Removing the Lock

[Tony N]

If one shoots 15 to 25 shots, how important is it to remove and clean the lock? I usually remove it and clean the lock everythime that I shoot.
I shoot every weekend, but no more that 25 shots.

~Tony

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I always take the barrel out to clean my rifles, and remove the lock and rinse it under hot running water, much easier and faster than trying to wipe it clean. One shot or a hundred.

[axelp]

I remove the lock everytime. But I notice that its not very dirty inside the lock mechanism... but it is easier to clean the pan and the frizzen area when it is off the stock. I only unpin and remove the barrel maybe once a year--- or if the gun was out in severe weather.

K

[EC121]

If the lock is properly fitted to the barrel, there shouldn't be much under it to clean.  I have used an old toothbrush to give it a scrub.  But as Ken said it is easier to clean the lock off the stock.  As long as you are careful of the inletting it won't hurt.  A spray of G96 along the edges will usually take care of the barrel in the channel.

[George Sutton]

On all my flintlocks I cut a .010 piece of brass shim stock and fit it between the barrel and the lock. Once the lock bolts are tightened, the shim stock acts as a gasket to keep crud from entering the lock mortise I remove the lock twice a year to replace the shim stock and to give the lock a good cleaning and lubrication.

I never remove the barrel unless I have to remove the breech plug.

Centershot

[Tony N]

I agree it's much easier to remorse the lock to clean, I just wondered if it was necessary everytime. I never unpinned and remove the barrel to clean.
Sounds like most are doing the same as I am.

~Tony

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Different strokes....folks!  I always remove the barrel and the lock and clean it to as new condition, every single time it is shot, no matter how many or few the shots.  It is so easy and fast and satisfying.

[ironwolf]

  Same here.  More barrels are probably ruined by short shooting sessions than extended ones.

   K

[jamesthomas]

 I remove and clean the lock after every shooting range trip. I have a .50 cal. that I've had about 10 years and have taken the barrel off maybe 4 times.

[Kermit]

A spray of G96 along the edges will usually take care of the barrel in the channel.

That's what I do. I no longer remove barrels unless it's been exposed to really groaty field conditions.

I do remove the lock every cleaning though--but not the unmentionable few with hammers that strike from below.

[hanshi]

I never remove pinned barrels for cleaning; but I do remove them a time or two a year for inspection.  The lock always comes off for cleaning but the fouling remains confined to the pan, frizzen and cock.  They clean up easily.

[axelp]

unpinning a barrel is a little scary to me... I do it like I mentioned once a year maybe or after a particularly poor weather outing--as in rain or snow. removing the lock is quick and easy. I can think of a few times where I cleaned the gun leaving the lock on, these times were for temporary field cleaning.

K

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I don't understand why some are timid about removing the barrel. If it's a fear of buggering up the stock, try this. When I build a rifle the pins are slightly short, about 1/16" so the pin punch will fit in the pin hole for pushing the pins out. It'll never slip of the pin if the punch is enclosed in the pin hole, and be sure to taper the pin ends slightly.

I have tried to clean the barrel while it is in the stock, and to me the results are never satisfactory. Putting the breech in a pail of water and pumping the cleaning rag up and down the barrel cleans the barrel best. I also never have to worry about shooting residue running down into my barrel cavity.

Works good for me.

[4ster]

For removing pins I use a pin punch.  As Micah, I made the pins a little short so that the pin punch fits in the hole before it contacts the pin and the pins are rounded over on the ends.  The other thing I did as extra insurance was to grind a small concave dimple in the end of the pin punch.  I used the smallest ball shaped Dremel bit I could find to make the divot.  This makes it impossible to slip off the rounded over pin if I am tempted to use the pin punch to reinstall the pins.

I always remove the stock when I clean up after shooting.

[Hungry Horse]

 I don't remove the barrel, except maybe once a year. I wax the bottom of the barrel to provide a moisture barrier and leave it in the stock. I remove the lock every time I shoot. The forearms on most of my guns are so thin that handling them without a barrel in the barrel channel is just too risky. besides the under lugs wear and soon you are looking at a repair. The old guys that got me started shot one day, and cleaned for three days, none of their shooters survived this without damage, and repairs.

                               Hungry Horse

         

[Standing Bear]

Locks are removed after every outing when one is fired.  Sometimes just a high pressure water blasting if to be used again the next day most of the time a complete disassembly and cleaning.  Thats a lot of remove clean and replace over 30+ years.

Hooked breech guns are always cleaned with the barrel removed and breech in a container of water.  Barrels on full stocked guns seldom removed from the stock (not only because of pins but wood screws wallow out too).  For the full stock guns I use a cleaning nipple or touch hole liner with a hose to flush the barrel.

My .40 SMR flinter was built in 1983, sees a lot of use and the barrel has been out of the stock 2X.  I always wax the barrel on reinstallation.
TC

[ehoff]

Count me as another one who always remove the lock after shooting. I just find it easier to clean it that way. As for the barrel I leave it in the stock also. It's like most things too each his own.

[PPatch]

I block the touch hole with a toothpick then fill the barrel with tepid water and let it sit for 10 minutes or so. I then pour the water out and swab the barrel with dry patches until all the gray is gone. Then I run a few WD-40 patches through the bore, then oil the bore. About every third cleaning I remove the barrel (captured keys) and do the pump action deal with the breech end in a pail of water. I always remove the lock and using an old toothbrush run water over it and scrub, then WD-40 it and dry with a towel, grease and oil. There is never much powder residue inside the lock so I must have done something right when inletting it.

I had a bit of a surprise the last time I cleaned the barrel in a tub of water - The residue coming out looked normal and about what I would expect. But when I began running patches I got very black ones, unusual. I redid the pail of water thing, patches still coming out very black, mostly from the rifling groves I noted. I resorted to some Hoppes bore solvent, ran a soaked patch in and out and let it sit for about an hour and a half. I then ran patches until they came out clean. A bore check with a flashlight showed a very bright bore. When this happened I had only shot the rifle once at a Groundhog that had ideas of fresh greens from the garden. One shot with a mink oiled patch and all that gunk that plain water wound't touch apparently. Surprised me.

dp

[bgf]

Once I started removing, cleaning, and oiling, my problems went way down.  There was never anything inside, but flushing off the frizzen pivot, pan, roller, etc., removed stuff better than wiping or brushing.  The other thing I do that is mostly superstition is run fine sandpaper over the frizzen a few times with each cleaning rather than waiting for scarring to become a problem.  Since I started doing this, I get a lot more shots per flint and need to knap less, and both of my locks, a durs egg and a chambers late ketland, seem to be more consistent and less picky about flints.

I always remove barrels and clean in a bucket, except in camp, and sometimes then.

Just my experience, do whatever seems to work for you.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I know you're going to think I'm crazy, if you don't already, but I also take off all my clothes before I bathe!  I know - INSANE!!

[Standing Bear]

 

[Kermit]

Thanks for not posting photos, Taylor.

[Daryl]

I-too always remove the barrel and lock for cleaning - every time except when at Rendezvous- sometimes. At those times, I remove the lock for cleaning, but only plug the vent, then fill with water- flush & patch that out, then again 2 or 3 more times until clean.  I have tried to clean the lock on the rifle and found that was impossible for me to accomplish.

[WadePatton]

Lock yes, bbl no. 

No way I care to risk bending that long tang

again!