Single flintlock lock bolt

[frogwalking]

I am building my grand daughter a small hunting rifle.  It has a little 31 inch swamped .40 cal barrel from, Rice, a small fowler shaped full stock and a small Siler flintlock.  Someone just recently posted that their ramrod hole went a little low.  Mine went a little high.  It just touches the barrel inlet at the breech end.  Talk about a small rib between barrel and ramrod.  I have it.  The only issue is there is no place for a front lock bolt to go.  Will a single bolt work acceptably well for a small Siler?  Is there anything I need to do to make the lock more stable?  The stock is figured sugar maple, and looks to be nice and hard.


Thanks,

Frog

[Mark Elliott]

I have seen small flintlocks with a hook at the front where a through bolt might otherwise go.  It could hook under a wood screw head or through a loop of wire.

[Stophel]

I think a flintlock REALLY needs a front locking device of some kind to draw it down tight.  A local boy just brought me a cheap Cabela's "Hawken" flintlock rifle... that, for whatever reason, I decided to mess with...  I will have to add a front bolt.  A rear bolt only springs the front end up and the pan comes away from the barrel.

Since you have a Siler lock, and the frizzen spring has an outside screw, you can use a wood screw for the front end of the lock.... You just will have to remove the frizzen spring first to install and remove the lock.  Not very convenient, but it would work.

[Acer Saccharum]

Since you have a Siler lock, and the frizzen spring has an outside screw, you can use a wood screw for the front end of the lock.... You just will have to remove the frizzen spring first to install and remove the lock.  Not very convenient, but it would work.

Brilliant. I never ever would have thought of that. Not that I like it, being painted into that corner, but it's a good way to lock the toe down.

Some of the English guns use a hook on the toe of the lockplate that catches the head of a screw that has been installed in the mortice. You must be able to tip the lock in, toe first, and tip the lock out.

[smart dog]

Hi Frog,
Couple of things to try.  Use a smaller diameter bolt for the forward screw and taper the ramrod.  If you do that right, the bolt can actually put a little pressure on the rod holding it in place.  You can go with one bolt but it is best to have a forward hook on the lock.  This is a hooked lug on the inside of the plate that slides beneath the head of a screw placed in the lock mortice. It is important that the lock inlet be perfect when using a single bolt so the lock snugs up tightly against the barrel.

dave

[okieboy]

 You could also notch the bottom of the barrel to gain clearance for the screw. That combined with a smaller than usual screw, like a 4-40 could minimize the problem.

[Hemo]

I ran into this problem on a pistol I made a couple of years back. I resorted to the hook on the front of the lock. Here are some pictures. The hook was made by threading and screwing a lock bolt through the front bolt hole all the way to the head, then filing the hook shape onto the head. The screw is a simple flathead screw, and can be adjusted a little bit in or out for tightness. The front "lock bolt" on the left side is a fake--just a short screw. (Wow, those mega- magnified pictures make my lock inlet look awful!)

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You do have to hook the front end of the lock in the inlet first, then tip in the back end and bolt down.


Gregg

[EC121]

If you glass bed the tail of the lock or harden the wood with thin CA glue, the plate can't pivot and should pull up square without a front screw.  Not HC but it would work.

[JTR]

(Wow, those mega- magnified pictures make my lock inlet look awful!)

Done like a true 18th century craftsman!

John

[Robby]

Nice pistol Hemo, even the blow ups!! I blew up some carving of mine I posted here recently and it looked terrible,oh,and not at all what it looks like in hand! HAH!!
Robby

[oldtravler61]

Ok ignorance 101 here. Have seen several poor boy rifles. With only one lock bolt. But they also had a iron (metal) side plate. Or is the front lock bolt hidden also?  Just wondering?

[Stophel]

Most, if not all, of them were probably made as percussion guns.  Many have been "reconverted" to flintlock... and they were never flintlocks to begin with.

[retired fella]

I have built 2 flinters with large Silers using no front attachment.  As long as your
inletting is solid should not have a problem.  One rifle I've been shooting for 30yrs and have not had any difficulty.  If you like the look of two bolts a shallow hole on the plate side with a shortened bolt should do the trick.

[Daryl]

I have 2 flinters that have only one screw holding the lock into the stock. They are both still perfectly solid after many years of use with just that one screw holding the lock in the stock.

[DBoone]

Many rifles were built in the South that used only one lock screw.  Quite a few Gillespies I have seen (flintlock) had only one.  Several in Bill Ivery's NC book by several makers used just one.  In my opinion it's all in the quality of the inletting.

[oldtravler61]

Thanks guys. Always appreciate the knowledge you all have. An so willing to share.

[Captchee]

yes one bolt will hold it just fine . 

[bowkill]

The trick is to just snug the lock bolts down, do not over tighten dont matter if you have one or two.. If you do over tighten it will lead to problems down the road and the lock may not work right if it is too tight.

[smylee grouch]

Looks like a nice pistol Hemo and a nice fix to the problem.