Pete Allen lock arrived

[Tim Ault]

After seeing Bigmons post asking about Pete Allen locks I went and ordered one and it arrived today from the Gun works in Oregon . Fast shipping from them btw 3 days to Pa from when I placed the order . What I ordered was what they call their French/fusil /Trade lock  , it’s 5.625” long and 1 1/16” tall takes 7/8 flints . Haven’t tore it down yet but seems fairly smooth in function and sear trips pretty easily with light thumb pressure . The pan to frizzen fit is good  . About the only negative I can point out is there is some frizzen wobble don’t know if the screw just needs snugged up or what but seems like there’s about zero upwards pressure from the spring in the closed position . But for the price I fully expected more issues and needing some tweaking.

[Daryl]

Both springs appear to be quite robust.

[rich pierce]

Davis used to sell that lock, methinks. I built a Christian Springs gun using that one about 20 years ago. Reliable sparker.

[Craig Wilcox]

Tried getting one of Pete's round-face locks - out of stock right now, no idea when they will be carrying them again.

[Tim Ault]

Both springs appear to be quite robust.

.   The main spring is for sure , the frizzen spring looks to be but cams over fairly easy

[Bob Roller]

My experience with this style of lock is ZERO but it sounds like a bit of upward preload is needed on the frizzen spring.Another thing I would do would be to make the pivot screw so the smooth shank of the screw would be deep into the bolster and no thrust from firing the lock could be transferred to the threads.A stub length would work for this.This lock may have this incorporated and it's easy to add if it does not.
I call it a very simple lock and that's good.
Bob Roller

[Tim Ault]

My experience with this style of lock is ZERO but it sounds like a bit of upward preload is needed on the frizzen spring.Another thing I would do would be to make the pivot screw so the smooth shank of the screw would be deep into the bolster and no thrust from firing the lock could be transferred to the threads.A stub length would work for this.This lock may have this incorporated and it's easy to add if it does not.
Bob Roller

I agree I’ve never had a lock that didn’t have any preload from the frizzen spring . I examined more last night and took some measurements there’s a .006 gap between the spring and the cam lobe on the frizzen . And the wobble is caused by the pivot hole being .005” oversized of the shank of the screw . But the threads were fully into the lock plate and not bearing on the threads as you mentioned  . I’m going to attempt to use some super thin shim stock( .002”)I have at work  and see if I can carefully take up that gap some to tighten things up . The spring although I’ve never done it will attempt to heat and slightly bend open and then temper again . Easier would be to solder a .020” or so shim to it under the cam lobe but I figure it would mess up the temper of the spring ?