Protecting Flintlock Firearms Outdoors Overnight

I don't know what the old boys did, and I've found little primary documentation that touched on that subject, but I've had the same question. If they left their gun primed, would it be dependable hours later? How did they manage to have the gun quickly available?

When I first began 're-enacting' and trekking overnight, I wondered what would happen if a man's home or camp were raided at dawn. I ran a little experiment to see just how dependable a flintlock rifle is under some tough conditions. At that time I had made an oilcloth ground cloth. When I turned in my routine was that I would spread it on the ground, lay my folded blanket on half of it, crawl in the blanked and fold the other half of the oilcloth over everything. I laid my fully loaded flintlock along beside me, inside the oilcloth but outside the blanket, muzzle to the foot, lock either up or down, primed and on half cock. It spent the night in my bedroll with me, high humidity for sure.

When I awoke in the morning, first thing I did was throw back the covers, sit up, pick up the gun, cock and fire it. I did that at least a half-dozen times in various weather conditions, hot and chilly, dry and raining, never had the gun fail to fire or even seem to have slowed ignition. I made no effort to make sure the prime was in any particular place in the pan, it obviously didn't matter.

I never had any issues with rust or other problems with the exterior of the gun. 

So, I gained considerable confidence in my flintlock and a serious appreciation of an ancient technology. I would guess that the old boys did many different things to make certain a gun was quickly ready in the eventuality of trouble, don't know if they went so far as to sleep with it, but the gun could handle it.

Here's the only documentation I've collected which might be helpful. It is told by a Hidatsa Indian about experiences in mid-19th century while he and five companions were on a journey in the Yellowstone country. It's from _Hidatsa Eagle Trapping_ by Gilbert Livingston Wilson. They were using caplocks.

"The First Camp.
In a small open place in the timber near by, we found a growth of heavy grass.We camped here for the night, sleeping on the heavy grass but not attempting to make beds. We slept in a row, with our heads all lying in the same direction. Each slept with his gun under his head, with a bit of his blanket drawn over the gun to serve for a pillow. I had two blankets; I folded one of these lengthwise and spread it on the grass with one end drawn up over the gun, thus serving me for a pillow. I lay down in the other blanket, folding it once over me. I drew this second blanket up around my neck, but not over my head, for I wanted my ears to be uncovered in case an enemy came in the dark. My gun lay with the barrel pointed to the left as I lay on my back. If I were aroused in the night, I could seize the barrel of the gun as I sprang up. I slept with my clothes on.

"We lay in a row, but about a yard apart. We were careful not to lie too close together, for if we were awakened in the night by enemies, someone might seize his friend's gun and cause confusion."

Spence

Mine goes in the blanket with me - loaded, primed and ready to go. In fair weather, it might be leaned against a tree at the head of my bed, as I set up this way purposely. My horn and bag are usually in the blankets as well with my knife next to my pack which is used as a pillow.

I use SC Johnson Fine Wood Paste Wax in liberal quantities in my barrel channel & behind my lock.

I wonder how that compares to beeswax? I have both in the cabinet. I was exposed to SC Johnson wax in past re-enactments. Another shooter used it so I picked it up.

I’m soaking hickory ramrods in a boiled linseed oil mix right now for my new rifle build. I never thought about running into my stock & lock channels. I suppose I’d have to reapply the linseed oil over time as I do the wax? I wonder which lasts longer.

Keith, when you have stayed out overnight how have you physically stored your rifle or musket over the years?

If you are going to be out and about in the rain with your flintlock, there's one trick I always use, and it works. I put a bead of my paste lube, beeswax+lard, in the groove between barrel and stock for about a foot from the lock toward the muzzle. Water can run like a river down that groove and under your cow's knee, even if snugged down, and straight into your pan. Don't ask how I know.

Spence