Waterproofing the pan...

[Stormrider51]

Having been mostly trapped inside by rain for three days now, I'm getting cabin fever.  Watching the rain fall I think back to the hunts where my flintlock fired  and times when it didn't.  I've tried any number of things to combat the problem.  As there's a lot of experience on this forum I thought I'd tap into it and ask "What works best for you when it comes to flinters in the rain?

Storm

[alsask]

I use chapstick, I just smear some on the bottom of the frizzen where it would seal on the pan with my little finger before closing.  It's kind of messy but it has always fired.  Usually it is snow I have to deal with not very often does it rain during hunting season here.

[smylee grouch]

 I use a mix of deer tallow and bees wax melted together to the consistency of peanut butter. Put bead of the stuff around pan and on frizzen above flash hole and on pan to barrel area. This has always worked for me. Good luck.   Smylee

[Dphariss]

Snow sealed full length leath cover.


In stalking though here




last month, above freezing with lots of snow on the trees.
I abandoned the case since the ranges were close and the deer were White tails. By covering the lock area with my hand and being careful I was able to shoot two WTs, all the tags I had. Then while field dressing I carelessly got the lock area wet, first time ever.  
Do-do occurs.

Dan

[Daryl]

Well Dan - I can see why a full length gun case would be a very good idea.  That open-at-the-back cover is a good one, too, RB.

[Stormrider51]

I've never tried keeping the entire rifle in a sleeve or cover.  How do you extract the rifle without the deer seeing the motion?  I've used a waterproof leather cover over just the lock itself in the past.  I've also used some lube smeared around the edge of the pan.  I even tried blocking the vent with a feather and priming only when I was about to shoot.  It was hard to remove the feather and prime without getting busted by the deer though.

We don't get snow around here.  What we do get is chilly mist that gets into everything.  I think snow would be better because the humidity would be low.  And yes it sometimes rains harder than a mist but when it does the deer are likely be to bedded down in the cedars and I'm apt to be at home!   

Storm

[Dphariss]

I've never tried keeping the entire rifle in a sleeve or cover.  How do you extract the rifle without the deer seeing the motion?  I've used a waterproof leather cover over just the lock itself in the past.  I've also used some lube smeared around the edge of the pan.  I even tried blocking the vent with a feather and priming only when I was about to shoot.  It was hard to remove the feather and prime without getting busted by the deer though.

We don't get snow around here.  What we do get is chilly mist that gets into everything.  I think snow would be better because the humidity would be low.  And yes it sometimes rains harder than a mist but when it does the deer are likely be to bedded down in the cedars and I'm apt to be at home!   

Storm

They come off fairly easy if fairly stiff, leather does not snag. Hard, tight weave wool works well too. Looser weaves will snag on sights.
I walked to within 20 yards of a cow elk in the timber about 3 years ago and pealed the cover off the English Sporting rifle and had plenty of time to shoot, if she had been wearing antlers.  The longer cover I used on the longer barreled guns seems to be a little "stickier".
How fast the gun is brought into action is irrelevant if its too wet to fire.
I don't worry about humidity.  When there is wet snow hanging in the trees the humidity will  be 80+ but again in a CLEAN gun GOOD powder will not fail just due to humidity.
FOULING will cause failure if the humidity is high.
There is a full length fringed leather cover that is associated with RCA #48. It is pictured in "Moravian Gunmaking of the American Revolution".
Dan

[Dphariss]

On my rain covers, they're only stitched back a very few inches from the muzzle...if I'm sitting on a deer stand and see a deer coming I want to shoot, I just slide the rifle back 3-4 inches and the end slides off to the side...meanwhile, underneath the covering I set the trigger and slip off the hammer staff...then at the appointed time, I just raise the rifle up to my shoulder and the material just lays there across my lap.

For me its a comforting feeling to see raindrops dribbling onto the rain cover and running off, knowing the rifle is dry underneath...I keep it folded inside the large rear game pocket of my hunting vest (that I use as an equipment vest)

There is a massive difference in setting in stand or blind and out walking in the snow or rain or even snow covered pine trees, falling down perhaps etc etc. The wind can turn a clear day into a heavy snow storm and it usually does.
If its well below freezing snow is not a horrid treat once the gun is cold. Warm gun and snow is as bad as anything except pouring rain maybe. If snow or water gets in the muzzle and runs water back down the bore it WILL get around the patch in most if not all cases to some greater or lessor extent.
I can lean the gun in its cover against a tree and the wind can blow any amount of snow down on it an it will be dry.
The full cover also prevents snow buildup on the barrel or in/on the sights making an aimed shot impossible until cleared.
There are many reasons I use a  full length or near full length cover.

