When I had that gun made I ordered the Chambers Colonial Virginia lock because it was bigger and took a 1” flint, ergo intrinsically more reliable. Which it is, but it turns out bigger flintlocks are also intrinsically slower, the flint describing a longer arc. Didn’t help any in that application. Besides all that I’m a mediocre wing shot at best 🙂
That's awesome.
Yep. Very Cool Mike !
As you’d expect, there’s a handful of fanatics out there who are pretty good wingshots with their flintlocks, one of whom sent me a handmade shot flask and measure free of charge.
However I don’t believe wingshooting was really widespread before the arrival of the percussion cap speeded up ignition, the Scottish Rev. Forsyth who came up with the concept around 1815 (??) did so because the sitting ducks he was shooting at dove underwater at the flash in the pan.
I think shooting at flying ducks came later, certainly it was waterfowl and other bird hunters who were most responsible for the first introduction of the percussion system in North America.
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
