L & R Manton

[elk killer]

I am planning a large bore flint pistol, the Manton lock would be a perfect lock,
I haven't used anything L&R makes in over 10 years now, after a not so good
experience with one of their locks

just wondered if their quality has improved ?
Not bashing them, just asking...

[Bob Roller]

I am planning a large bore flint pistol, the Manton lock would be a perfect lock,
I haven't used anything L&R makes in over 10 years now, after a not so good
experience with one of their locks

just wondered if their quality has improved ?
Not bashing them, just asking...

The main springs are no longer cast and Bill Cox told me they finally acted
on my suggestion to use 52-`100 for frizzens. I use the small Manton-Durs Egg-Ashmore
 external parts and make locks with them. The mechanism IS the lock no matter what
plate/cock and frizzen are used.

Bob Roller

[L. Akers]

I use this lock frequently for pistols.  The sizing of the holes in the plate and bridle are sometimes kinda sloppy.  I will turn both axles down a bit and fit sleeve bearings in the plate and bridle.  There is also occasionally too much (for me) play in the tumbler in and out.  I carefully file the bridle to eliminate this play.  I do this for all locks not just L&R.  The Manton lock is fast and sparks like a champ.

[Dave Patterson]

...The sizing of the holes in the plate and bridle are sometimes kinda sloppy...

There is also occasionally too much (for me) play in the tumbler in and out...

I've recently used RPL series locks in place of the original coil-spring locks in a couple of my rifles:  a Lyman GPR and a Dixie TMR.

While the L&Rs are, in both cases, a definite improvement over the originals, I do however see several major differences in internal design (see the quote, along with the comments on axle fit, bearings, etc), fit & finish, and overall performance, when compared with the Chambers and Davis locks I've used on other projects.

The L&Rs I've got will do, for the purposes of the rifles I'm using them on (read:  near-drop-in fit in an existing mortise); but they're not... well, they're surely not Roller locks.