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Flintlock Bunnies

by Richard Bishop :: Featured: November, 2003

A flintlock gun adds another level challenge to your rabbit hunting. Not only do flintlocks offer the limitations of a true single shot, you have to learn to make them fire consistently and quickly. These actions have been around for four hundred years and are fairly simple to use but here are some hints to make it easier.

The first thing new flintlock shooters have to get used to, is the delay between the priming charge going off and the main charge igniting and this is called lock time. Even in the best locks there is a noticeable delay between these two events. Take a tip from the pistol shooters by keeping your sights aligned on the target until after the shot has left the barrel.

Flints are those rock things that are held in the jaws of the lock and strike the long metal piece of the lock called a frizzen. This striking of flint and steel throws sparks into the pan that contains the priming charge. The priming charge ignites and throws a jet of flame through the touchhole into the barrel and ignites the main powder charge. This is why you get that Hiss – Boom, effect of the flintlock. Better quality locks provide faster lock times.

Flints must be aligned with the frizzen so the maximum surface area of the sharp edge of the flint strikes the frizzen as this creates the most amount of sparks. More sparks are more likely to ignite the priming charge. Eventually flints will wear out and you can learn to knap them or simply replace them. Always use the largest flint that your lock can handle to give the most amount of sparks. I usually get at least 20 shots per flint and when they get worn I simply replace them. I always start with a new flint at the start of the rabbit season and usually do not have to replace it until the end of the season.

Place your priming charge to the outside of the pan. This promotes a jet of flame directly into the main charge giving a much faster ignition. If the priming charge is right next to the touchhole then it acts as a fuse with the flame having to burn through the priming charge before reaching the main charge. The priming charge is usually a finer grain powder than the main charge.

Rabbits are often hunted in snowy conditions and nothing will stop a flintlock faster than moisture in the lock. Cover the lock with a soft piece of leather called a cow’s knee or carry the gun with the lock tucked under your arm. Some traditional hunters put a dab of bee’s wax above the lock where the barrel meets the stock to prevent water from running down the barrel into the lock. To keep the main charge dry put a strip of tape across the muzzle to prevent water running down the barrel and turning your power into black goo.

Most flintlocks are designed to shoot patched round balls. These projectiles are cheap and all you need to harvest rabbits, You may have to experiment a bit to see what thickness of patch your gun prefers. The usual range for patches is between .010 and .015.

The best calibers for rabbits are the .32’s and the .36’s. They have the power of a .22 magnum and are suitable for any rabbit species up to 75 yards. The .40 calibers will work but components are not as common as most calibers and the .45 will do for both rabbits and larger game. Once you get over .45 caliber you are into the big game guns and they will mangle the average rabbit particularly cottontails and snow shoes if the are hit low in the body. All of these guns are minute of rabbit accurate out to 75 yards.

Trade guns are the ideal flintlock gun for cottontail and snowshoe rabbits especially if you hunt with a dog and may be presented with a running shot. A trade gun is a smoothbore flintlock with a full-length stock and a 35 to 44 inch barrel. These are the guns of the fur trade being manufactured by both the English and the French and supplied to the Aboriginal peoples of North America. Probably the most famous trade guns were those manufactured by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Today they come in 20. 24 and 28 gauge. A good selection of wads is available from most black powder suppliers. Most of these guns are custom made or semi custom and tend to run a little more money than a flintlock rifle. These guns throw a ¾ oz to a 1 1/8 oz shot charge over about 60 to 80 grains of 2F powder. The chokes are non existent but work well enough for the short ranges of rabbits in the bush. Because of the lock time delay remember to follow through and keep the gun swinging. Try a few clay birds to get the idea of the lock time.

Some flintlock hunters keep things very traditional I tend to be somewhere in between. I carry pre-measured loads (powder and patched ball) in plastic speed loaders that I get from black powder suppliers. You can also use empty film containers for handy loaders I load my gun for the first hunt and carry three speed loaders in my pocket and this is all the shots I am likely to get in a single hunt. When I return to my truck I reload the speed loaders.

Crunching through deep snow on snowshoes with a flint gun between your hand adds a touch of tradition to rabbit hunting. You can re-discover some of the old skills and hunt rabbits the way your ancestors did in the 1760’s.