Lehigh type PB release spring.

[Nate McKenzie]

Okay, so I'm getting lazy in my old age. I hate making these things. Does anyone know of a source for ready made release springs- the kind that stick out the back of the butt plate?   Thanks.

[Eric Kettenburg]

Find an old rose head (if you want a bigger button) or flat cut nail and beat the $#@* out of it until it's work hardened.  File to taste.  Done.

[Dennis Glazener]

I once used a 20 penny nail and one other time I used the hinge pin from an interior door hinge. Both worked fine after using the treatment that Eric describes (split the back part with a hack saw blade). No need harden.
Dennis

[Nate McKenzie]

Thanks Eric and Dennis. Yeah, that's how I make them. I broke down and did it today.  I've seen so many original late period pieces where the release springs look so much alike that I wonder if they bought them ready made. I would if they were available.

[Acer Saccharum]

Go to the Lehigh Warehouse. They also have patchboxes, sights, brass castings. While you're in the neighborhood, stop in at the Christians Spring Gunshop and Supply and Ale House.

There may have been call once upon a time for batches of springs to be made. But the market today is so small, it's not worth tooling up for. Nate, I think you're stuck making your own, at least until this flintlock technology becomes popular.

[pathfinder]

Great idea! I went to the "Bedford Wharehouse" last fall and got the stuff for my next gun. Need to get to Tennessee so I can build another Southern gun.

 All kidding aside,I too am getting a little lazy in my "Not so young"age,but once I start to hammer on something,it's good.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Hmmm when putting the wide plank yellow pine flooring in my shop with square cut topnails... I had to buy the minimum  25#  Only used about 8 -10#   so I will test them out...If they work I have a lifetime supply for the ALR..... it maybe one of those for the price of the postage things...

[The other DWS]

Could some one post a pic of one?
  I'm new enough to this that I have never built a rifle with a patchbox, (mostly french type trade guns) and this whole spring and latch business is a puzzle to me.

 The project I am currently working on will use a very simple side hinged PBox as a back-country repair for a lost sliding wood cover and the catch/latch for it has me baffled. 

 Or better yet, do we have a patchbox tutorial on the site somewhere?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=7090.0


This tutorial features one Lehigh rifle after a fellow named Jacob Kuntz.  But the originals that I studied were likely made in Philadelphia, on the Lehigh design, by an Allentown maker.

Other patch box release mechanisms use a spring that exits through the butt plate, with or without a bulbous external knob.  The for'd end of the spring, inside the box, is driven into the stock wood .

[Dave B]

Here is a different twist on a Lehigh release that is interesting.

[Jim Kibler]

No doubt that thing had a red varnish.  Wow.

[Nate McKenzie]

Dave B. That's a really neat release. Is there a name on that rifle?

[C Wallingford]

Is the release button on the top of the buttplate? I am having trouble seeing exactly how that one releases.
That is a neat release idea.

[Acer Saccharum]

No, the release operator tab extends out the back of the buttplate. See the dogleg in the spring? That's part catch and part operator.

[Eric Kettenburg]

Heeeey, I've seen a couple like that before, it is a really nifty and effective way to do things, although honestly I think it's probably the same amount of work as a typical 'Lehigh' spring.  Those that I have seen like this were actually NE Berks, up along the mountain...  this kind of looks like that to me, or maybe the upper townships in NW Lehigh.

[deano]

Hi Dave, not to hijack this thread...but maybe you could share some more pictures of the red varnished rifle with the neat PB release in another post? The couple of pictures scream to see more.

Thanks,

Ken