little tip to the lock

[yip]

   i must be getting older or not paying attention, but in building my 9th rifle, i inletted my lock a little tipped.the touch hole lines up good, but darned thing is a little tipped up on the front end. the only thing i'm worried about is the placement of the front lock screw. should i start over again, or keep on a building,i started with a blank, and did it all, barrel channel, ram rod hole, butt plate, the whole nine yards.but when it came to the lock, well i'm a little perplexed now. i never had is happen before. is there a cure?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

You need to establish where the web is, between the bottom of the barrel channel, and the rod hole.  Your forward lock screw will pass through that web.  So measure and see if it will come through the web, and catch the metal on the forward end of the lock plate.  We'll go from there.

[smshea]

You need to establish where the web is, between the bottom of the barrel channel, and the rod hole.  Your forward lock screw will pass through that web.  So measure and see if it will come through the web, and catch the metal on the forward end of the lock plate.  We'll go from there.

What Taylor said!
 If the front of the lock is tipped up then straight through the web should work fine. Worst case scenario... you have to move the screw up a tad and file a notch in the bottom of the barrel if the barrel is thick enough....most are.There are plenty of originals like this. just be careful of where the screw head is going to be on the side plate side.Too high can look strange. 

[Acer Saccharum]

You could also hold the lock in with one screw. Depends on the time period, what style, etc.

Tom

[Roger Fisher]

This has been gone over before and is quite common. 

Thinning the frt bolt and tapering the r rod may be enough.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I replaced a lock in a percussion rifle, with Davis' Late Ketland lock, filing the plate to fit the old lock's mortise.  There was no metal for the forward screw because of the mainsping.  So I cut off the forward screw and riveted it into the hole in the side plate, loosely, so that it just spins if you forget and try to turn it out.  The rear screw does all of the work, with lots to spare.

[yip]

 thanks fellas; i think i have enough in the web to make it work,although i know of the problem, i think it will be just fine.  thanks again

[jwh1947]

If you see that you will likely have most of the web but you are off just a bit and the bottom of your front bolt enters the rod channel, consider notching the front bolt in the bottom center.  I've seen originals so tweaked and have done it myself.

[Pete G.]

Get a Chambers gunsmith lock and cut out the plate to fit the lock panel and inlet as required. Save the present lock for the next build.