Hawken headache

[Roger B]

So I'm building a Hawken with a Roller percussion lock when I run into a lock plate problem.  In order to get the right stock architecture, I have to file down the rear of the lock bolster in order to get the appropriate flare at the front of the lock.  The bad news is; I don't have enough bolster to file width wise.  The main spring is sitting right under the rear edge of the bolster with no room to spare at all for filing.  So, what I have to do is add some width to the bolster & then taper it towards the back, but how to add the width?  If I solder on some stock, it will come apart during case coloring.  I could weld on some width if I only had a welder & knew how to use it.  I'm also afraid that if I take it someone to have it built up, they might ruin the lock plate & Bob has no time to make me a new one.  I suppose I could solder it, shape it, & resolder it after case hardening.  I also thought about putting the stock on with some small machine screws & then filing it down, peening the screws down afterwards.  Last, but not least, I could solder a little stock to the barrel where the bolster contacts it.  What do you guys think?
Roger B.

[KLMoors]

Hey, you're doing better than I did with my Roller/Hawken adventures! I had to make a new lock plate because the pre-inlet stock had an inlet that was pointing at the moon, and to get the lock to sit anywhere near correctly, I had to change the shape of the front of the plate.

Anyways, I also ran into this issue you are discussing and I just took a little off of the main spring. It only took a little bit and it didn't seem to have any effect on the function of the lock. (crossing fingers)

[rich pierce]

You can take some off the upper arm of a mainspring and be OK most of the time.

[Acer Saccharum]

I have seen that top leaf beveled down where it snugs against the barrel.  I have also seen a pocket dug out of the barrel to fit the mainspring! 

You could make a shim plate that attaches with screws, that would be a neat fix. I wouldn't try to caseharden the lockplate with the shim plate in place, only because a thin plate attached to a heavier piece will surely curl up in the quench.

[flehto]

Could you completely remove the bolster and replace it w/ a thicker, screwed on bolster?  Don't know the lock construction, so it's just a shot in the dark....Fred

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Roger, how about using a hammer with a longer throw.  Mine is a Roller, and uses a hammer from Davis that has a 1 3/4" throw instead of the 1 5/8" that Roller used.  I have no spring issues with my rifle.  Unless you've already inlet the lock!?

[Swampwalker]

Roger, when I did mine, I removed material from the barrel breech, not the lockplate bolster.  Removing it from the lockplate never even occurred to me.  You don't need a lot of taper to achieve the architecture you're after.

[Roger B]

I appreciate the ideas, guys.  Taylor, the problem isn't the spring itself,  If I file any of the bolster away at all, the top leaf of the spring will have nothing to seat against.  I like the thought of filing some of the breech down.  I'll go over tonight & see if I can destroy the entire thing.  The lock is not inlet yet, I was just fitting it up to the breech plug.
Roger B. 

[KLMoors]

Hmmm, it must be built differently than the Roller lock I'm using on my Hawken squirrel rifle. My spring has a tiny tab that fits in a slot where the bolster abuts the plate.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Mine too.  Vertically, there's about 1/4" between the tab on the upper leaf and the top of the bolster.  This moves the main spring down to clear the angled flat of the barrel.

[Roger B]

When I talked to Bob about having a different plate made, he told me he had about 5 different lock plates.  He described the plate that you guys have & also mine.  You lucky dogs.
Roger