One lock bolt or two?

[LehighBrad]

Hello. I'm in the process of building my second longrifle and I'm at the point of inletting the lock plate. My question is......was it uncommon for a Lehigh style longrifle to have only one lock bolt holding the lock in place or is two more "correct"?? The reason I ask is because the first gun I built, I only used one lock bolt to secure the lock in place (mainly because I didin't know better and I had inlet the side plate a little farther back on the stock than the lock was) because of this miscalculation I was unable to drill in a front lock bolt because it would've missed the front of the side plate slightly. Anyway....that gun shoots and functions just fine over the years. But with my new Lehigh project, in order for me to put in a front lock bolt it looks as if the bolt hole would have to be drilled high on my lock plate nose area (about a 1/16th or so in from the top edge of the plate in order for it to safely pass under my barrel but over my ram rod channel. So would I be o.k. with just installing one lock bolt through the breech and lock plate bolster??? 

 Thanks....Brad

[Don Getz]

Brad.......I think I would go ahead and put two lock bolts in it.    It's no problem if that front one is not centered on the
lock.   Just place it where it won't hit the ramrod, and can actually touch the barrel, in which case you could file a shallow
groove to clear the bolt on the bottom of the barrel...........Don

[Acer Saccharum]

Two is the norm for Lehigh.

Would you be ok with one? Mechanically you should be fine, as long as your fits are good.


The Lehigh is especially difficult to get the front bolt in between the rod and the barrel. The web of wood between the barrel and RR hole can be thinner than a lock bolt.  A notch on the underside of the barrel helps, and tapering the rod down a bit helps, too.

[LehighBrad]

Thanks guys......Two lock bolts it is! I figure, the frizzen spring will also kind of hide the end of the front lock bolt somewhat so having it centered on the lock plates rounded nose area shouldn't be as big of a deal as I'm making it out to be.

[Roger Fisher]

Two is the norm for Lehigh.

Would you be ok with one? Mechanically you should be fine, as long as your fits are good.


The Lehigh is especially difficult to get the front bolt in between the rod and the barrel. The web of wood between the barrel and RR hole can be thinner than a lock bolt.  A notch on the underside of the barrel helps, and tapering the rod down a bit helps, too.

3rd- skinny the bolt in the middle or file a flat where it rides over the rod channel ( and index mark that bolt head so you know where the flat spot is .