Why those flintlocks were so tall?!?!

[Stomper]

I recall during my beaver trapping days, that dinner coupled with attentive listening, and maybe a movie afterwards always made for the best bait to trap them with... that all ended when I got married though.

 

[albin25]

Wait...What?? Flintlocks were long???....
....and here I thought they only looked long, because the forefathery, pioneerish guys shootin' 'em were just kinda short!

live and learn, live and learn.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Is the little one in the center the type that it is loaded by unscrewing the barrel? Just curious.

That one of mine..is not...just made to look that way.
( Its a Belgian pistol circa 1840-1860 )
This one of mine is :
Joseph Barbor pistol circa 1760-1770
Andy

 

[CountryGent]

That one of mine..is not...just made to look that way.
( Its a Belgian pistol circa 1840-1860 )
This one of mine is :
Joseph Barbor pistol circa 1760-1770
Andy
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I see. Very neat pistols. Thanks.

 

[jj500]

Andy,very nice collection of rifles you have there but when I compare them to the ones I have,it seems that all of yours have the locks on the wrong side for some reason!

 

[BillGabby1]

I didn't think flintlocks were tall.
I thought they were long.
I'm so confuused now.

Haven't you heard the song about "Long Tall Sally?"

 

[BillGabby1]

Darn you Andy now I have to wash my monitor screen again I've got drool all over it!
Gabby

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Andy,very nice collection of rifles you have there but when I compare them to the ones I have,it seems that all of yours have the locks on the wrong side for some reason!

Yeah...Original ( antique) left handed firearms are few and far between...I should get one for my display of originals...but one just hasn't shown up yet...

Darn you Andy now I have to wash my monitor screen again I've got drool all over it!
Gabby

That's why I offer a oily rag when I have a display...
Andy

 

[JimmieD]

Thanks Andy for the pictures of the beautiful weapons and for continuing to pass on knowledge!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Thanks Andy for the pictures of the beautiful weapons and for continuing to pass on knowledge!

You are welcome ...Summer is coming and so is "Rendezvous" season , hopefully I'll see you and many others when out with my display....
Andy

 

[BillGabby1]

Yeah...Original ( antique) left handed firearms are few and far between...I should get one for my display of originals...but one just hasn't shown up yet...



That's why I offer a oily rag when I have a display...
Andy

How about towels?
Gabby

 

[Andy54Hawken]

How about towels?
Gabby

Sure and a bit of chocolate as well...
Andy

 

[partsed]

You are welcome ...Summer is coming and so is "Rendezvous" season , hopefully I'll see you and many others when out with my display....
Andy

You need to post tour dates and locations!!!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

You need to post tour dates and locations!!!

Yeah I do...and will...
Andy

 

[Andy54Hawken]

April 12th and 13th I will be at the Hawken Shop in Oak Harbor with a smallish display of rifles and "Mountain man" gear...maybe even a Bow or two...
Also will be at the Skagit Muzzleloaders Rendezvous May 17th-19th with a larger display...
Andy

 

[slidecreek]

You are welcome slidecreek...
If you haven't seen these pictures before..they are kinda neat if I say so myself.
Andy
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You are welcome slidecreek...
If you haven't seen these pictures before..they are kinda neat if I say so myself.
Andy
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Wow Andy, very, very impressive I thank you for sharing.

 

[Ownerus]

A few years back, when I was still using my OEM knees, I used to shoot my flintlock a fair amount. I learned the real reason they're so long/tall. When you have to get down to pick up something you dropped, it's great to have something to climb up to get vertical again!

 

[BillGabby1]

Sure and a bit of chocolate as well...
Andy

I'll only take the chocolate after it's been melted all over them thar long guns so's I can lick them all clean again. O course you'll have to re oil them your own self !
Gabby

 

[Ura-Ki]

Ok, Andy didn't explain barrel length Whatta happen Brother?
Standard Barrel length was "2/3 Tall as a man" Or some times measured in Hands ( Like 8 hands or there abouts) which meant it was the ideal length to load with out bendin in the middle!
Though many savvy hunters, solders, and frontiersmen may shorten a barrel to a more handy or balanced length, it was generally done so as a field modification! Many a Sea born fightin man would take to sawin off a knot length ( About a foot) to increase his close quarters fighting swing!

 

[Ownerus]

@thorborg and anyone else who is interested...

Octagon barrel have been the style for civilian arms for centuries ...long before caplocks.
It was just a "style thing"...sometimes popular and sometimes not.
Mostly they are seen on civilian arms , because of the work involved and the expense of making a octagon barrel look good.......

I'm gonna add another guess as to why round vs octagon. It's tough to make a nice uniform round cylinder without a lathe as opposed to draw filing flats with a simple file and a lot of patience. Lathe turning on the other hand would make for faster production given the proper equipment.