Most of you may have already read this excellent article >>>

[1911tex]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/flintlocks.htm

Sorry, I am just trying to catch up with the best of you !

[Dogshirt]

Actually, I don't know of anyone who considers this guy to be very credible.

[Paul Griffith]

I like the part about flinters being faster than cap guns. 

Paul

[1911tex]

Interesting, I thought this guy was some kind of guru.......learn and relearn...thanks fellas.

[LH]

" the main charge in a flintlock will be burning before the hammer on the percussion gun strikes the percussion cap."

That don't match up exactly with my experiences.  If you think your flintlock is shooting fast,  throw a bottle up and shoot at it in the air.  Then try the same thing with a caplock.   

[roundball]

I learned first hand to discount any/all articles from the particular author of that (and other) articles.
As soon as I see the name, I don't waste my time reading it and just move on.
Others mileage may vary.

[alyce-james]

Boy, reading that article so early in the morning "hurts". AJ

[david50]

just FYI,this guy passed away in October of last year.

[t.caster]

Under "SECRETS", I think he says not to ram your ball down on the powder....LEAVE AN OXYGEN GAP!
HOOOOEEEE! That ended my reading. 

[rich pierce]

He was a good fella always willing to give advice.  He wanted to be helpful but stuck to his notions which were "his own".

[necchi]

Squire Paul Vallandigham had proven his experience time and time again, things that worked for him he shared.
He's done more to help muzzle loading and shooting sports in general in person than a lot of folks combined.
He shared freely of his time and experience with anyone willing to except.

When you read the things from this now deceased Gentleman, read it like old school,, don't try to apply 21st century technology to PaulV.

Some people in this thread had him on an ignore list for years, he had a few choice words about people like that too,,,

The link is from Chuck Haws,, it may well have been edited, and perhaps by some people that also share Chuck Haws web site

[Larry Pletcher]

Paul posted this article on another forum in 2008.  His comments about flint ignition were based on human observation rather than an scientific measurement.  He and I had civil but spirited debates on and off the forum regarding this topic.  Previous lock timing and the slow motion videos taken of 80+ flintlocks in 2007 and 2009 at Friendship were the basis of my argument than his assumptions were incorrect.

After years of timing locks, I believe that human senses are terrible tools for evaluating flintlock performance.  Paul was at a disadvantage, basing his theories on human senses.  I do believe that Paul was very knowledgeable in many areas and always tried to help new shooters.  One trait that I admired was that in all our communication, Paul was able to offer an opposite viewpoint and remain civil in his argument.  Maintaining respect for those offering an opposing view isn't widely seen in the age of forum communication. I admired Paul for this.

Regards,
Pletch

[Micah2]

I read the article first.  I really enjoyed it.  Then I read some replies.  I prefer the article.

[Dogshirt]

I started to read the article over a year ago, but since I have no use for flintlocks I just passed on it.
Several times since then I have seen discussions about it. Most of these were less than kind to the fellow
that wrote it. I did not know him and as such tried to be civil in my post. As I said, I have no use for flintlocks,
so have no thoughts one way or the other about what he wrote.

[alsask]

Actually I liked Paul, sorry to see he has passed away.