Author Topic: Back action lock (Read 11876 times)

pathfinder · « **on:** November 13, 2010, 04:24:17 PM »

I've had a hankerin' to build a long barrel,half stock,back action lock Ohio gun for a long time.Having not ever held one before,only pictures,is there a book or video that can help?

Dave B · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2010, 05:42:44 PM »

I had the opportunity to pick up this piece a while back and really like the looks of it. It is not Ohio but is close having been made in east central Indiana by W Everson. I have never seen the books on the Gunsmiths of Ohio but I imagine there are some good photos in them of this style of rifle. The barrel on this rifle is like 43" long and 1" across the flats , being of only 43 caliber it is quite heavy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/DaveB44/DSCN4604.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/DaveB44/DSCN4608-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/DaveB44/DSCN4606.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/DaveB44/DSCN4611-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/DaveB44/DSCN4610-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/DaveB44/DSCN4613-1.jpg

pathfinder · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2010, 06:17:52 PM »

Thanks. getting ispired to build this one.It'll be a .32with a standard G/M 42" barrel and half stock.Will post pic's as Igo along. 2 other guns to finish first.

caliber45 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 14, 2010, 03:52:25 AM »

Pathfinder -- Unsolicited comment: I built one rifle with back-action lock. Won't build another. I think the reason you don't see more back-action lock rifles is that you have to "hog out" wa-a-ay too much of the wrist to make room for the lock. Mine hasn't broken (yet), but I always worry that it might . . . paulallen tucson az

Curt J · « **Reply #4 on:** November 14, 2010, 07:12:35 AM »

On the other hand, there are a great number of original rifles with back-action locks, that have survived without ever being broken. These include some heavy barreled Plains-rifles in large calibers. I own a few. The one thing I would recommend, is to inlet the internal parts of the lock individually, and not hog-out the whole area.

Pete G. · « **Reply #5 on:** November 14, 2010, 05:14:28 PM »

I built a full stock to sort of replicate a piece that had been in the family for a while. Pay particular attention to the area forward of the lock, where the lock panels would be on a front action lock. This area is actually an extension of the fore end and must be slimmed accordingly. It is easy to leave a little too much wood in this area and then spend hours trying to figure out why it doesn't look quite right.

Z. Buck · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2010, 12:14:25 AM »

Granted a different beast, but many double rifles (cartridge) use back action locks and they take a $#*! of a beating in some of the heavier chamberings especially, i think a good clean inlet on a back action is plenty strong enough, assuming that it is fit to the lock and not hogged. just my thoughts on the subject, wouldn't worry about the strength in a 32 especially

smokinbuck · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2010, 12:52:00 AM »

Pathfinder,
If it's a book you want to use for a sample Ohio back action we have a whole set. Ohio Gunsmiths and Allied tradesmen is a 5 volume set that covers gunsmiths from all the counties in Ohio and pictures a lot of their work. If you have a particular gunbuilder in mind we could send 1 book that covers his work. I have a number of original Ohio back actions that I can photograph for you also.
Mark

T*O*F · « **Reply #8 on:** November 15, 2010, 10:16:15 PM »

Gaeckle · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2010, 05:50:14 PM »

Lot of old antiques out there with back action locks on them. I've built two with a back action lock and have plans for two more to be built. One is going to have all old original parts (barrel, lock, triggers, guard, butplate) the other will have new parts.

I also own an old original Ohio rifle made in Columbus, Ohio by Charles Siebert that has a backaction lock. Picking up a Eward Andrews (Cleveland, Ohio) pretty soon that needs some attention....hopefully I can get her to shoot.

Have fun with your building project!

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2010, 02:48:51 AM »

One eyed fat guy, welcome to ALR, hope you enjoy your stay. Good bunch of guys here.

I know I am partial to Gillespie rifles and I normally hate the looks of a back action rifle. But, Mathew Gillespie made at least one that I thought looked pretty good, at one time it belonged to Jerry Noble but I believe he sold it to a Gillespie descendant. A photo of it can be seen on page 114 of Vol 3 of his book "Notes on Southern Long Rifles".

One of my future projects is to build a similar rifle.
Dennis

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2010, 03:52:17 AM »

Lots of rifles made in NYS used back action locks, from plain hunting rifles to high end schuetzen rifles. The shuetzens are some of my favorite rifles.

