First-time builder question

[Sfanbot]

I am inletting the lock on a TOTW "Ohio Rifle" as my first project. The lock-plate seems to fit well. Once the lock mechanism, reattached to the lock-plate, is inserted in the inlet area, the sear immediately releases the hammer, making it impossilble to cock the mechanism, even half-cock. The lock outside the inlet area cocks and releases in the normal way. Please help. Thanks. Steve Faehnle, Abilene, Texas.

[KC]

You've still got some wood in the way inside the lock mortise. There's a tutorial by Mike Brooks on the forum that probably explains this and how to proceed much better than I can. With a little inletting black or candle soot, you should be able to find where the interference is.

http://americanlongrifles.org/PDF/tutorial.pdf

[yip]

 sounds like the hole where the sear passes thru needs more wood relieved

[mikeyfirelock]

As you put the lock into place, the bottom of the hole where the sear goes is pressing up on the arm of the sear. Cut some more clearance out of the bottom of that hole till there’s no contact with the sear.  Inletting black or candle soot or even lipstick in a pinch ( your wife will never know you borrowed it.....yeah, right) applied to the sear arm will show you where it is contacting and needs to be removed. Make sure the lipstick goes back EXACTLY where it came from.

[pjmcdonald]

Steve,
Had the exact same problem a few weeks ago. Spent a few hours fiddling with triggers, disassembled and reassembled lock, and cussed. Jim suggested I soot the whole mechanism really well and drop it back in. Sure enough, a sliver about the thickness of a fingernail was hanging the sear. Quick work to slice out and good to go.

Paul

[Bill Raby]

Maybe this will help some. It is first in a series of 23 videos that I did showing the building of a Track of the Wolf kit. Not the same one that you are doing, but it should be close enough. It goes into pretty good amount of detail inletting the lock. The videos might clear up some things that you will run into later also.

   

[Sfanbot]

Thanks to all for timely and helpful responses. Two hours of carefully removing one molecule of cellulose at a time did the trick. Steve