Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Keepin the pan dry.

Ok as I have just got my new flintlock rifle, I am in need of some answers before I take it out hunting.<P>For the sake of these questions assume you are hunting deer.<BR>1. When you are hunting, when do you prime your flinter?<BR>2. If you prime before you walk to your stand or start walking in the woods will the powder in the pan fall out? Are there any special precautions you take?<BR>3. If it is raining or it starts to rain what do you use to keep your powder in the pan dry?

I prime my pan as soon as I enter the woods. If you don't turn your rifle upside down or anything like that, it should stay in. But I usually check when I get where I wanna go anyhow. Haven't hunted with it in rain yet, so I can't tell ya.

Blammer, I also prime the pan as soon as I enter the woods. I have never had the priming powder fall out even with carrying the gun at an angle. I got caught in a drizzle while hunting with the flinter and out of necessity, found some chapstick in my pocket. I lined the edges of the pan with it, and packed it around the top of the closed frizzen between the barrel and frizzen. At the end of the afternoon, I fired it to empty and it went off without a hitch. They do sell what is referred to as a "cow's knee" which is just a leather cover that ties on the barrel and covers the frizzen. Other than my limited experience in the rain, that is the best I can tell you. An article I read said you should file the edges of the pan and frizzen to create a perfect match to help in bad weather. Sounds like the chapstick trick is easier! I hunt in snowfalls all the time and never had a problem with ignition, although I check the powder quite often. Good luck and keep the smoke flying. Rick

The old "cows knee" made of raw hide was used to keep rain out in the old days, but we have "celophane" (sp?). A one loose layer wrap around the lock will keep rain off, and you can shoot with it on. Of course, humidity will eventually get to your priming. That's why the old timers re-primed whenever they were in a wet condition.