Aesthetic differences - best-quality British Big Game rifle cap locks?

[Naphtali]

Apparently, best-quality British gun makers of the percussion cap lock era created distinctive locks. I have a grainy black & white photograph of an Alexander Henry bar [action] cap lock Big Game or Express Rifle, circa 1864. And the front cover of Muzzle Blasts, December 2000, shows the lock of a restored John Rigby bar [action] lock on a target rifle of similar era.

While they are nearly identical, they aren't in aesthetic detail. And I am not expert enough to identify differences or why they are different. Until I found the Rigby front cover photograph, it never occurred to me there would be such differences. I had been lusting after a Henry-configured cap lock. But now I know I do not know enough.

I request those "in the know" to describe aesthetic differences among best-quality British bar [action] cap lock Big Game and Express rifles between Whitworth's experiments and the cartridge era changeover.

[Bob Roller]

Naphtali,
See if you can find a 1971 Gun Digest.It will show some of what you are looking for
in English locks.The July 1989 Muzzle Blasts has an article on my locks and also shows
a fine 4 screw lock of English make.A lot of Whitworth rifles had a military syle lock and
they are not the high quality locks found on long range target rifles and high grade hunting
rifles.The rifle locks will have a "fly" in the tumbler and the shotgun locks while being identical
will have no fly and rely on involuntary reflex upon pulling the trigger to clear the half cock.
On rare occasion,I make these fancy locks and have firm orders for two of them now.
There may be an antique lock available somewhere as well. Dick Chubb might have one.You
might do a search and see if you can find him.He lives in Michigan and is prominent in muzzle loading
circles.

Bob Roller

[Gunnermike]

Naphtali,
You might enjoy photos of these fine English Joseph Brazier locks:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/fronteria/4583967905/in/photostream/

Or this Alexander Henry here:  http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17944/lot/329/
I think this is might be the Henry you're talking about.

Or this A. Henry target rifle here:  http://www.battermans.com/firearms-gallery/antique-firearms/antique-longarms/alexander-henry-2-grip-percussion-target-rifle.html

That should give you something to chew on for a while.  That old expression that "they don't make them like they use to" is pretty true, unless you have Bob Roller make one for you! (there are others too, but I'm starting to run on)   Mike

[T*O*F]

http://www.wolverhampton-gunlocks.fslife.co.uk/

[Acer Saccharum]

Jim Westberg has been making a high grade English lock. Search his posts. It's an incredible piece of workmanship.

[westbj2]

The aesthetic variation you note in these locks is mostly cosmetic in terms of shape of the lock plate, hammer style/shape, location of the safety (forward of or behind hammer), and the exact position of the screws mounted on the lockplate.  Variation in the position of these screws indicates an internal variation of the style/shape of the bridal.  The Alex Henry match rifles, for example, most often are seen with Henry's signature "C" scroll hammer.  Many attempts to reproduce this rifle or its lock style omit the Henry style "C" hammer due to its complexity and it being unavailable in the form of a casting.
Internally, in terms of parts geometry all of these locks are nearly identical, most made to design/patterns by Brazier or Stanton.  Occasionally, one sees a substantial variation internally.  Examples of this are a 5 screw bridal by Edge and the 'wrap-a-round' tumbler seen on some Purdeys.
As to the Muzzle Blasts Rigby lock you mention, I built that lock using an original rifle generously loaned to me by the late Lynton McKensie.  I don't know where Jack Haugh got the hammer because I did not make it but it is an accurate representation of the original.  Suspect Jack made the hammer.  It is a long story as to why I quit the project and the parts ended up with Tom Shiffler and Jack Haugh.....but that is for another time.
Jim Westberg

[Bob Roller]

The "C"scroll Henry hammer was made by Don Brown who had a mould made
for it and it may be available from Rod England today. I have one laying on this
table in front of me right now.

Bob Roller

[westbj2]

I did some searching on the web and on my computer files to illustrate  the various high quality locks seen on British work, primarily with an interest in showing cosmetic variation.  All of these can be dated from the late 1850's to the late 1860's.

Typically, these locks are fitted with a safety bolt either fore or aft of the hammer.  Most often the safety bolt engages a mating mortise on the inside of the hammer.  Occasionally, an additional simultaneous mortise locking the tumbler is seen but that is rare on this later work. I am not sure why Mr. Rigby opted to omit the safety bolt on his target rifle locks but they are often seen on his sporting rifles.

There are two basic styles of 4 screw bridals most often seen but these differ visually only in how they were decoratively filed out.  The screw patterns however are unique to each style.  Less complicated 3 screw bridals may have been used on occasion for 'Best Quality' work, but  I have never seen one.

I once had a fully assembled unmounted 4 screw lock of this period from the collection of Ian Crudgington.  The lock was completely functional but unpolished with a safety but had no hammer. The bridal was literally a flat plate having not been yet decoratively filed.  No draft had been filed on the somewhat oversize lock plate.  This is what we would call a gunmaker's lock today, probably built in the Wolverhampton area for the gun trade.  One of these locks would explain an unusual variation of style.

Here are the two most commonly seen bridal patterns.  A Stanton lock first and a Brazier below.

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Here are some photos of various makers locks.

A Charles Ingram Match rifle.

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A Edge Match rifle.

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A Rigby Match rifle.  Note absence of safety.
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An Alex Henry sporting rifle.  The link below allows good resolution and manipulation of the images.

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17944/lot/329/

Lock mortise of an Alex Henry Match rifle illustrates bridal configuration.

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Jim Westberg

[Bob Roller]

OUTSTANDING. A goal to be sought long after mere usefulness and utility is achieved.
 Bob Roller

[Bob Roller]

Jim,
Can you send these to me at <bobroller@frontier.com> I'd like to
print them on photo paper for my collection. That dedicated inletting has
always fascinated me.It would take the patiece of a wooden Indian to to
that along with the skills of a brain surgeon.

Bob Roller

[T*O*F]

Bob,
I notice you ask people to send you pictures often.  Are you using a PC running Windows?  If so, you can move your cursor over a picture and click your right mouse button.  A menu will appear......choose "save picture as"  You can then choose what directory you want to save it in and also rename the file to whatever you want to save it as.