Who makes a Bedford flintlock?

[Roger B]

So far I can only find L & R, who makes one using the Durs Egg guts.  I have an Egg that really works well, but it was new old stock when I bought it.  The Russ Hamm (Dean Mitton) locks are usually frustration waiting for a person to inflict, and Davis only makes a percussion.  I'm wondering if someone like M & G makes one. I've thought about using one of the Chambers builders locks and profiling it from there, but I'm pretty lazy and inept.  Any ideas?
Roger B.

[Hungry Horse]

 This is the reason I decided that I would change my Bedford rifle project, into a Somerset  rifle project. I found several flint Somerset rifles, with the Bedford profile, but without the rattail lock, with the stylized cock.
  This is a perfect niche for someone that is already producing castings,that could make a plate, a detachable pan, and frizzen, along with a suitable Bedford style cock, that would use some of the standardized lock internals. I would think a conversion kit would be cheaper to produce than a complete lock.

                  Hungry Horse

[g rummell]

You can get away with a small modified Siler if you build an early Peter White. All the lines of a classic Bedford are there except for the rat tailed lock. Check out the ALR virtual library there's a picture of the White that I copied.

[JTR]

As far as I know, there was no Bedford style flint cock, nor many flint rifles originally made. Seems to me that some of the flints were made with rat tail plates and others made with regular plates.
Personally, if I was going to build a Bedford, I'd make a percussion.

John

[galamb]

I remember reading one account where the author (believed) that what we now know as the Bedford style of lock was taught to the lock makers in the Bedford area by John Armstrong at some point in the mid to late 1820's (the period between 1822 and 1827 when he was absent from Emmitsburg, exact whereabouts unknown).

Now I'm just relaying what I read and am not convinced one way or the other as to the validity of the idea, but I do agree that it's "possible".

If it is factual it might tend to explain why the "distinctive style" was not noted widely in flint rifles. It would have only really fully developed at the start of the cap era.

Anyhow - food for thought.

Here's a (dated) 1827 Bedford lock (now was this converted to cap OR was it originally cap (early) in the same way that Armstrong always made his cap locks which "looked" like a conversion even though they never were flint???) and an Armstrong below - similar? inspired by?? you can judge...

[T.C.Albert]

These are very nice, but very hard to find...I believe I've seen two.
http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2008/05/worth-suter-lock.html
More for inspiration than potential acquisition...
tca

[Roger B]

Thanks guys.  This was extremely helpful & I very much appreciate it.
Roger B.

[Wolfeknives]

I found one of these for sale at a gun show a couple of weeks ago. http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2008/05/worth-suter-lock.html
Had a good look at it, but not having seen one before, did not know what to make of it. Looks like I should have picked it up, I still have so much to learn. If I can make it to the next show, I will get it.

Wolfgang

[Dphariss]

So far I can only find L & R, who makes one using the Durs Egg guts.  I have an Egg that really works well, but it was new old stock when I bought it.  The Russ Hamm (Dean Mitton) locks are usually frustration waiting for a person to inflict, and Davis only makes a percussion.  I'm wondering if someone like M & G makes one. I've thought about using one of the Chambers builders locks and profiling it from there, but I'm pretty lazy and inept.  Any ideas?
Roger B.

If you don't like the plate shape, change it.






Unless this is done then the maker is stuck with whatever the lock makers vend and this hampers the making of proper or good looking guns in some instances.

Dan

[Mike Brooks]

I had two Bedfords come through my shop many years ago, They were both bought new by the family and were still with the family. Niether one had the classic rat tail lock, I believe they were english export flintlocks.One was a White and the other was a Valentine Lebuef. I may have those names confused....
 I f I were to build a Bedford I'd go percussion myself.

[Daryl]

Good or bad, here's one Taylor cobbled together a couple decades ago.





I think it's good.