no brass lock for me

[lew wetzel]

i had ordered and paid for a brass lock from chambers at the cla show last month and told it would be a week or so and it has been a month so i called yesterday and had them change my order to a regular colonial lock.i have to get this rifle done for hunting and just couldnt wait any longer.i am in no way flaming the chambers lock co.they make the best locks.i really had my heart set on a brass lock.i will probably order another one when i am not under the gun to finish one up and have the time to wait.

[jerrywh]

Maybe your just lucky.

[Leatherbelly]

Jerry's right. I would want steel on the inside for better tolerences. Maybe a brass overlay?might look cool!

[lew wetzel]

only the lock plate itself was brass evrythibg else was steel.i love the way they look and i have been told they do hold up good.i was worrying about the hole wearing egg shaped from cocking it over years.

[keweenaw]

When Jim finally gets one, it'll be the same size as the steel one for all intents and purposes and you can put it in later.  A month is pretty short lead time to expect on a custom made item and Jim and Barbie are extremely reliable but they have to deal with their wax model casters, foundry and assemblers to get something out if they don't have it in stock.  As for wear, the alloy in Jim's castings clearly isn't just 70-30 yellow brass, files a lot harder, so I don't think that wear of the tumbler hole would be a problem if you keep it oiled.  After all we make bearings of bronze!  In fact, Lowell Gard (Bevel Up) told me that when he had LC Rice custom tune his chunk gun lock, LC put bronze bearings in it!  That baby is fast and gets lots and lots of use.

Tom

[Tom Currie]

Patience is a virtue.

[Osprey]

I picked up a brass plate large Siler from Chambers at the Dixon's show, it's very good.  Looking forward to using it on my next project, although the fellas are already kidding me about trying to keep it clean and shiny.   

[Dphariss]

Maybe your just lucky.

Well stated.

Dan

[elk killer]

Lew,
i have a new untouched brass lock..that im waiting for some wood on,,if you really wanted a brass lock,,u could replace it when they send you one,,just a offer,,,i wont need it for a couple of months

[Acer Saccharum]

Elk Killer.....I'll take that lock.

Just kidding. Warms my heart to see such generosity.

I think the Chambers lockplates are some alloy that is hard as heck, they're not brass.

Acer

[lew wetzel]

thanx elk killer,i cancelled that order and told them to just send me a regular round faced colonial instead.maybe will have my wife get me one for x-mas this year.lol

[bob in the woods]

I have a "brass" lock plate siler on a rifle I built in 2001. That lock has approx 3500 shots on it. The frizzen shows it, but the lock works as slick as weasel oil ! What ever the alloy is, it stands up beautifully.
The NE fowler { Chambers] has a brass/bronze lock. I like to let the lock age gracefully. The plate takes on a wonderful patina.

[Acer Saccharum]

Going out on a limb here, but I think a bronze plate may actually outperform a soft steel plate. Should the plate be casehardened steel, THAT would be the most durable plate.

[lew wetzel]

i talked with quite a few guys at the cla show before i approached the chambers booth and all said they are very durable and hold up.unless you shoot 20,000rounds a year then it doesnt matter whats its made of there is gonna be some wear.patience is a virtue but deer season is meat on the table and this rifle is for me to go trekking and hunting with.and i am gonna give this one some extra attention especially in the finish and overall scheme upon completing it so it will take a little longer than my last one.next i will be building a lancaster with ian pratt and jim kibler in a start to finish class at the log cabin shop and maybe will use a brass lock for that build.

[Dphariss]

Going out on a limb here, but I think a bronze plate may actually outperform a soft steel plate. Should the plate be casehardened steel, THAT would be the most durable plate.

