Loose frizzen screw

[conquerordie]

Hello all,
After say 10 shots, I notice my frizzen pivot screw is loosening. The frizzen doesn't seem to be binding on it, seems to work properly with no issues. Lock is sparking fine. It's a Davis Jaeger lock. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help,
Greg

[Hungry Horse]

 A guess would be, the lock you describe is a big robust lock, with a big frizzen, that pivots on an unsupported frizzen screw. The screw has probably wallowed the threads out in the lock plate allowing it to loosen when used. You might be able to stake it around the threads on the inside of the lock while the frizzen screw is in place, and tighten it up a bit.

Hungry Horse

[conquerordie]

True it is unbridled. I was thinking about stoning the surface of the frizzen that comes into contact with the screw head. I only noticed because ice been doing a lot of dry firing lately.

[T*O*F]

I was thinking about stoning the surface of the frizzen that comes into contact with the screw head.

The screw should tighten up using all its threads.  Remove the frizzen and reinstall/tighten the screw.  Then see if the frizzen will fit between the screw head and the lock plate.  If not, then stone the frizzen.  If so, then put a drop of Loctite on the screw and reassemble.

[P.W.Berkuta]

You can also take some metal off the screw head so that the screw shank will be a bit longer - if that don't work try some locktite.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

That screw must be bottomed hard, and the frizzen still able to rotate around it.  If not remove metal from the frizzen or the inside of the screw's head until the frizzen is free.  Tighten the screw down hard.

[conquerordie]

Thanks all. I'll get on it tomorrow and let ya know how it works.
Greg

[Hungry Horse]

 I would not use lock-tite because it has a propensity for getting where it can do the most harm, and is hard to reverse without using extreme heat, which will damage the finish on your lock.

  Oh, and stop the dry firing, that might be great on you Glocklock, but on your flintlock, not so much.



   Hungry Horse

[conquerordie]

Stoned the frizzen a slight amount. Hasn't loosened yet. I dry fire anything from my carry pistols to modern rifles. With a wood flint, I practice sighting and trigger control. I'll never stop dry fire practice. Never heard of anyone with an issue with dry fire practice. May I ask why, out of curiosity?

[smylee grouch]

If you do dry fire, I would use a wooden flint. If you use loc-tite, use just a tiny bit of the blue stuff and let it set up in a position so it wont run before it sets up. A small smear of super moly lube on the screw shank might help some too.

[Daryl]

I dry-fire my flintlocks some - if the frizzen needs re-grinding, I have a bench grinder for that. If I need a new frizzen - or the frizzen re-hardened and tempered, I know a guy who can replace it - for a decent price. 

[Hungry Horse]

 Dry firing is great in the dead of winter when the day are only a few hours long. But long sessions of dry firing year round don't replace real range time. Bad habits, and motor memories that are unsafe can be perpetuated by mindlessly snapping an empty gun. JMO.

  Hungry Horse

[conquerordie]

I agree 100% that dry firing doesn't replace range time, and if done incorrectly, can lead to problems. That being said, because I can't get range time as much as I want, I use dry firing to make up for it. My practice time is very detailed, not mindless. I don't do it on front of a tv, I do it in the basement , when no one is around and I can focus on the task at hand.