Frizzen Dragging

[JLayne]

Newbie question.  I am working on a Chambers Early York Rifle kit and just completed installation of the lock (Golden Age Germanic) with all of the internals installed only to find that the bottom of the frizzen (the part that covers the pan when closed) is dragging the side of the barrel flat when it opens and closes. Is it an acceptable fix by filing a slight amount of metal off the inner edge of the frizzen at that area, or do I need to look for some other solution?

Thanks in advance.

Jay

[M. E. Pering]

Jlayne… Yes, that is an acceptable solution, but first make absolutely sure your lock is sitting in your mortise correctly.  If the bottom part of the lock is not quite seated, it could cause the frizzen to drag the barrel.  I would also check to see how much side-to-side slop there is in the frizzen.  It is unusual for a Chamber's lock to exhibit any problems of this sort, but it is not impossible.  Once you are assured neither of these are the cause of the problem, then yes, it is proper to file or stone off a small amount of the pan cover away.

Matt

[Mauser06]

Have you draw filed the barrel yet?   

[B.Barker]

Take the lock out and check the frizzen to see if it hangs over the pan on the inside(the side towards the barrel). If the frizzen and pan are even then the plate is probably tilted just a bit. You can use a square to check to see if the plate is reasonably square with the barrel also.

[Darkhorse]

With the lock out of the gun check the frizzen for wobble. Tighten the frizzen screw just enough that you can feel the frizzen become slightly harder to open. This should remove most of the wobble. Check to see if the frizzen is still dragging on the barrel. If it is check to see if it overhangs the bolster. I use a diamond sharpner, one of those that flip open and has a red side and a blue side.  One of those is coarser than the other. With this I  work the edge of the frizzen even with the bolster.
If it still drags the problem is in the lock mortise and previous posts have covered this well.