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2010, 04:12:14 AM »

If you look enough, you will likely be able to find an original shootable rifle with a back action lock. I'm not promoting shooting originals on a wholesale basis, but in this case I don't think it would be any great travesty. If you consider any value to your time, you would likely be money ahead going this route. If your looking for a project then this of course wouldn't apply.

bjmac · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2010, 08:17:22 AM »

I've been looking at alot of back action locks for my next project. What are the advantages or disadvantages of them? Would it be easier to build/install than a regular percussion lock?

smokinbuck · « **Reply #14 on:** November 18, 2010, 01:40:24 AM »

One Eyed Fat Man,
I also have a Charles Siebert, but it is a conventional front action lock. I also have his barrel stamp. There are 7 Christian Sieberts on the rack that are back action. These are all in good shootable condition and once a year a few of them are taken to our Original Ohio made shoot. This past year we had over 20 rifles on the line and all of them showed well on the targets. Given the condition of an original rifle and the fact that a very reasonable load is all it takes to shoot a hole in paper, they should be allowed to speak once in a while.
Mark

I forgot about the back action Christian Siebert pistol.

Gaeckle · « **Reply #15 on:** November 19, 2010, 05:13:12 PM »

I plan on joining the Ohio Longrifle Association pretty soon and would like to partake in that shindig...I here it's a pretty neat event.

At the moment I have only two Ohio made rifles in my collection (that is old antiques) and I am hoping to add a few more...

pathfinder · « **Reply #16 on:** November 23, 2010, 07:50:14 AM »

Thanks for all the info guy's! Southern guns and Ohio guns have the"Get me out and USE me" feel to them.I have a couple of dozen muzzleloaders that I've built and "Pox",a bird's-eye Tennesse gun is my go to gun99.999999% of the time. A half stock .32, 3/4" barrel in VERY curly or super bird's-eye in a back action should be really cool. Again,thanks for all the info,and Smokinbuck,if I can find a particular builder who's style I like I'll let you know,Ya'll are the best!

Don Getz · « **Reply #17 on:** November 23, 2010, 05:01:29 PM »

Since you are on the subject of back action locks, I just received my latest copy of the American Rifleman. In it is a short
story of a new gun Matt Avance is putting out. A copy of a gun made by Stephen O'Dell which has a back action lock and apparently is offering these for sale....price unknown. According to the article he is going to make 250 of these.
He is using L & R's back action lock............Don

stuart cee dub · « **Reply #18 on:** November 23, 2010, 07:09:29 PM »

I have to second Cal.45's comment regarding once was enough .
I built one years ago and would not build another.
On the plus side the lock stays clean during extended shooting sessions and it works fine .
On the minus side the wrist is weaked but wood selection and a half stock with good grain can minimize that .
The thing that is most important is to support the screw in drum on a back action lock .
On a conventional sidelock the lock plate cut- out acts as an anvil -like support and preserves the threads and drum.Sometimes this means making an extra big drum with wide shoulders or inletting a drum support .
Personally I strongly prefer a siler mountain lock instead on an Ohio Gun .

T*O*F · « **Reply #19 on:** November 24, 2010, 06:45:41 PM »

Quote

A copy of a gun made by Stephen O'Dell which has a back action lock and apparently is offering these for sale....price unknown.

Don,
Compare the pic in the magazine with the pic I posted in this thread. Pretty close, Huh?

Quote

According to the article he is going to make 250 of these.

Actually, it says he HAS reproduced 250 of these, but I suspect it will be a build on demand situation. Lots of advertising double-speak in that article.

Curt J · « **Reply #20 on:** November 25, 2010, 06:10:00 AM »

It is worth pointing out that back-action locks were very often used, by some of the best makers, when building a target rifle with an exceptionally heavy barrel, or a heavy barreled Plains rifle. The reason for this being that there is no problem with clearance for the mainspring, as there would be with a conventional "front action" lock.

There is a great deal of difference as far as aesthetics, from one maker to another, when it came to building a rifle around a back action lock. Some maker's rifles were pretty ugly, while others could make the overall architecture quite pleasing.

As far as supporting the drum on a rifle with a back action lock, I have three original rifles and an original percussion shotgun that have an extension on the front of the lockplate for that very purpose. It not only supports the drum, but the drum helps stabilize the lockplate in its mortise. Of course this was a moot point on guns having a patent breech.

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Author Topic: Back action lock (Read 11876 times)

caliber45