Monday, July 20, 2009

A couple of years ago I posted a range report on a flintlock pistol

of Highland pattern. Just had a question from a gentleman,
I have one but the lock states Main Scott and Deeks. Grnk Greenock? 1777
I have shot it a great many times and it is the 4th of July in your hands.
Anyone know about the info on the Lock?
The name Greenock sounds familiar, and it's a town in Britain but other than that I don't know, and can't find, anything.

Anybody have any information/ideas?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dunno about that individual pistol, but you used far too much priming powder. Use about 1/3 that much and give it a tiny shake to level it in the pan. The idea is for the flash to drive into the flash hole, igniting the main charge. Too large a prime will act as a train of powder, lenghtening the ignition time. A properly tuned and loaded flintlock is not noticeably slower than a cartridge arm.

One other small note, these things were commonly loaded whith shot, scraps of metal or any other debris that could cause a wound. Imagine getting hit in the face with a load of swan shot at ten or twelve feet!

I have a replica Tower Pistol with a 10" barrel in .69 Cal.(16 Ga) which I carry when muzzleloader hunting for deer. It has made meat of several blue grouse, one on the wing. These old pot-irons are indeed primitive, but deadly none the less.

I don't think I'd even try a single ball in one, at least for the first shot, they're so much more effective with multiple projectiles.

Gerry N.

Kristophr said...

Manufacturer and town, so you probably got that right.

I don't see anything on the internet about that particular set of smiths ... Lock making was usually a specialized trade.