lock,fly safety question,thoughts

[Joe S.]

Far from an expert and don't want to build a better mouse trap but......Just pondering things looking at this lock.I'm looking at how half cock,full cock and travel thru the sear arm and engaging the fly.Do any of you worry about a little dirt,ect causing a problem there.Keeping things well oiled,clean but if the fly was wider it would engage more of the sear,thoughts?thinking to much?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I've been shooting a long time, mostly with guns I've built myself Joe.  I use the usual fare of commercial locks and non of them have issues involving the fly/detent.  Rest easy.

[Turtle]

 I fixed 2 guns that had wood chips in the lock mechanism-not my builds. I have learned to remove any loose, sharp wood edges and always seal the lock mortise with permyln so no chips get loose.

[PPatch]

A bit of overthinking, yes. When you assemble the gun after having the lock off be sure there is nothing foreign in there. You'll be fine.

dave

[jerrywh]

 I always said nobody appreciates the price of a flintlock until they build one from scratch.

[smart dog]

Hi Joe,
A wider fly would also mean a thinner tumbler at the full and half cock notches.  Therefore, there is less area or width notch to engage the sear putting more pressure on the notches and on the nose of the sear. 

dave

[Pukka Bundook]

What Smart Dog says, Joe.

R.

[Joe S.]

Thanks,Never really thought about stuff like this till building one of these things.Seeing one apart,putting all the work into it to function gives you a different perspective.

[Daryl]

Forsyth wrote of flies being a problem in the Jungle and that they were not needed.
I would agree they are not needed, except perhaps on rifle locks having set triggers as well.