Rebuilt L & R Lock

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

This is a picture sent to me by Bob Roller.  It appears to me to be an L & R "Bailes" lock with Bob's new guts.  I'll let him comment on the conversion.  I can just hear that crisp double click and zero overtravel which is Bob's signature.

[Bob Roller]

Taylor,
MANY thanks for posting the pictures for me of that L&R Manton/Bailes.
With the help of Bill Cox at L&R,I have been able to offer a lock that goes
a bit beyond the production type but at a major advance in price.
I buy these external parts L&R which is the chassis or frame and the I make up
a new "engine" to upgrade the performance of this neat little lock.In 1979,I
obtained moulds for the original Bailes lock from TOW who then owned them and made a good number of locks for a German shop
that was making a copy of a French pistol.It was a target pistol and for a long time I was told and read about these pistols and the records
that were set by them.At a leter date,L&R made new moulds for a VERY similar lock and the external parts were much smoother and better
looking that the parts I got from the old moulds I had.The old mould parts required a lot of preperation before a lock of the quality both myself
and the German customer wanted could be made.After the old parts were almost used up,I stopped making them and the new lock using the
L&R small Manton parts is a better lock and to me,"better"is what I have always tried to attain.

Bob Roller

[Acer Saccharum]

That looks to be mighty fine, Taylor and Bob.

I have a production Bailes, and it is very fast. I can't imagine what the Rollerized lock is like. The internals are gorgeous. Beautiful work.



When you say ' a major advance in price', I don't really care. When I have a target gun, or a wing shooter, and I want speed and reliability, I will have long forgotten about price when I start pulling the trigger at the range. I want the best performance out of my guns and my gun work.



Really nice work, Bob.

Tom

[PPatch]

Before looking at Taylor's caption I noticed the main spring on that lock and thought "humm... that's Bob roller's spring style." That is one crisp, tight looking little lock. I'm with you Acer, in some things you do not skimp but buy the best you can afford.

dave

[David Rase]

When I have a wing shooter, and I want speed and reliability, I will have long forgotten about price when I start pulling the trigger. I want the best performance out of my guns and my gun work.

Really nice work, Bob.

Tom

Bob,
Speaking of wing shooting, I have a pair of new Left and Right L&R Bailes set aside for a double barrel 20g project.  Are you able to rebuild a left hand lock as well as the right?  Sure would be sweet to have a mathcing set in my double.
David

[Bob Roller]

I really didn't know either when I wrote "a major advance in price".
The L&R parts I use cost $75 including one flint and USPS.
That little mechanism is a $150 labor charge so the total cost,
delivered by USPS flat rate is $225. I sometimes send two 8x32 mounting screws
if I have something to make them from.
I require the $75 up front and only when the lock is ready to go do I want the
balance to be paid.
Thank you for the nice remarks about this lock. I have worked with it for a long
time and have used different styles of mechanisms and I think this is the one I will
stay with at least for the time being.

Bob Roller

[Bob Roller]

David,
The term "rebuilt" is a mistake on my part.I use new,never drilled
parts on this lock and don't do any change out or filling previously
drilled holes.

Bob Roller

[Acer Saccharum]

Still a bargain. I couldn't do this for the same $, partly because I don't know what i'm doing, and partly 'cause I am so darn slow.

[Cody Tetachuk]

Bob,
Speaking of wing shooting, I have a pair of new Left and Right L&R Bailes set aside for a double barrel 20g project.  Are you able to rebuild a left hand lock as well as the right?  Sure would be sweet to have a mathcing set in my double.
David

Bear in mind that those locks are wonderful for a SXS with tapered breeches but unsuitable for recessed breeches.

[Bob Roller]

The bolsters on the L&R locks can be altered for recessed breech plugs but will require an altered or
different frizzen pivot screw. The screws that are used for this are like those on a old Colt Single Action
with threads under the head and a smooth shank that goes into a blind hole in the pan bridle.
The alteration would consist of milling the bolsters to get rid of the area that seats the head of the screw and then
altering the existing screws or make new ones with threads slotted and the same size smooth shank.
   Going for a moment to remaking locks,I do remakes on the Twigg as well as new work based on never drilled locks.
I did one for a man some time ago to see what kind of a PITA it would be.The only thing required is a Twigg with an unaltered
plate.The size of this lock is deceptive.It is not that much larger than the L&R Durs Egg but the tall cock and frizzen gives the impression
of a much bigger lock.

Bob Roller

[Cody Tetachuk]

It's not the frizzen screw and bolster that makes them unsuitable as that's easily modified. It's the frizzen geometry that's wrong and makes them unsuitable. A proper English double with recessed breeches requires locks with frizzens with a much longer reach than that on the L&R locks.

[Bob Roller]

Frizzens with a much longer reach---reach to where?

Bob Roller

[Cody Tetachuk]

Perhaps "reach" is the wrong word. In order for the frizzen to clear the barrel as it rotates on the pivot screw, you either have to increase the radius of its arc or raise the location of the pivot screw in relation to the pan (or both). I'm probably not explaining this well and a picture is worth 1000 words so.... compare the frizzens between this recessed breech and tapered breech and notice how with the recessed breech, the longer "reach" or radius, along with the higher pivot screw location holds the frizzen, high and above the barrel whereas with the tapered breech the frizzen, having a shorter reach or radius and a lower pivot location (like the L&R locks) sits along side the barrel