you might want to get a frizzen cover for nice weather. It acts as a second safety of sorts because it covers the frizzen which reduced the possibility of an accidental spark and discharge.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
What do you do to weather proof your flintlocks??? I seen a show that showed them melting candle wax around the lock, has anyone ever done something like this???
35 years out in woods of pa. hunting the buck and i cant remember ever putting anything on or over my frizzen. i was in some real bad rains over years too. i stick the frizzen under my arm while sitting in rain.i had too think,hmmmmmmm,i believe i only shot 1 buck in rain. it was always after rain that deer would move.i see people using saran wrap a lot, i find it laying on the pipelines and on the paths .they eat their sandwich and use the wrap over frizzen.
Cow's Knee and change your priming powder about every20-30 minutes or so. Priming powder is not coated to prevent moisture absorbtion and thus does aborb moisture quite rapidly. If your lock does not get when, you can have a significant hang-fire or mis fire from moisture contaminated powder in the pan.
If it's really raining, I "cloak" the lock with my jacket and change the priming powder under my make shift "tent".
Just to practice and see how the rifle reacts, I sat in the rain one afternoon and shot and loaded the flintlock like I would have out in the woods. I used a small piece of plastic instead of a cow knee over the lock and frizzen when I was loading, etc.
I fired 10 shots with a brand new flint and Goex 4f as the prime, got soaking wet, but never had a misfire...
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Actually neither have I as I don't have that much time with a rock lock. But several folks I have talked to over the years have allsaid that changing the priming powder regularily in wet weather is a very good idea, so I just adopted that practice.
I'd hate to be sitting there all day only to have a nice opportunity lost because of a hang or mis-fire.
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I hunted only one day last year with the flintlock. I was stalking the marsh, island hopping, and it was dry out. But I still changed the primer every hour whether it needed it or not. At the end of the day the rifle fired perfect. I take a small spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol and some patches. I blow the powder out of the frizzen pan, wipe the pan clean with an alcohol patch and then after it drys, re-prime. Your friends (the old timer I used tohunt with who uses an old old kentucky flintlock) told you the same thing I was told...
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
I just leave the lock and butt under my coat and arm pit...I also prime with 3F as it doesn't absorb water as much as 4F...Started with flintlocks in the mid '70s...Used to seal with bees wax around frizzen, don't bother now...Just keep the lock area dry and the barrel pointed down and you won't have any problems...If the rain lets up I might reprime, but if its poring, it stays under my arm...
flinters / rain
