Lock crossbolt placement dilema

[Scota4570]

I am working on a TC Hawkin.  It was originally flint.  I converted it to percussion with a drum a long time ago, as done originally 150 years ago.   More recently I remodeled it using a tapered 54 cal barrel, still using my drum percussion conversion.

Funny thing is TC put the single lock bolt in the vertical center of the lock plate and used a coil mainspring under the lock bolt.  I bought a Siler flint casting set with a blank lock plate.  I was thinking of using it on this rifle.  The RPL locks have gotten very expensive.  I thought I would save some money. 

I now see the TC lock bolt placement is not going to work.  The flat mainspring, of the Siler,  is in the way.  I see I could use a machine screw that threads into the hooked breach tang.  I would not use a through bolt at all and could install a decorative side plate to cover the hole. Does any one have an opinion of this method of securing a lock?

[David R. Pennington]

Well if I understand correctly, why not just re drill for lock bolt in correct place to hit bolster and make a side plate to catch new bolt and cover the old hole? I fixed one that an older gentleman had built (Hawkin) that he had tried to mount the lock with a screw tapped into the barrel. Luckily he only hit the corner of one of the flats and didn't really compromise the barrel. I made a recessed side washer and used regular bolt through into bolster. It had a  Bob Roller lock and Bill Large barrel.

[Mauser06]

I ran into a similar issue when building my first....Was meant to be a simple finish the stock and drop in a RPL lock, green Mountain barrel, deer Slayer trigger etc...Only TC part on the rifle is the tang.


The rpl already had the threads for the lock bolt to match where TC stocks would line up....


My stock did not have that hole drilled yet. 



I took out one of the screws in the lock.... Forgive me...Im not upto par on my lock terminology...


I put the lock in the stock and if I drilled through I'd miss the barrel and tang. So I did. From the inside of the lock I tapped that hole to accept my lock bolt.

I did remove the threaded portion of the rpl completely.



You can see the placement is higher/back from where TC has theirs.  It was the only way I could do it with the rpl that I could come up with...There wasn't a ton of room to work with...



Don't know if that'll help you or not...


Like was said, if you already have the TC hole you'll have to come up with a lock plate to hide it...But that shouldn't be too hard. Could possibly hide it with some sort of inlay too.


Hard to see my pic..I used a Hawken style tear drop inlay for my lock bolt. 

[Scota4570]

On the Siler lock any place I might put a lock bolt is blocked by the hooked breech tang.  TCs are not like long rifles.  I can not drill through the tang to allow the lock bolt to pass. 

This seems to have become a can of worms.  Just assembling the Siler was worth the time.  I now have a very nicely fitted locks that I can use later. 

Anyone have an old TC flint lock-lock laying around that they would consider parting with? Even one that need work is fine with me.  This was a 1974 rifle.  Those flintlocks were pretty bad.  Now that I know how I am sure I can make one work and have a swap lock rifle. 

[Mauser06]

That rifle is a aftermarket TC "replacement" stock.  It has a TC tang in it. 







That pic, if you look close, the hole I used for the lock bolt is at the bend in the cock.


Never played with a Siler...That lock bolt is just behind the back of the tang  and below the inlet for the tang.  Missed everything. And I've shot some very stout loads and nothing has cracked or come loose...

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

What I have done to accommodate the lock screw is to silver solder metal to the lock's bridle so that the lock screw can thread into it, rather than the plate.

[Scota4570]

That is a possible, "What I have done to accommodate the lock screw is to silver solder metal to the lock's bridle so that the lock screw can thread into it, rather than the plate."  I was not thinking 3-dimensinally. 

I am not using the TC plug and barrel.  They are my own manufacture.  The dimensions are not exactly the same.  The barrel is 1" and the plug is longer, the hook is a little longer.   The lock and the reworked stock were are TC. .   

[jerrywh]

 Show us a inside photo of the original lock.  Taylor has good idea.