Davis Colonial American flintlock

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
I just received my Davis Colonial American flintlock from TOW.  I've looked at it closely, sparked it, taken it apart.  It is the lock I will use for my RCA 52 inspired project with some modifications to the plate and flintcock.  In my opinion, Davis hit a home run with this lock.  I will improve it but I do that to all my locks, including locks by Jim and Barbie Chambers.  Nonetheless, aesthetically, it is one of the most beautiful early flat-faced locks on the market.  In fact, I believe this Davis lock and Barbie Chambers's early Ketland are the two most beautiful early flat plate locks made today.  They are superb products and are real bargains for the price.

dave

[Chris Evrard]

Couldn't agree more on the early Ketland. That lock is a firecracker. In fact I decided that I have to build a rifle using that lock just b/c I love it so much! Good luck with your project.

CE

[Acer Saccharum]

I have used the Colonial a couple of times. It's a killer sparking machine.

Here it is used on a bench copy I'd made. I cased the lock, originally intending to polish it back to bright, but left the case colors, because I like the look.


I curved the frizzen more, and made a larger cock retaining screw for it. The lock has a nice ominous look to it.

[smylee grouch]

I also have used both those locks and both were great performers. My early ketland was super easy on flints also.

[RAT]

I used the Davis lock on this rifle. I replaced all the screws and forged new springs. I also made a new bridle for the tumbler and re-shaped the plate some.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=23353.0

Scroll to the bottom for better pictures of the lock.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I think the lock is fine as is without any need to replace screws or springs but I need more time with it.

dave

[rich pierce]

I used the Davis lock on this rifle. I replaced all the screws and forged new springs. I also made a new bridle for the tumbler and re-shaped the plate some.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=23353.0

Scroll to the bottom for better pictures of the lock.

Post more of your work!

[Acer Saccharum]

The lock is fine as is.

I also see locks as raw materials, to be modified, tuned,timed, re-shaped to your desire.

[RAT]

My reasons for modification...

• I didn't like the upward bend of the main spring at full cock.
• The frizzen spring was really thick and heavy. Changing the frizzen spring is the easiest way to completely change the look of a lock. I hate seeing dozens of guns with the Siler lock, and you know that's what they used. All it takes is a little file work on the finial and it changes the whole look.
• Almost all commercial locks have sear springs formed from flat spring stock bent around for the screw. These don't exist on original locks. I made a sear spring with the hols drilled through for the screw.
• All Davis locks use pretty much the same bridle so anyone looking at it would say "I see you used a Davis lock". This one little change makes people wonder if it's entirely hand made.
• I didn't like the 6-40 screws that were used. I replaced them with 8-32. I also believe that making a custom fit sear screw is one of the most important things you can do to tune the lock and improve trigger pull.
• I like big cock screws... and no... this is not a sexual reference.
• I wanted a fancier top jaw screw to match those found on many originals so I turned it down on my drill press.
• I reshaped the bolster around the pan to improve the appearance.
• I shortened the tail of the plate a little. It seemed a little long and pointed so I made a bit more of a hump to the upper part of the tail.
• The pan cover part of the frizzen had a stamped number on it. I used a Dremel grinding bit to remove it and make a bit of a groove.
• I tried cutting teeth into the cock and top jaw to hold the flint leather, but broke my graver. It was way too hard. I had to draw it back some.

I don't have anything else to show right now. That was my 2nd rifle. I finished it a couple of years ago. I have a lock, stock, and barrel for my next project but won't start it before next summer.

[Jim Kibler]

While a nice lock, I've been a little concerned with the size.  To my eye, it's VERY big.  Not just plate length etc, but cock height, thickness, frizzen size etc.  Perhaps it might fit in the context of some European locks, but I'm not so sure it fits so well for a longrifle.  I could be off with this assessment, though.  If this is a concern, I guess it would be wise to compare it to know American stuff.  Is anyone aware of locks approaching this size?  Just some things to consider... 

Jim

[Chuck Burrows]

I lightened up acer's image of the lock so it can be seen better

[Acer Saccharum]

That's a little light, Chuck. Can you darken it up a bit? 

[Curtis]

Another example of a modified Davis Colonial.  This lock is a great sparker.  One thing that doesn't show, I hogged out the pan considerably for more priming capacity- something I do on most locks.



Curtis

[smart dog]

Hi Jim,
The plate measures about 5 7/8" long and just a hair over 1" wide.  That fits well for RCA 52, which has a plate 5 15/16 long and about 1" wide.  Chamber's Christian Spring lock is about the same size but the bottom of the plate has a slight curve, which I do not want. RCA 52 also has a lock with a slight curve downward, which IMO screws up its orientation on the gun.  The gun would look a lot better with a straighter lock.  The cock and frizzen on the Davis lock are large, but I will thin the cock and reshape it somewhat.  When I am done it will not look oversize at all and will have good proportions.

dave

[Mike Brooks]

I have used a lot of the Davis colonial locks. !@*%&@ good working lock that is perfect for early guns.

[Darrin McDonal]

I too have used quite a few of them.  One thing I want to mention so you can keep an eye out for this symptom - I had three of these in a row and the frizzen spring needed re working because the frizzen had a very strong bounce back and desroyed New flints within 5 snaps. Perhaps Tim fixed this on the locks already I don't know. Once the springs were fixed the baby's were really nice. I have used any lately.
Darrin

[Acer Saccharum]

I had bounce back issues, too. Cure: I placed my flints BEVEL UP, and the bounce back went away.

[Curtis]

Darrin, I experienced bounce back on the one pictured.  I filed a small flat on the cam (or tail, not sure of the proper terminology) of the frizzen where it contacted the frizzen spring in the fully open position.  Problem solved.

Curtis

[Darrin McDonal]

I tried the bevel flip also without any success with those two locks. Filed a flat on the frizzen foot, huh. That's a good one. Visualizing it doesn't seem like a good idea with a poor spring but, not having tried it myself, I believe you. That's what's cool about this group, the variety of ideas for unexpected situations.
Darrin

[Acer Saccharum]

I did the flat on the frizzen toe, but it didn't help. 


i spread the frizz spring more, and it's like a bear trap now. But with bevel down, the flint still bounces. So bevel up it is. My next line of attack will be to reduce main spring power a little, see what happens.

[Pete G.]

I did the flat on the frizzen toe, but it didn't help. 


i spread the frizz spring more, and it's like a bear trap now. But with bevel down, the flint still bounces. So bevel up it is. My next line of attack will be to reduce main spring power a little, see what happens.

I probably still bounces; it just doesn't come back far enough to hit the flint with with the bevel up .

[Frank]

I prefer a lock that I do not have to re-work. I will stick with Jim Chambers Early Ketland.

[Acer Saccharum]

If you watch Larry Pletcher's high speed lock videos, every lock has frizzen bounce. The question is, how much?

[Pete G.]

I prefer a lock that I do not have to re-work. I will stick with Jim Chambers Early Ketland.

The Chambers Early Ketland is an excellent lock, but it is not immune. I have one that marks the flint every shot, but not enough to cause any problems. As Tom said, they all bounce back. After all we are slamming a piece of steel into a pre-loaded spring; of course it's going to rebound. The question is how to control the rebound enough to not cause problems?

[Mike Brooks]

I did the flat on the frizzen toe, but it didn't help. 


i spread the frizz spring more, and it's like a bear trap now. But with bevel down, the flint still bounces. So bevel up it is. My next line of attack will be to reduce main spring power a little, see what happens.

You need to get you a WOOWOO stick, I have one and my locks work all the time. In fact just a couple shakes of the WOOWOO usually fixes !@*%&@ near anything.