Lock inletting problem

[Bob F]

I am working on my first non-kit rifle and have run into a problem that I would like some suggestions on how to fix.

I am building a .25 with a Rayle .75” straight barrel and a Chambers Late Ketland lock for hunting rabbits and tree rats.
The problem is that I have inlet the lock to the point where I am down to inletting the mainspring and have basically run out of wood to inlet.

.75 barrel and a .25 RR hole = not enough room!

 Half of each means that I don’t have enough room to inlet the mainspring before I break into the RR hole.  I am just starting to break in at the very front of the spring and still need about another 1/16 of room to get the lock completely inlet.

I was thinking of ordering a second mainspring from Jim to try grinding it narrower at the very front to make it so I wouldn’t have to inlet it as deep.  Or should I let it break through and taper the end of the RR so it won’t bind against each other?  If I do try grinding it would I have to re-harden it after grinding it down?

Any suggestions??

[Swampwalker]

Oy! that's a tough one - no matter what you do, you have issues!
How much further do you have to inlet the plate, i.e. how much spring would you have to shave?  I would shave as little as possible, perhaps also taper the ramrod to minimize amount removed from the spring. 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Life sure would be simpler if he would just make those springs slimmer wouldn't it?? 

Taper the rod..... consider widening the RR hole toward the sideplate an ity-bit. The skinny little RR for a .25 should flex over easilly  for that 1/16" you need.......

[Bob F]

Thanks for the suggestions....I think I will just let it break through to inlet it then widen the RR channel and taper the rod a little more.

[Roger Fisher]

Thanks for the suggestions....I think I will just let it break through to inlet it then widen the RR channel and taper the rod a little more.

You just stated the fix!  Plenty main springs have invaded the ramrod hole.

[Acer Saccharum]

You're not the first to have such a problem. Every maker, from the first gun with a rr hole, to the present has had a similar problem. I think there is a ramrod hole scraper that you can easily make to scrape the side of the hole toward the sideplate a touch wider. It may have been Ken Guy's post...it's been a while.

I would not grind the spring down if I could help it.

Original gun with not enough real estate between the spring and the ramrod:

[Acer Saccharum]

I did a search for the tutorial, but maybe it isn't one.

the scraper was just a piece of rod stock, with a little hook of a cutter formed up on one side of the end of the rod. It cut on the pull stroke. if the scraper isn't aggressive enough, just bend the rod a little to create more side pressure on the hole.

The hook is formed by peening the end of the rod up and filing a cutting edge that cuts on the pull.

I bend the other end at a 90 so I can pull on the rod. Put the bend on the same side as the cutter so you know which side of the hole you're scraping.


Tom

[Bob F]

Thanks for all the help.  Widen the RR channel it will be.  I'll post on the results.  Bob

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I made one of those hole scrapers, and it works very slick.  It removed wood in a hurry too.

[Birddog6]

I would buy another mainspring & grind it down & see it that works. Grind it Longways, not crossways & then polish it down to a ? 220- or 320. Don't get it hot when grinding it, grind & let air cool, grind & let air cool, etc.  This way if it works you have the full RR.  And if it don't work you are out the cost of a mainspring, not a big deal.
On a 25 cal you have very little RR as it is & they will break VERY easily. I wouldn't taper one unless I  absolutely had to.   

[Joe Stein]

I think there is a ramrod hole scraper that you can easily make to scrape the side of the hole toward the sideplate a touch wider. It may have been Ken Guy's post...it's been a while.
 It was posted by Dan Phariss in Shop Made Tools:
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=258.0
 There is a good description and picture there.
 

[Bob F]

Time to get a piece of steel and give the scraper a try.

[Bob F]

Well I have the lock in and will work on getting the RR channel a little wider when I get to putting in the pipes.  The rod will be super skinny as it is and I have already purchased a composite one for at the range and will use the one I have to make as little as possible so as to avoid snapping it.  Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement, watching it break into the channel was a little unnerving but it had to be done.

On to the buttplate!