Your TMA Officers and Board of Directors
Support the TMA! ~ Traditional Muzzleloaders ~ The TMA is here for YOU!
*** JOIN in on the TMA 2024 POSTAL MATCH *** it's FREE for ALL !

For TMA related products, please check out the new TMA Store !

The Flintlock Paper

*** Folk Firearms Collective Videos ***



« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks  (Read 1468 times)

Offline Hood

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 48
Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« on: November 30, 2015, 11:10:08 AM »
I am hoping I can get some advice on a problem I have where the pan powder falls between the pan and the barrel. It appears to be about a .017" gap and I am trying to figure out the best way for me to fix it.
  I have given thought to using a shim or using JB weld. I have also thought about using leather like a gasket.
  What are your thoughts on this and the best way to handle the problem? I haven't had the lock apart, so I don't know if it needs some more inletting done.
Thanks!

Logged

Offline prairie dog

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 798
  • TMA Member: Contributing Member #678
Re: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2015, 12:43:56 PM »
Yes, you need to inlet it.  I saw a friend's gun with the same issue.  He had flame coming out of the trigger guard from the powder that had leaked into the lock mortise.  

Get some inlet black and scrape the wood down.  It should fit sung up to the barrel when you finish.
Logged
Steve Sells

Online rollingb

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7012
  • TMA Founder
  • TMA: Founder
  • TMA Member: TMA Charter Member#6
  • Location: Northwest KS
Re: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2015, 02:43:07 PM »
Quote from: "prairie dog"
Yes, you need to inlet it.  I saw a friend's gun with the same issue.  He had flame coming out of the trigger guard from the powder that had leaked into the lock mortise.  

Get some inlet black and scrape the wood down.  It should fit sung up to the barrel when you finish.
:hairy
Logged
"An honest man is worth his weight in gold"
For only $1.25 per-month, you too can help preserve our traditional muzzleloading heritage.
TMA Founder
TMA Charter Member #6

Offline No Rod

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1788
  • TMA Member: 80
Re: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2015, 04:44:01 PM »
I had the same problem on one of mine and did just that, it worked great.
Logged
Get rid of everything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful, the portage will be much easier.

Jon Bertolet
TMA Charter Member #80

Online Hank in WV

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2049
  • TMA Member: Charter Member #65
Re: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2015, 06:10:32 PM »
Don't scrape the wood down until you determine that is really the problem. I've seen several guns where too much wood was removed from the bottom of the lock mortise causing the lock to cant in at the bottom. You may have to build it back up. You can glue in a sliver of wood or use JB Weld or epoxy and just re-inlet the lock.
Logged
Hank in WV
TMA Charter Member #65, exp 4/30/2026
"Much of the social history of the western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good. . ." Thomas Sowell

Offline RobD

  • TMA Admin
  • ****
  • Posts: 3595
  • TMA President & Contributing Member
  • Location: NJ
Re: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2015, 06:16:54 AM »
Quote from: "Hank in WV"
Don't scrape the wood down until you determine that is really the problem. I've seen several guns where too much wood was removed from the bottom of the lock mortise causing the lock to cant in at the bottom. You may have to build it back up. You can glue in a sliver of wood or use JB Weld or epoxy and just re-inlet the lock.

i had that same gap issue with a friend's cheap traditions kentucky flinter. after pulling the lock, i made a small 1/4" wide scraper from a broken off piece of single edged razor blade cya glued into a slot in a 1/4" x 3" oak dowel and carefully scraped the TOP part of the lock mortise first, and kept checking the progress by simply refitting the lock back into the mortise.  once the lock/pan was flush to the barrel, only a little bit of scraping was needed for the lower part of the lock mortise.   :bl th up
Logged

Offline Eric Krewson

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
Re: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2015, 09:29:11 AM »
You can put a square on the top flat of your barrel and see if you lock plate goes in straight as you inlet it deeper. If you have any lock malfunction after you close the gap you can black the lock internals and see if anything is rubbing.
Logged

Offline Hood

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 48
Re: Gap between pan and barrel - powder leaks
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2015, 12:32:19 PM »
Thanks for all the information!
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »