Tennessee Rifle

[Crow Juice]

Well I have had the parts to build a TN gun for at least 20 years and I am going to get going here in the next few months. What I have is a pre-carved and inleted stock set up for a percussion Siler lock which is I believe a small one. Would it be possible to convert this stock to a flint lock and to a more correct lock.  Anylock suggestions would be welcome and it there a place that might trade for the one I have.

[cmac]

Pictures? Correct lock and a very good flintlock would be a late ketland. The silers where used with some kits but normally the large siler. You can use Track of the Wolf to find something that will fit the mortice as they give full scale pictures. A lot of knowledge to be had on here to help you along with the build

[flinchrocket]

This same question came up a few weeks ago. I don't recall a definite answer on whether a Chambers late ketland lock will fit or not.

[Daveco]

  I was involved in at least one of the recent conversations about replacing the small Siler flint with a more appropriate English type on a pre-inlet stock. Dennis Glazener suggested looking at a Late Ketland from Chambers, and it turned out to be a pretty close fit as far as covering up the original mortice. I'm done with the re-inlet on my stock and ended up gluing in some more maple at the lower tail of the lock as filler at the side of the plate, and also gluing in some maple strips to move the lock plate out about 1/16" to keep it's face parallel with the plane of the lock panel after the bolster made contact with the barrel. I did that instead of filing the bolster because I was worried about clearance in the mortice for the Ketland's wider mainspring. I still have a very slight gap between the plate and the inlet on about 1/2 of the arc of the bottom of the plate- between it and the bottom of the original inlet. After I get closer to the final stock sanding and finish, I'll decide what -if anything- to do about that....
  If that was a good and proper solution to the problem, I don't know.... but it seemed like a good idea at the time!! I'm really shooting for when someone knowledgeable sees it, they'll just think " Hmmm that lock has been replaced" instead of "What in the #$** happened to that thing???" 

 (Oh yeah- my stock is a fairly recent one from the Log Cabin Shop.)


 

[WadePatton]

Thank goodness word is finally getting out that Germanic locks are not normal fare on Tennessee rifles. 

Three Cheers for that!

I'd fit the bbl and then fill the lock mortise fully-hog it out and let in a full piece of wood.  Then let in a proper English-style lock and carry on from there. 

[Daveco]

"I'd fit the bbl and then fill the lock mortise fully-hog it out and let in a full piece of wood.  Then let in a proper English-style lock and carry on from there."

That's sounds like a lot better solution than mine!

[flinchrocket]

Daveco, if your gaps aren't that bad you could antique the whole thing. Stain the inside edge of the lock
mortise and lock panels pretty dark so the new wood doesn't show. In the tutorial section of the forum
Mike Brooks was generous enough to include some tips on antiquing in his gun building tutorial. No
matter how many guns you make you will learn something on each one, so have at it!!!!!

[Daveco]

Flinchrocket-
 The gaps pretty much look like a slight shadow so that sounds like the ticket! The stock is a low grade without much figure and I am planning on going with a dark finish anyway.....  I will look up the Mike Brooks tutorial in the morning!  Thanks!