Lock Differences

[Minnesota Mike]

Curious as to differing opinions on coil spring versus leaf spring as the source of power in a percusson lock.

Buddy recently bought a renegade style with a coil spring lock is the basis for my question.

r/
MM

[Riley/MN]

Whaddya wanna know?

Not traditional for the purist, but they work fine. Nobody sees it anyway...

[Minnesota Mike]

Functional comparison.

So far, not impressed by the newer coil spring version.

Am also curious as to when that design came about and why.

r/
MM

[wwpete52]

I don't own one but I would think that the coil spring would last a life time.

[Gambia]

I agree with Riley I have been shooting an Investarms for years no problems.With the numbers of Lymans out there and the way shooters like them coil springs can't be to bad.

[vermontfreedom]

my personal opinion is that coil springs aren't as strong leaf springs

my wife's Trade Rifle (new in 2005) has a coil spring and I'm pretty the now 20-year old trade rifle i learned on had a leaf spring. the new one is weaker in my recollection

i have a chambers golden age and there's no question it's 5x as strong as that coil in my wife's lyman.

i think it does make a difference in spark

if you take care of your lock (i.e., take it out and clean it after a shoot or a hunt), this should be a problem, but I can see rust/corrosion harming a coil spring a lot sooner that a leaf spring

[Captchee]

well basically  the coil spring produces a different type of energy   and creates less friction within the lock .
 something along the lines of   the same principle of a roller frizzen vs. a  standard frizzen .
 as to the coil spring being traditional for purists . This depends on  the  gun . Where coil springs used on American side locks ?  I don’t believe so . At least I have not seen any . But were coil springs used to fire the locks on firearms ? Ya  that were  especially very early inline ignitions systems dating to the  to the late 17th and early 18th centuries

[Uncle Russ]

I have often wondered this same thing....which is actually stronger?

I suspect that if I had to bet money on which is "stronger", I just might have to put my money on the leaf spring. But If I had to bet on which would last longer, with fewer problems, I may have to change my mind.

As to which is best, I am by no means qualified to make a statement, pro or con, on this, but I have a strong suspicion that if I was forced to opine, I just might lean a bit toward the coil spring....as disliked as it is by many.

Just my thoughts..........

Uncle Russ...

[oomcurt]

Fwiw.... I have had a TC Renegade with a coil spring in percussion. I never had any problem with it. As long as the nipple is the proper size for the cap and is in good condition it should work fine. After all both are made of spring steel. It doesn't take a powerful spring to set off a cap. Incidentally...the same rifle also had a flint lock with it with a coil spring, ditto on its performance. Now, I will grant you with a leaf spring it does seem to have more power, but as Captchee pointed out..different dynamics are at work.