Locks for Southern Mountain rifles

[eagle24]

Anybody care to comment on the L&R "Late English" or "Durs Egg" locks.  Mainly interested in function and reliability.  I really like the Chambers "Late Ketland", but also like the design of these L&R Locks for a Southern Rifle.  PM if you prefer.

[Ken G]

"Mainly interested in function and reliability."

You can't beat the Chambers Late Ketland for function and reliability.  Add the best customer service out there and the only reason I would ever use another lock is because Chambers doesn't make one that looks like what I need.

Ken

[C Wallingford]

I agree with Ken. Quality is top notch.

[eagle24]

Guys, I know the Chambers Late Ketland is good.  That's all I am shooting on my rifles and is the lock I used on my last build.  I just like the look of the Durs Egg and Late English and was thinking somebody might talk me into trying one.  Somewhere I remember reading (maybe here) that the person who assembles a lock and tunes it is a big factor in how well the lock performs.

[Mike Brooks]

I could never get the L&R late english to work. Used it twice, never again. The durrs Egg works OK if you do some work to it. Keep plenty of spare parts on hand.

[Joey R]

That about sums it up!!

[David Rase]

Greg,  I used an L&R Durs Egg on my chunk gun.  The lock works just fine.  If I had to do it over again I would use the Chambers Late Ketland just because.  You can do a lot with the late Ketland.  Just look at Bill Shipman's recent reshaping of one.
DMR

[eagle24]

OK.......it's pretty obvious which is the better lock.  I've got a new Late Ketland hanging on the wall anyway.

Dave,  the stock inlet and rr hole look great.  Thanks!

[Sean]

Greg,

I won't comment on reliability issue other than to say that the Chambers locks are top notch.  As for the styling of the other two, they would not be my first choice for a southern gun.  The Durs Egg is a bit on the fancy side for a southern gun and likely a bit early.  Its just a step above the average English import lock of the day in styling.  The Late English just looks too thick for my tastes on a slim southern rifle.  If I were to look for another lock other than the Chambers to put on a southern rifle, I would probably look at the Caywood southern lock although I haven't used one.  Its a nice looking, small English lock with a pigeon-breasted cock, a waterproof pan, and a square tail.  It fits the styling of the period quite well.

Sean

[Bill of the 45th]

With file work, and imagination you can reshape the Late Ketland to look like a number of English hardware locks.  That said, you're stuck with one of the L&R's for a left handed gun.  I'm building one now for a friend, and the best of that lot is the Durs Egg.  Seems like they spend more time on the lefty's, as I've not had much of a problem with them.  Now if Jim made a Late Ketland Lefty, that's what I would go with, just because if there is that remote problem, Jim solves it right now.  Unfortunately the cost of doing that is prohibitive, and it would be a long time til break even, though it would be a hot seller.

My two pense

Bill

[wvmtnman]

I'll throw a couple others out.  The late English lock by Davis or a Roller lock.  The Roller is similar to an L & R Manton.  Wait time on a Roller is about 6 to 8 weeks.  He uses the Manton frizzen and machines the rest.  They are $210 which includes shipping and a lock bolt.  I just ordered one for a .30 caliber southern rifle I will be building this summer.
                                                                          Brian

[Ken G]

You can easily do an English makover on a left handed Siler.  I know, the lock panels are too large but the lock doesn't look like a Germanic lock anymore.

[Pete G.]

I built a Southern gun with the Durs Egg. The strong springs ate up flints in about 25 shots until I lightened the feather spring. Fixed the problem and worked fine for about a year and then it broke in the bend. The replacement I ordered was much weaker than the original. Perhaps it was a problem that L&R recognized and addressed or maybe it was just the luck of the draw. I don't know. I haved also used a Chambers Golden Age lock on another build and it was an excellent lock. In my limited experience, the L&R needed a little more tuning, but another example may not.

I guess that is why we can never build just one rifle, we just have to keep going ang going and going......

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Too many locks....too little time............

[Steve Bookout]

Amen to having spare parts around for the L&Rs.  If they aren't eating flints, they're breaking the tumbler arms for the stirrup.   Cheers, Bookie

[B.Barker]

Here's a Chambers gunmakers lock I have turned into an English lock. They are a little on the large side but will work. Soon as my mom gets out of the hospital I'll finnish it and the rifle.

[rsells]

I have used L&R locks for my Southern Mountain rifles in the past without any issues.  I have changed to the Chamber's late Ketland since it hit the market and really like it.  I have had no problems with the rifles I have built with the late Ketland.
                                                     Roger Sells

[Bill]

Where can I find the post showing Bill Shipman's work on the Late Ketland?
Thanx
Bill

[G-Man]

I have a Chambers late Ketland and a Dale Johnson Siler on my bench and they, along with one of Bob Roller's, are truly the nicest funcitioning locks "out of the box" that I have ever had.  Just literally nothing that seems to be needed to be tuned on them, other than modifying the plates, etc. a tad for my specific projects.

Most of the late English flint locks being offered today are a bit fancier than you see on mountain rifles, but they are close.  It is interesting - you don't see many built with the Roller locks, but if you look at some of the photos in Dennis Glazener's book, the Roller lock is almost dead on to several shown on some of  the flint Gillespie rifles, and some East Tennessee guns in Jerry Noble's books.  Now that the price of other locks is creeping up there, Bob's prices are not that far off from the others now.

That being said, there are some others available.  The Davis late Ketland (formerly Ron Long), with the square tail, is an appropriate style and the ones I have picked up at Tim's booth at Friendship seem to be nice.  Also, Tip Curtis offers 4 variations on a Late English style - I think Pete Allan designed them(?) (sorry if I am mistaken on that) -  gooseneck cock, reinforced cock (like the Roller), bridled pan, "V" shaped pan, in all possible combinations.  His are a little bigger than the Roller lock.

I have an L&R Manton on the first Tennessee rifle I built about 15 years ago - it works fine - it eats flints a little faster than my other locks, but nothing severe.  I think it did have a  screw that was stripped when I got it but any problems I have had with L&R locks they took care of right away no questions asked.  I have not checked out any of their locks in a number of years though.

Guy

[eagle24]

Guy,  Sent you a PM

[heinz]

Guy, I think your Whipoorwill rifle has a Roller lock (and a Bill Large barrel).  I remember taking that lock apart to polish and tune then just saying "really nice work" and simply putting it back together.