Which also led to the expression "A flash in the pan." When a flintlock was loaded (drop powder and a ball, preferably wadded, down the muzzle and ram it home; put the flint cock to half-cock, pull the frizzen all the way forward, load the pan with powder, lower the frizzen to cover the pan and powder) and the powder in the pan flashed but did not set off the main charge in the gun, you had a "flash in the pan" -- all smoke and fire, signifying nothing (like some politicians).

This was quite annoying, whether at a target shoot or hunting or trying to save your life.