That thing nobody ever really thought about

[armoredman]

You know that during the emergence of the percussion cap, that many flintlocks were converted to caplock, as this superior ignition system took the world by storm...but what about switching back? What if you run out of caps...what next?
Here's the answer, to the question nobody has asked in almost 200 years...and yes, it IS fun to shoot!

 

[Captain*kirk]

I thought about it. Many times, as I watched the caps dwindle in the tin as I fired my Lyman Trade Rifle.
So, I bought a Great Plains in flint. Problem solved.

 

[armoredman]

Yeah, he doesn't really worry about it much - this is him priming that Hybrid rifle today. Does the cap look odd?

Home made with the Tap a Cap tool, out of soda cans. They worked every time. Powder is also homemade.
All I can say is sometimes someone will tell him something like, "You can't do that", and he'll do it just to be ornery. Sometimes that someone is me.

 

[AlexanderA]

Changing the lock between flint and percussion is also something you can do with the Pedersoli Model 1805 Harpers Ferry pistol.

You start with the percussion version, which is in .54 caliber smoothbore. Then you obtain the flint lock, which is available as a replacement part. (This normally comes with the .58 caliber rifled version.) You also need a threaded vent liner to replace the percussion nipple drum. The locks themselves are completely interchangeable, regarding fit in the gun.

In the picture below, you see the gun set up as flint. (Granted, the shape of the cock is poor.) Underneath it are the percussion parts. (I also substituted a steel ramrod for the wooden one that comes with the gun. That wooden ramrod is extremely fragile. It will break the first time you try to use it.)

 

[SlowFuse]

(I also substituted a steel ramrod for the wooden one that comes with the gun. That wooden ramrod is extremely fragile. It will break the first time you try to use it.)

Did you make this ramrod or cut one down?

 

[Danaidh]

I have a Mule ear lock with cone/nipple fitted to a flintlock rifle so that I may change from flint to percussion and back as I choose. Just swap the flash hole insert with a cone and swap the locks.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I picked up a Belgian Africa trade musket some time ago.
Most of the parts that went into it were from the 1840's and were modified into a smooth-bore flintlock more or less like the French Model 1777, which was the type that was permitted to be sold to the African natives in the Belgian possessions.
These guns were apparently the only legal firearms for the local natives until the mid 1950's.
Mine works pretty well now that I got the frizzen hardened.
I wouldn't consider switching it back to percussion... .

 

[AlexanderA]

Did you make this ramrod or cut one down?

I used a section of 5/16" diam. cleaning rod. These come in the standard cleaning kits commonly sold by Civil War sutlers.

I trimmed the female-threaded end to length. The male-threaded end screws into a brass ramrod tip that I got from Dixie Gun Works. (That threaded end can also be used for cleaning brushes, etc.). Perfect fit.

The problem with the Pedersoli wooden ramrod is that the brass ends are held on only by tiny roll pins. Upon use, these come right out and break the wood besides. In fact that can happen when simply withdrawing the ramrod from its channel, because it's a tight fit.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Decades ago when the Hatfield Rifle Company was still around you could order a gun that was both percussion and flintlock.

When Davy Crockett picked up his gun and went a grin'n towards the settling sun he carried his flintlock. He was aware that caps could be hard to find but a flint wasn't (look for old arrowheads).

 

[VMC]

I built this Leman Rifle from a CVA KY Barrel 45cal and various parts. To be convertible I had to get both versions flint and percussion of the same make lock. Since the CVA has a patent breech, I made a flintlock vent from a metric bolt to replace the regular drum by cutting it to the same length and drilling the flash channel to match the drum. Then installed a stainless vent liner in the bolt. It is easy to change locks and works great. I use anti seize on the threads but don't change out locks a lot to keep from wearing the threads out.

 

[PapaG]

I built a shotgun quite some time back for ml trap shooting. Joe Mellott barrel and TC Basket lock. I used a drum and nipple and made a touch hole liner with the same thread as the drum so I could switch to flint for the flint only matches. Worked pretty well. Wish I could say I was a good flint lock shooter but I wasnt.

 

[Risky buisness]

While knowing that percussion cap guns are mearly a passing fad it was easy to come up with a solution for this. Just say no.........
Im really positive that I'm not running out rocks anytime soon.