Putting cheap import locks on guns and using them as they came from the barrel was why many old percussion guns have such badly worn locks. Many of these came over soft except for the springs and if the installer did not know to harden at least the tumbler and sear they wore rapidly.
Brass or bronze would rate "OK" but it would not be my first choice.
I see it as a fashion statement.
Dan

[bob in the woods]

I agree that the plate material can be a fashion statement, if bronze is chosen. However I honestly do not believe that the material used in the Chamber's locks seriously compromises longevity. All other components are hardened steel and the plate is essentially a large bearing. My 2001 large siler is one of the smoothest, and fastest operating locks I've had. I don't think I'll live long enough to wear it out.
Having said  that, I would not want a true "brass" lock plate because of the wear that would likely occur.
The material Chambers uses is really tough, and I would not hesitate to put a Chambers lock with that plate on any gun. I wonder if Jim has done any "torture" testing?

[lew wetzel]

just recieved my lock from chambers today.very nice indeed,now i get to dissasemble it and inlett it into the stock.i am going to brown the lock after i get it filed and sanded.kind of glad i didnt wait for a brass lock.i really think the all steel lock browned will look better.today is my 36th birthday and getting my lock in the mail today is my best present........

[James Rogers]

Lew,
Waht kind of gun are you going to use the browned Colonial Va lock on?

[lew wetzel]

its a contempary rifle loosely based on an early virginia rifle.brass hardware,minimal carving some silver wire inlay.barrel and lock going to brown.
not a representation of any one school or builder but a colaboration of different things that i really like.

[Birddog6]

I can tell ya right now, if premature wear on a bronze lock was a issue, Jim Chambers would not make it. Period.  ALL of his products are top notch.(IMHO)   

As for the bushing LC puts in the locks, If I remember correctly, it is a Oilite bronze allow bushing & it is "slick as @!*%?&" as  LC would put it.  I have had him put several in for me & they are fast & reliable.  The York rifle I just finished has one in it (in a Deluxe Siler lock) and it is a great lock. How much faster does it make the lock ?  I have no idea as I have no way of timing one.  But I know the lock is plenty fast & reliable & produces a shower of sparks on each firing...........

[Blackpowder Barbie]

The bushing LC uses is oil impregnated bronze alloy.  Yep, Birddog slicker than @!*% it as LC says. 

Just FYI the brass locks are harder to come by for two reasons.  One we only make at most 2-3 per batch of 30 so they go quick and depending on the builder they typically can build the 30 in 2-4 weeks.  The demand really has picked up in the last year for them as well, up until then they'd just sit in the back of the bins wasting.  Second, our lock assemblers aren't real crazy about building them, they are a real pain to assemble.  The brass will move a drill bit quicker than you can blink sometimes.  Every time I give LC some to build he threatens me with his pistol!  LOL!!   So we don't stress them too bad with more than they can deal with at a time. 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I can tell ya right now, if premature wear on a bronze lock was a issue, Jim Chambers would not make it. Period.  ALL of his products are top notch.(IMHO)  

As for the bushing LC puts in the locks, If I remember correctly, it is a Oilite bronze allow bushing & it is "slick as @!*%?&" as  LC would put it.  I have had him put several in for me & they are fast & reliable.  The York rifle I just finished has one in it (in a Deluxe Siler lock) and it is a great lock. How much faster does it make the lock ?  I have no idea as I have no way of timing one.  But I know the lock is plenty fast & reliable & produces a shower of sparks on each firing...........

It would be slick if you would send the lock to Larry Pletcher and let him time it. He has records of hundreds of locks that he has timed. I wonder if the bushing really makes a difference??

[Birddog6]

Yes, that would be interesting. And do the testing on the same lock. First without the bushing & then have LC put it in & only put in the bushing on that particular lock & no other work, then retest.

[AndyThomas]

We're putting one of those brass round-face locks in the Martin's Station rifle. A special gun (the first one built at the MS gun shop) deserves a special lock. 

I should be able to post some pics of our progress in a day or two.

Andy

[James Rogers]

I have a brass plate Colonial VA going on an English fowling gun. After seeing some originals with them, I thought they looked nice with brass furniture.