Percussion vs Flint for Waterfowl

[Will_White]

I've been looking at getting a blackpowder shotgun for goose hunting for a while now, I was thinking of getting a flintlock so i didn't have to rely on caps, but thinking about it more percussion might be better given the typical weather during goose season.

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[sikhed]

Yeah, bad weather, trudging threw wet reeds, having to lay your fowler down for whatever reason...
I'd go percussion.
Does the non-lead pellet rule still apply for waterfowl & muzzleloader?

 

[Will_White]

Yeah, bad weather, trudging threw wet reeds, having to lay your fowler down for whatever reason...
I'd go percussion.
Does the non-lead pellet rule still apply for waterfowl & muzzleloader?

Yeah the non lead pellet rule still applies, I'm planning on using bismuth shot.

 

[Alexx1401]

I've been looking at getting a blackpowder shotgun for goose hunting for a while now, I was thinking of getting a flintlock so i didn't have to rely on caps, but thinking about it more percussion might be better given the typical weather during goose season.

There is a good reason percussion took the place of flintlock. If you have never shot a flintlock be wise to try one first. They are fun but the delay would make more challenge when shooting at birds. They are hard enough with a target that is holding still.

 

[sikhed]

There is a good reason percussion took the place of flintlock. If you have never shot a flintlock be wise to try one first. They are fun but the delay would make more challenge when shooting at birds. They are hard enough with a target that is holding still.

I'd bet follow-threw would especially apply shooting passing foul with a flintlock!

 

[Alexx1401]

I'd bet follow-threw would especially apply shooting passing foul with a flintlock!

Yes it would. To be good with one would take some real skill. I have played with some long ago when I was playing with BP and it was fun. Would take some dedicated practice to hit birds with these.

 

[osprey]

I have hunted waterfowl with an old TC New Englander with the conversion 12 gauge barrel. It was of course percussion. It worked surprisingly well. I used pyrodex with a steel shot wad seated on top and then about 1-1/8 oz of steel 2’s with an overcard on top. I used this most of an entire season and had a blast. My harvest went down slightly with only having one shot but the fun factor was worth it. It had pretty much the same range and lethality of a modern 12 gauge shotgun. I had a few hangfires and discovered continuing to swing with the bird occasionally rewarded you with a dead duck. Most times however it did not work out. If I ever waterfowl hunt again I will use the same setup!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Flintlocks.....will work well in the rain and wet.

Some tricks

If you have a flintlock with a factory "coil spring" as it's main spring...get rid of it.
Buy a replacement lock with a leaf main spring...that is how they were originally made.
And...flintlocks work better with them...

Make sure that your vent hole is large , clear , clean and in the proper position relative to the pan...

Keep a sharp clean flint in your gun....

Don't over fill your pan with priming powder....

A "Cow's Knee" of leather or waxed cloth to cover your flintlock may be helpful....

Like any shotgun....
Practice is important...learn the load that your gun likes...practice with it...a lot

A well made , well timed , tuned and maintained flintlock is very dependable.
From my years of shooting , working on and building muzzle loaders as well as research into them....
I would argue that :
One big reason why the percussion system became popular is the cost ( historically they were cheaper to make and sell ) .
As well as the perceived advantage to the percussion system...salesmen being salesmen...be it 1823 or 2023

Please note the above in italics and bold...most of the off the shelf flintlocks and many custom ones...
Are not what is in italic or bold.

Andy

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I've been looking at getting a blackpowder shotgun for goose hunting for a while now, I was thinking of getting a flintlock so i didn't have to rely on caps, but thinking about it more percussion might be better given the typical weather during goose season.

I think you need a punt gun. Shoots 1 lb of shot, gotta love that.

Punt gun - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Just kidding.

 

[sikhed]

I think you need a punt gun. Shoots 1 lb of shot, gotta love that.

View attachment 1385779
View attachment 1385781

Punt gun - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Just kidding.

But OP's question still stands. Flint or percussion?

 

[Joe13]

Anything wrong with an inline with shotgun primers?

 

[Will_White]

I think you need a punt gun. Shoots 1 lb of shot, gotta love that.

View attachment 1385779
View attachment 1385781

Punt gun - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Just kidding.

Unfortunately the regs are 10ga maximum, otherwise a sitting fox k4 would be on its way to me.

Anything wrong with an inline with shotgun primers?

Technically no, but if I'm shooting an inline I may as well be using something modern.

 

[drstrangelove]

You would have to pick your days. I would not take a muzzle loader out in the rain. If you can stay dry, the flintlock is more tempting because of the cap shortage. Either one will require a lot of practice to get timing of shot and lead right. You have to follow through and ignore the shot.
Look up the skychief load on muzzleloader forums. It’s works.

 

[Joe13]

Unfortunately the regs are 10ga maximum, otherwise a sitting fox k4 would be on its way to me.


Technically no, but if I'm shooting an inline I may as well be using something modern.

Wasn’t sure if using black powder put you into a different season like big game in WA

 

[drstrangelove]

Wasn’t sure if using black powder put you into a different season like big game in WA

Nope, federal rules govern waterfowl hunting, including 10ga max, 3-shell capacity, take limits, and largest legal nontoxic shot size. States issue the licenses but a federal duck stamp is required. This is a holdover from the feds banning market hunting and punt gun use. They have no problem with modern shotguns, muzzleloaders, or even archery for waterfowl, but federal rules are enforced by federal gamies when it comes to waterfowl hunting.