is this an issue?

[KDubs]

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 so I ran this past Eric before posting here.
 this is the lock from the trade gun that I am considering buying from eric.
 We had a chance to shoot today and before starting I noticed the hammer did not line up with the frizzen.
 as you can see in the photos it appears the tumbler is not straight and true,  causing the hammer to lean in toward the barrel and thereby causing the rock to need to be placed overhanging the outer edge of the jaws. not ideal I know.
 from my initial look it seems the tumbler is sitting flat inside the lock .

 Everything seemed to function well as long as I did my part, shot straight.

 any thoughts on this. new tumbler ? something I'm missing ?  where to get a tumbler for a Northstar west?
 I think I'll take it apart tomorrow and inspect/reinstall everything.

 Eric has been more than kind and gracious , he has agreed to take the gun back no questions but if its something I can fix then I'd rather do that as long as its not replacing the lock $$ .
 kevin
 
 

[rollingb]

I wouldn't be overly concerned about it, unlike a percussion the design of a flintlock leaves one a bit of "wiggle room" with flint alignment.
I have 3 NSTGs myself and would also like to find a source for parts (just in case).

[Second-rate Marksman]

Eric has been more than kind and gracious, he has agreed to take the gun back no questions…

 

Not so much kindness or graciousness as seller’s remorse, I suppose… fueled by seeing the nearly cloverleaf groups you were getting with it at 25 yards!

I’m scratching my head over this one and could use some insights. Ric Carter, who worked for North Star West and knows his stuff, mentioned that the lock components don’t look like the kind NSW typically used. That got me wondering—could the internals in their kits have been different from the ones in their factory-assembled guns?

At first, I started leaning toward the idea that this might be a Chief’s Grade kit gun from another manufacturer. But after some digging, I haven’t found any evidence of another company offering something like this.

The more I look at it, the more convinced I am that this is a North Star West trade gun, just like the seller claimed when I bought it off ALF a few months ago. What’s throwing me off is the lock internals—they’re not what I’d expect compared to NSW factory guns.

[Second-rate Marksman]

I wouldn't be overly concerned about it, unlike a percussion the design of a flintlock leaves one a bit of "wiggle room" with flint alignment.
I have 3 NSTGs myself and would also like to find a source for parts (just in case).

I hate to say it, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. I’ve contacted the gentleman who bought all of NSW’s stock after the company folded, trying to source parts for some club members. Each time, he promised to check his inventory but never followed up. When I pressed him, he explained that his plans to start a trade gun business were derailed by his town’s anti-Second Amendment stance.

[rollingb]

I hate to say it, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. I’ve contacted the gentleman who bought all of NSW’s stock after the company folded, trying to source parts for some club members. Each time, he promised to check his inventory but never followed up. When I pressed him, he explained that his plans to start a trade gun business were derailed by his town’s anti-Second Amendment stance.

If I were him,.... I'd move somewhere else.

[Second-rate Marksman]

Agreed!

I don’t know what to make of things here. I’ve had two people reach out to me who have both claimed to have built NSW kits. One claims the bridle and mainspring don’t appear to be stock items, and the other says that the parts look exactly like the ones in the kit he built. 🤷‍♂️

[Winter Hawk]

As Rondo said, don't be too concerned about it if it functions correctly.  The problem could be the tumbler, or the gun may have been dropped and the cock bent over a touch.  From my experience, and that ain't saying much, they are fairly malleable and you might be able to take it off and straighten it with some judicious hammer and tong work.  Repeat, judicious!  This may be the one which is brittle....

~Kees~

[KDubs]

It's some issue with the tumbler.
 There is a lot of slop or play in all the fittings.
  Cock is definitely not bent.
 My issue mainly is it's supposed to be a northwest star but I don't think it is at least not completely.
 I wouldn't buy a car with 3 good tires and one cockeyed one
 " But it still runs good "
 Just me I guess
 Anyways it's all good, Eric and I are square.
 We just want to figure this out, cuz he's the one getting screwed.
Kevin
 Kevin

[Second-rate Marksman]

Oh, I certainly don’t feel like I’m ‘getting screwed’. It was my gun to begin with, remember? I just feel bad, because I know how you pined away for a trade gun. I’m just glad the issue was discovered before any money changed hands.

At this point, I have absolutely no question regarding its authenticity as a North Star West-manufactured piece. I’ve heard that the quality of the lock components simply varied throughout the gun’s period of manufacture. Apparently kit guns and factory guns in particular differed in this respect.

I’ve already got a couple of guys who say they might have the necessary components in their parts drawers, so I’m not too concerned about sourcing things. If I have to have a blacksmith make me said parts, then I’ll go that route. I’ve got no shortage of options here. Then again, performance doesn’t appear to be affected whatsoever as long as there’s a good sharp flint, so perhaps I’ll let it alone. If I have to place the flint in the jaws slightly cock-eyed to compensate for the misalignment, I can live with that.

[KDubs]

I have to agree, Eric has done a ton of research on this and it seems after consulting with a close friend with the same gun and the same misaligned cock n hammer this is normal.  Not a problem at all.
 So looks like I am buying a trade gun.
 As mentioned it fires no problem, I was just sure there was something a miss with that lock.
 Kevin