L&R replacement locks

[ballen1900]

Hi all,
It's been quite a while since I posted on the forum, but only b/c of Covid and all the crap about that. I survived and I'm here to tell the tale.....

So my question revolves around Steve Selles video on 'imported' flint locks vs. US made locks. Would an L&R replacement lock really help my Lyman GPR be more reliable, given they're ~$220.

As it is, it's not very reliable at all - I get one good fire out of 4-5 attempts. It's really frustrating when I go a range shoot, and everything comes to a halt when my gun is the only one that hangs or doesn't fire at all. So... hence my question. I put enough hours into the gun that I would like to make it work, but..... Or maybe I should start over with a percussion gun....

I dunno, can you convert a GPR flint to percussion???

Thanks,
Bill

[Winter Hawk]

Hmm. I've had several of the GPRs in flint and had no problems with the locks.  In fact, I saw a catalog recently where they sell the Lyman frizzens for T-C because they spark so much better.

What I DID find was that I needed to take the vent liner out, cone it on the inside and drill it out to 1/16" (no larger!).  The lock itself may need to be polished, depending on how old the rifle is.  Take it apart (don't lose the fly!) and take some crocus cloth to all the bearing surfaces.  You are only trying to smooth them, not take any metal off so don't get too aggressive.

There are several folks here who have a lot more experience than I.  RobD and Rondo come to mind; hopefully they will chime in also.  I put an L&R RPL on a T-C which Bigsmoke now has and feel that the hammer strike was much more aggressive than it needed to be.  Otherwise it was a good lock.

~Kees~

[BEAVERMAN]

Like Kees, I've had several GPR's in flint over the years, all have worked well, is the lock not sparking every time or is it sparking and the rifle not igniting?

[Bigsmoke]

Kees - now you tell me?
Yes, it is pretty aggressive, if I get 20 shots out of the flint, it is a truly amazing day.  More like 15.  More than likely, if one were to adjust the angle of the cock, it might be more forgiving.
I have been talking about this for more than a year, but I am seriously thinking about converting it to percussion.  I see two different ways to accomplish that.  One would be to get a drum, install that where the touch hole is.  Then one would have to mill a notch into the lock plate.  And that should pretty much take care of the problem.
The second thought is to get an English sporting rifle style breech plug and swap that with the stock T/C plug, then fit a shotgun lock to the stock and finally solder a rain bar to the barrel.  To my eye, the PA Hunter really does have English sporting rifle lines to it naturally, so that would surely lend more to the illusion.  The only question is:  Would everything fit correctly?  I don't know and I am hesitant to invest the money to find out.
John (Bigsmoke)

[Ohio Joe]

L&R Locks are very good, they harden their Frizzen's correctly IMHO, and IMHO this is something "offshore" Flintlock - Locks - lack in... There was a time you could harden those offshore Frizzen's with Kassnet (Kasnet?) / but that's no longer sold (to my knowledge).

It would be nice to have a Forum "thread / board" on hardening a Frizzen, (the old fashion way) - as well as the modern way. I know there's a leather wrap that can be used in hardening a Frizzen by sealing it up in a tin can and putting it in the coals of a fire - then removing it after a time and letting it cool down before opening it... The Kassnet method was much easier IMHO...
 
 

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1017/1/TRU-SPARK-4

[Rocklock]

I have 3 L&R replacement flintlocks in service along with a couple of Silrs.  All are great locks. I found I can adjust the strike angle a little with longer or shorter flints, mounting w bevel up or down and/or forward/back in the jaws.

[Winter Hawk]

Mr. Smoke, you could try filing down the edges of the mainspring to make it less aggressive.  Not the flat, you don't want to create weak spot. Just the sides so the spring is narrower.  Or contact L&R and see what they can do for you.

I'm sorry if I led you astray when I sold you the rifle, hope that doesn't ruin a beautiful friendship!   

~Kees~

[Bigsmoke]

Kees, I am really not planning on keeping the flint lock in the rifle forever, so it is no big deal.  I know, I have been talking about converting it seemingly forever, but it will happen one of these days.  I am thinking I will keep the lock to use with the smoothbore barrel.  Can't shoot a smoothbore too good, so might as well make some sparks, that way I will have an excuse for missing.
And it would take more than that to ruin a beautiful friendship.
John (Bigsmoke)

[Firewalker]

Came in a little late on this. Back years ago when all us old guys were new and broke we used to re-sole frizzens, like CVA and other inexpensive locks including a Lyman or two. I would grind down the frizzen so it was thinner and get a heavy hack saw blade and grind it and shape it to mach the frizzen. Then harden the heck out it with kasenite and carefully solder it to the frizzen. in most cases it worked great. I guess you could use JB weld also.

[Fyrstyk]

I too am late to the conversation.  I converted my Lyman Great Plains to percussion by installing a Mule ear lock.  Just had to take out the touch hole line and install a nipple.  The flint lock on the gun was semi reliable.  I had trouble getting a good spark after about 5 shots, which required flint knapping (which I am terrible at).  Thus the conversion, for now.  Been happy with the conversion, and haven't put the flint lock back in the gun for about 15 years. [ Invalid Attachment ]  [ Invalid Attachment ]

[Ohio Joe]

I like that! Over time there have been some conversation on converting these "snail" breeches, and this is (IMHO) the way to go if one is looking to convert.

Could we see a picture of the conversion without the lock in? Thanks, and good thinking!!!