(quoted from post at 08:42:47 12/18/13)
(quoted from post at 11:16:34 12/18/13) How you guys do it with flintlocks, I don't know. Must be many more misses than hits! Michigan allows in-lines, and I have 2 a H&R and a TC. Both are fast firing, one uses #11, other 209 primers. Almost like a modern single shot - but reloading time is longer! My H&R actually doubles as a single shot .223 rest of the year.
When I was doing my training for 4-H shooting sports a while back, we had TC sidelocks - they were troublesome on ignition. So I can only imagine what you guys who have to use flintlocks must go through. As far as Muzzle loading season, only been out a couple times. Michigan's season is in December, and weather is often unpleasant enough (brutal) that I don't want to go out and freeze to death! Gotta be a real heavy duty sportsman to appreciate muzzle season here. I enjoy shooting muzzle loaders, but!
Our ancestors managed from about 1650 through 1830 (and beyond) with the fire lock. They fought wars, managed to nearly wipe out all wildlife in certain areas and conquer the red man with the fire lock.
The flintlock is a perfectly capable mechanism. But like anything else you must understand it's function, understand how to maintain it and understand up to properly use it. Quality is also 90% of the battle.
AFAIK T/C, Lyman and the like are a large portion of the reason people are convinced flintlocks are incapable stone age mechanisms. Once you use a quality lock, tuned and setup properly you will be amazed.
On a quality well tuned lock, just like originals, the trigger pull to main charge ignition time should be nearly instantaneous to the shooters perception.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGpa_SkxmvI