sabotloader

This weekend the Sage Brush Free Trappers held their annual Rondy in Benton City out at the Rattlesnake Shooting area. Since my daughter lives just a few short miles away - thought it would be a goo one to go to.

Again I decided that I was going to shoot just the rifle competition and I chose to use the Renegade 50 cal Percussion. It was a different format than I have shot in previous Rondy's. There was a not a paper target station, which I really like as I can normally ring up a pretty decent score their. There was 18 targets on their walking trail. At station one we shot out tie breaker card and at the same station we shot the ax head to split the ball and break a pigeon on each side of the blade.

When we completed station #1 I was really feeling pretty good... the targets were @ 15 yard... I shot a perfect dead center bull on the Tie breaker card and I also split the ball and got both clay birds. Could not have started any better. Then the wheels fell off the wagon... never touched another target till station #7, but in my defense two of the stations I did not stand a chance. One station you were required to shoot a 30 yard gong "LEFT Handed" - I can not close my right eye and I could not find the sights with the left eye - it was terrible. Then station #5 was a gong @ about 20 yards uphill - but you had to shoot it from your HIP. The only thing I can say I was on line! but probably 6/7 yards short...

Station 7 and 8 went well - started to gain some confidence but it was short lived... Didn't hit anything again until #17 and 18.

While I did a terrible job shooting, everything was high but close, in fact if it were horseshoes I would have scored a few more points. Oh well, it was good practice for the big one next weekend on Troy, Oregon.

I did pick up another gun while I was in Kennewick, actually Chuck caused the problem. I had never even considered a 'rock sparker,' but a Chuck encouraged me to try one -'you might like it.' So I picked one up from my son-in-laws dad. I has had it for 12 years and has never fired it, it just sits in the gun cabinet. When I asked him about it he said "sure take I never use it."

So now I have a 'Flinter' and only a vague idea of how to make it work... Another learnig curve to climb. Do not have time to start the education process right now - turkey season and rondy season - but come June should get more time so Dave and the rest of you 'rock sparker' shooters be reay to help "please"







Why do i do these things - Semi probably has a rule for this - I should have looked...

Grouse45

Your flints on backwards

sabotloader

Grouse45

I have no idea 'frontwards' from 'backwards' - all I know is it is suppose to spark somewhere along the line when you pull the trigger....

Grouse45

Don't worry, they are right up my alley. You still need to use a Flintlock in ML season here in PA. They are a great time and alot easier to use then people say. Gotta keep that pan powder dry that's for sure.

Semisane

Oh man Sabotloader, you went and done it now. You're gonna love that rocklock.

I hesitate to post anything that's not based on personal experience, but I'm going to throw this out there anyway. So - WARNING - I've read the following in a number of different posts in at least two different forums, but can not attest to its validity.

Early TC flintlocks had a reputation for poor sparking and/or eating flints. Then T/C redesigned their Flint lock assembly in the mid '90s to significantly improve it's performance. The redesigned lock had a slightly longer (higher?) hammer with more of a curve, and the frizzen had a slightly different shape - both of which caused the flint to strike the frizzen at an improved angle for better sparking and longer flint life. TC will replace old style locks with new style locks at no charge.

I don't recall which forum it was in, butseveral months ago I saw a post that had pictures of the new and old style TC locks. Maybe someone here can provide more info on this.

cayugad

close the frizzen and lower the flint to the frizzen. If the agate (in this case upside down as it is... bevel down they say although I do not know if that is so important) hits in the center of the frizzen, it is an older style lock. If the flint hits 3/4 of the way up the frizzen then it is the newer style cock.

The older style spark just fine. But the longer the flint slides the frizzen the longer and hotter the spark I was told. My First T/C had an old lock. I sent it to T/C and they changed it over for free. Whether they are still doing that I will not say.

Actually the flintlock is not only a lot easier to use then people think, but they are fast when tuned right. And the sense of satisfaction when it goes boom and hits is just a bonus. That is a fine looking rifle.

hunting junkie

Congrats on the shoot and you haven fun at it.That is a good looking rifle,i want one of them myself more and more, everytime i see one.

cayugad

Be careful everyone. That Sabotloader is a dangerous man. He gets these fancy rifles and then he entices all the rest of us to purchase one as well. He's sure made my collection larger. But I have Sabotloader catchers hung all over the house. They look like dream catcher but they gather sabotloader thoughts. That way,he can not influence me anymore on purchasing another rifle. In fact I sold one just to prove I could do it.

That's a beautiful rifle there Sabotloader. You now need to get some Thomas Fuller Black English Flints. The 5/8 fit the lock but the 3/4 will work also. I like the smaller ones because some of the larger split easier.

sabotloader

cayugad

This gun was not my fault - I had no intentions... until Big 6x6 suggested "ah, get one you will like it" - the you Dave talk about shooting flinters and even a few guys at the Rondy - once you start with a flinter - it is very difficult to go back to percussion - well that worries me cause I love percussion...

Tomorrow afternoon is dedicated to cleaning and tidy on the flinter... Can not go turkey hunting anymore until May 1 - I pummelled a unsupecting jake this morning...

sabotloader

cayugad

Was working in the flinter a bit... The Cock (what I would call the hammer, was some what loose on the tumbler post. I tried tightening the screw - no help, I ended up putting a teflon shim behind the hammer and then tightened the screw - so that part is fixed,

Spark on the frizzen seems to be weak - how much do you need? I am thinking I might have to knap the flint a bit... So I went looking for some drections... found this little article - think it migh help me a bunch....


http://members.aye.net/~bspen/flintlockfaq.html#12

I did take the torch nipple (wrong name) out I was really surprised when I was able to do that. It was a bit dirty but I am in the process of cleaning that now. Next is the barrel, I need to the JB thing to it - it is smooth all the way down - does not show any pits but ut does have a light survace coat of rust on it.

Now for the important part of this message.... Dave says:

I would like to conduct an informal pole: Remove one small word from this sentence (fancy) and who does this statement really describe? For Dave - fancy smancy - that doesn't mean a thing. If a ML is looking for a home it can certainly find one at Dave's place...