Damaged half draw notch!!

[Roger Fisher]

This is simply a heads up!

Shot at Danville today (not so good either))  Although conditions were ideal. Overcast calm and cool!!  

In any case I noticed the main spring felt a bit 'soft' on it's trip to half draw.  I normally pull and clean the lock innards and took a close look at her tonight and immediately saw that 90% of the half draw notch was broken away and she was holding by barely a frog hair.  So, a new tumbler is going in.  

It pays to look her over frequently.  Could save some embarrassment!

I will add that this lock (siler) has well over 60,000 firings and this was the original
tumbler!   Can't complain too much


Took her apart tonite and found the short arm of the m spring was cracked just rear of the 'tit'. I did say she felt 'soft'.  So now she's getting a new m spring also!  This was not the original main spring; but I know its a loooong time since the last replacement....

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I would bet good money that there is no 18th or 19th century rifle that in its day, fired that many rounds, Roger.  So I'd further suggest that the entire lock owes you nothing.  That is fabulous testimonial for the Siler lock.

[wvmtnman]

I have had that happen to the last two rifles I made.  Not sure what is happening.  I am treating these just like all the others.  WHile they are in the white I sight them in and have a little fun before finishing them up.  Sure enough, broke the tumblers while using.  One was a siler mtn lock and the other was a Davis colonial American, which is actually tuning out to be a pretty good lock!  After replaced, there have been no issues....
                                                                            Brian

[Dphariss]

2000 days of shooting at 30 shots a day.

Dan

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Here's a great way to break the half cock notch off your tumbler, and/or the tip off your sear's nose...bring the cock back to half bent, and fire off the set triggers.  If you want to check your triggers out, make sure the cock is all the way forward, and the frizzen open. Yes, it's common sense, but I see it all the time.

[Dphariss]

Here's a great way to break the half cock notch off your tumbler, and/or the tip off your sear's nose...bring the cock back to half bent, and fire off the set triggers.  If you want to check your triggers out, make sure the cock is all the way forward, and the frizzen open. Yes, it's common sense, but I see it all the time.

Yes indeedy.

Dan

[rich pierce]

Roger, are you still on the original frizzen?  I get flint customers asking me if their frizzen is going to get worn through.  I assume it's not paper thin?   

[Roger Fisher]

Roger, are you still on the original frizzen?  I get flint customers asking me if their frizzen is going to get worn through.  I assume it's not paper thin?   

My 'shooter' is one of those damnable 'cussin' guns   Although I replace the ol nips from time to time..

My smoothy is a durs Egg withquite a lot of rounds thru her and am still on the original frizzen.  I smooth it's face with emory paper wrapped around a steel rod also at times. Although the L&R has had more than it's share of spring problems (at least mine) She does have an excellent frizzen.  Get steady fire!

[Daryl]

You can re-grind the firzzens a number of times before they need replacing. They only need re-grinding if they break flints often due to gouges.  Keep the top-jaw screw tight, with failry thin leather or lead and you'll get less bounce. Also, some locks have the wrong angle of the cock jaws and strike ahead and smash the flint against the frizzen, instead of scraping down it's face. in the proper arc.  The first lock described smashes flints and cuts a quick groove across it's face, while the second's frizzen lasts for thousands of shots.

An 8" grindstone's radus fits most firzzens quite well - apparently, according to Taylor. Remove just enough to smooth out the face.

Some locks will allow reversing the bevel, from up to down, making the flint strike higher, and thus with proper angles, re-cut the frizzen's face when firing.  I have two flinters that do that perfectly. When it gts a good groove cut, I reverse the flints and re-cut the face evenly, top to bottom - then go back to bevel up.

I learned all this stuff from him as I'm new to flintlock guns & know little about them but I'm learning, absorbing everything I can.