two lock bolts or one?

[LH]

I'm building a rifle that will be strictly for target shooting and am not interested in pc'ness.   In the past I have used single lock bolts in the five or six rifles I've built,  but am just wondering if there is a good enough reason for a second bolt at the front end of the lock plate to take the extra time to position everything.  One seems alot easier to do but if there's a good reason for a second bolt,  I dont mind doing it.  The lock is a Kettleman from Jim Chambers. 

[smart dog]

Hi LH,
There is no a priori reason for needing 2 lock bolts if your inletting is sufficiently well done such that the lock snugs up tightly against the barrel with no gaps between the bolster and the barrel.  Two lock bolts on a large lock sometimes are needed to make sure the lock is snug but on smaller locks that is often not the case.  Many late flint period locks had a stud on the front of the lock that hooked on the head of a screw embedded in the lock mortice.  That was covered in a recent thread.

dave

[Chris Treichel]

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=20091.0

[rich pierce]

Three is also an option for early muskets, trade guns and fowling pieces.   

[LH]

thanks guys.  I went ahead and put two bolts in it anyway.  That kettleman lock has a killer mainspring and  I just figured another bolt might keep it from battering around in the inlet.  I dont know that it ever would though.  I've got another flintlock I built in 1992 thats been shot a whole lot and that lock inlet is still tight.  Oh well,   I had two bolts and a big sideplate I needed to use.