Siler lock inletting.

[IROCZ]

Hi Ya'll, I finally got back into building my first rifle. I took a couple of classes from John Tobin years ago in Pgh. After John retired from teaching my rifle kit got shelved for about 10 years. Any how, I'm back at it and got the lock inletted into the stock. My question is about the hammer, when it is fully forward at rest it rests on the top edge of the lockplate. Do I just remove wood to let it go all the way forward? I really am a nimrod at this! Thanks!

[LRB]

  Yes, just don't remove more than necessary to give it free movement, and allow for the wood to expand a tad.

[Acer Saccharum]

Irocz, there is usually a little wood taken off the edge of the lock inlet so the hammer stop can go all the way down to the shoulder on the lockplate.

Beware that there is not much wood surrounding a lock; and the wood is cut down so that there is about 1/16 to 1/8" deep pocket for the plate to set in.

Many people leave way too much wood around a lock. Look at original guns when possible, or good photos. Look in particular at the lock surround. However, how much wood you leave is entirely dictated by the style of gun you are building.

The little reveal line around the perimeter of this lock is flush with the wood. The wood surrounding the lock is swept down and away. There are no 'lock panels', or flat areas surrounding the lock on this gun.


Now that the picture is on line, it looks like my lock is popping out of the inlet! Hahahaha. I'd better go tighten the screws!

[Acer Saccharum]

Here's another lock inlet, from a 1792 contract rifle. It has been converted to percussion, but the notch is in the lock panel, much eroded, but still there.

[Acer Saccharum]

ANd then there is the type where a bevel is cut from the level of the lock panel in toward the barrel behind the fence of the lock, so that the notch is not needed.

[billd]

Hey Tom,  a little trouble with a stuck breech plug in that last photo   

Bill

[IROCZ]

Thanks Gentlemen! I'll only have about 67000 more questions before my rifle can belch smoke! I hope I don't wear out my welcome! Thanks again.

[Acer Saccharum]

Hey Tom,  a little trouble with a stuck breech plug in that last photo   

Bill

Not stuck. I heated the $#@* out of the tang to bend it down more. The breech got some discoloration from the heat. Sometimes the tangs that come with the barrels don't have enough tang thickness to file the shape I need, so I bend 'em before filing.

[Acer Saccharum]

Questions?

IROC, that's what this forum is for. Also get yourself some of the books that have been mentioned on other threads. The books will help you sort out what you really want to know, and give you the terminology to talk about things fluently.

Dixon's handbook
RH McCrory's "Recreating the...."

I am having trouble remembering (again) the exact titles of these books.

Tom

[Don Getz]

Acer......no need to heat that tang, just stick it in the vise and bend it, using the barrel to apply the pressure.   Just be
careful, bend it a little at a time, by that I mean, don't bend it too far and then have to un-bend it, if you know what I
mean, that can create problems............Don

[Acer Saccharum]

Donnie, this tang was one that came with the bbl, but I have no idea who made it. 8 lands and grooves, so it was not a Getz.

I wanted the tang to bend as close to the barrel as possible. If I cold bent it, the bend would have happened farther back from the breech, making the tang very thin. Like I said, it was not a Getz, and there was not enough tang thickness to start with. I like a plug with lots of tang. You can always file/mill it off if it's too much.

[IROCZ]

Thanks Ace! I went to the In-Laws last night and dug into my books and found the "Art of building the Pa. Longrifle" (Dixons shop) It was the course material for my class, as I recall I never used it during class as John was always there to show me what to do. It seems very comprehensive. All my books and stuff are kinda still in storage from getting hitched and buying a new house. At this point I have the barrel breeched and inletted, the lock is in, I need to buy a trigger and castings. I still haven't decided on a maker style. I thought I was going with Haines but just lately looking at Beck. My stock is a Lancaster 44" barrel in CM#3 precarved blank. I have always wanted a Longrifle over my mantle, I am on my way again. Thanks for all the responses! You folks are great!

[Acer Saccharum]

I love JP Beck's style. Very Germanic.