Lock for a smaller southern gun

[Tim Ault]

Soon as I get all the parts gathered I'm going to be building a smaller sized southern style gun like this one   https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4161.0   
   I'm not going for an exact copy although I do like the side plate and trigger guard and probably going to attempt a slightly shortened lollipop tang this one has, butt will be slightly bigger than this one in pull and width . But back to the lock . Would a late ketland or LR late English be too big for this size of gun ?i was considering the late English as it seems there's a good bit of plate looking at a picture of the back side that could be removed to make it smaller and would fit the time period  or would something a little smaller like the LR small  manton/bales  size look better ?

Thanks Tim

[Stophel]

Bigger locks look better.     Seriously.  A relatively large lock makes the rest of the gun look much slimmer in comparison.  A small lock makes for a lot of wood exposed surrounding it... making the gun look fat.

Just as long as the lock isn't so big that it's too big for the barrel.  Some of the skinny straight barrels make things difficult.


With all the "Southern Mountain Rifles" being made, you would think that someone would make a reproduction of the common 1820's-30's hardware store flint lock like the ones that are found on SO many original Southern mountain rifles (and everything else).  Hideous squiggly line engraving and everything.  It would make for a much more believable modern interpretation, I think.  But that's just me.  Sorry for rambling.

[Tim Ault]

I agree with you on the bigger locks but that little gun only has a lock that's just 4.25 x .875   But my barrel will be bigger than that one also going to be using 13/16"

[Stophel]

Draw it out on paper.  Lay out your barrel and ramrod channel, etc. and put different locks on it to see what fits the gun best.      The Track of the Wolf catalog is quite handy for doing this.

[rich pierce]

Chris Hirsch has several sets of castings that could be used to do something different.

[B.Barker]

Look at the Kibbler late Ketland it's smaller than the Chambers lock. Not sure of the measurements but I have both and Kibbler lock is smaller.

[rsells]

Tim,
I would use Chamber's late Ketland or one of Kibler's late Ketland locks for the project.  These locks are fast and reliable.  Attached are some photo's of a rifle I built using a .29 cal. barrel that was 3/4 inch across the flats straight barrel 44 inches in length.  It made a great handling and shooting rifle.  I rounded the tail of the lock to match the profile of my original I was copying.  Good luck with your build.
                                                                                    Roger Sells

[Randall Steffy]

What a beauty, Roger. My taste in longrifles is still maturing and yours just added another dimension to my taste. Is the BP and TG you used homemade or available commercially? Thanks for posting this fine piece.

[David Rase]

I built this little rifle for my grandson.  It has a .36 caliber 24" long tapered 13/16" to 3/4" barrel.  I removed the internals from a Davis "Becky's" lock and installed them on a lock plate that I made.  I milled my plate from a billet of 1018 mild steel but you could easily make it from a flat piece of steel and silver solder or braze a bolster onto it.
David

[GANGGREEN]

You guys are killing me, some beautiful work there David and Roger.   Beautiful.   I have a 13/16" Getz .36 barrel at FCI being swamped, so it's going to be a really slender/light barrel and I'm trying to decide what to do with it, style, lock type, etc. etc..  Very helpful information.

[rsells]

Randall Steffy,
All the hardware on the little TN I posted were made by me for the project.  On my Southern rifles, I make the butt plate, trigger guard, nose caps, rear sight, patch boxes, ramrod pipes, side plates, and toe plates.  If I am going to use a tang that goes up and over the comb, I make it as well.  These Southern rifles are my first love, but Hawken rifles come a very close 2nd.
                                                                                                              Roger Sells

[Tim Ault]

Thanks folks I'll stay with a bigger lock

[hanshi]

I'm a fan of larger locks and also think they usually look better.  I have a SMR with a late Ketland flint lock that looks good.  I guess its more of a medium size lock actually.