The Indian Trade rifles imported by the English in the 1780s came with a "case".

Go to the Mountains for 20-30 days, live in a wall tent with no fire (the clients burn wood at an alarming rate and its cut with a cross cut saw, by you and another guide before the season). Rain, snow, sunshine, horseback or foot, I use a full length cover. It works. Anything else is just a leaky bandaid.
Unfortunately, so far as I know, for the Colonial Period there is little of no documentation for guncovers  aside from the cover with RCA 48 and the mention of "cases" with the trade rifles.

Dan

[Stormrider51]

My intent was to hear others ideas and techniques about dealing with the age-old problem of getting a flinter to work in wet conditions.  I'm sure we have members on the forum who are new enough to muzzleloading that they need this info.  Others may be put off from trying a flinter because of reliability concerns.  The responses have all been good useful information. 

Here in central Texas we have few days below freezing.  In fact, we can probably count the hours as easily as the days.  Temps this morning were supposed to hit 32 degrees but by 8am it was in the 40's.  Snow is extremely rare and when we do get some it doesn't last long.  So what we deal with here is rain to one degree or another.  I like the cover idea.  I'd just never thought of it.  I'll be making one and trying it.  Something I do that might be useful to someone is that I coat the flats of the barrel with beeswax a couple of times a year pauing special attention to the lower flats.  I also heat some wax and coat the barrel channel in the stock.  I've been in the muzzleloading game for quite a few years and carried my rifles into the wet when I had to.  Ive never had a problem with the barrel rusting or the stock being damaged by water in those out of sight places.

Storm   

[Dave Faletti]

Dan.  How thick is the leather you used on your case?

[alyce-james]

Second attempt to send pictures. This is the method I waterproof my flintlocks during hunting in inclement weather. Homemade syringe style application. Lost some of the brass color since the 1980's. Home made formula of bee's wax and ?? forgot. Haven't seen rain or bad weather in the last (6) six years here in south Texas. No need to remember the sealant formula for sealing.   Thanks for viewing. Jim & Alyce.

[im

[blunderbuss]

I just use a cow's knee, greased punched out leather around the lock . tie the cow's knee with a thong to your coat so when you walk it stays over the lock area  .If you spot a deer simply move the rifle down to clear the knee and your clear to shoot. I've used grease but it gets messy when you need to replace the priming powder. Also there is a product called "Dry Powder " which can be mixed with the priming powder and absorbs the moisture.

[firelock-inc]

I have been hunting with a flint lock for 35 years.
I have have hunted waterfowl and big game.  Keeping
the gun and pan dry is always the problem.  I hunt
with barrel loaded and the pan unprimed.  I always
carry the gun in slip on case that will slide off when
muzzle is down.  My priming horn has vent pick in the plug.
When ready to shoot, the cover slides off, the touch hole
is cleared and pan is primes.  This works for Ducks, Geese
and White Tail Deer.
This works for me and it could work for anyone else.
Rick Pasche

[Dphariss]

I can lean the gun in its cover against a tree and the wind can blow any amount of snow down on it an it will be dry.
The full cover also prevents snow buildup on the barrel or in/on the sights making an aimed shot impossible until cleared.

With all the respect due to you, there was no mention of deep snow, living in tents, cutting firewood, etc...this is the original poster's question:

".....What works best for you when it comes to flinters in the rain?....."

I shared a proven workable solution that I've personally used to successfully deer hunt in the rain.

Heh! Heh!
I answered that question. A Sno-sealed leather cover.
If you think think it won't work in the rain?
Thats your problem.
Try leaning your rifle against a tree in the rain or laying it in snow (darn there is that word again) or in the rain while field dressing an animal WITHOUT gun cover. Someplaces there are no handy trees to prop a gun against.
I never said your idea would not work. The question was asked, I stated that a snow sealed leather cover was best. This is not even debatable and this is not a guess.

I seldom set down for any length of time like more than 2-3 minutes , so having the rifle laid across my lap with a piece of cloth or whatever over it is simply a waste of time. Its not worth the trouble of making it much less packing it around.
I don't hunt in the rain much. Couple of reasons. For one many places I hunt north of town when it rains the earth will build up on your feet (or on the wheels of your vehicle we actually have roads that are not graveled much less paved) to a surprising degree. The other is that if I kill something its a PITA to get it out to the road. Even a little snow (darn! that word) that melts during the day can be a real bit@h. Even worse before I bought  deer cart.
I don't like getting my guns wet. Both the FLs I hunt with are worth several thousand each. Another reason for the leather cover treated with sno-seal. If a strap is sewn on it will slinging the rifle and case.
Dan