Rockwall Gun Club Presents Famous Guns in History: Flintlock Rifle

Firearms have been a solid part of America, long before it became a Nation.  They secured our Freedom as Americans and even assisted in expanding our new Country.  One of those guns that helped change the course of our great history was a .62 -caliber flintlock musket.
It was nearly 60-inches long with a 44-inch barrel.  On April 19^th 1775, Captain John Parker, along with 77 other militiamen with their muskets, formed on Lexington Green in anticipation of a very large British force of regulars approaching them on their way to Concord.  The British wanted to seize and destroy all artillery, ammunition, small arms and provisions from the rebels.  The British Red Coats were coming for the guns.  Capt. Parker and his rebel force held their muskets at the ready.  Parker told his men: “Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war, let it begin here”.  Soon after, the Battle of Lexington began.  We all know the rest of the story.  Captain Parker's flintlock rifle was said to be the one that produced the “Shot that was heard around the World”.

That rifle now hangs in the Massachusetts State House and due to the state's draconian gun laws, a government employee decided to have a trigger lock installed. Somehow or someone had this lock removed and it was never reinstalled.  Thank goodness.  You probably will not see a Flintlock musket rifle target practice at the Rockwall Gun Club located at 15950 Texas 205 in Terrell, Texas and more likely see this musket hanging up in a member's den or above the fireplace.

Sadly, there is such a lack of information about how to shoot Flintlocks and the process of making it go “bang”. You must place this rock in the cock and hope it sparks and those sparks hit the powder in the priming pan, then expecting the main-charge in the barrel to ignite. Hoping it was not just a “Flash in the Pan”.

Imagine our Revolutionary Soldiers saying a silent prayer as they faced professional troops of the King of England.  Fortunately, they knew how to do it quickly and reloaded within 20 seconds, just like Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.  There are a lot of myths out there about the flintlock, such as they were slow to fire.  The Flintlock is actually faster to fire than the percussion rifle since it has to strike the cap between the hammer and the nipple to cause ignition.  Thus, the Flintlock rifle fires sooner and was designed to start a fire that quickly ignited all the powder to create the gases needed to expel the projectile.

Wouldn't it be great to show up at the Rockwall Gun Club with a Flintlock to practice shooting?  Talk about getting attention!  Remember this is the gun that saved our young Nation and helped make us free.  When you and yours are celebrating the 4^th of July, make a toast to Captain Parker and the Flintlock Musket Rifle.  Stay tuned for other stories about the guns that made America strong and free.