How often should a lock be disassembled and cleaned? Currently, I only have time to shoot mine maybe once a month. After each shooting session I remove my lock and scrub it woth soapy water, then moose milk, then I will lube it with ballistol before reinstalling it. Since I don't know when my next outing will be i want to make sure it's cleaned good enough to last a long time in storage just incase. I have only disassembled it once to do a little lock work but didn't know if I should take it appart more often than once a year or so. Also, is just using oil good for lock lubeing since I clean and lube after every shooting session or should I use a grease as well?
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How often to disassemble lock?
- Thread starter awreis
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maillemaker
45 Cal.
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I hardly ever disassemble my competition locks. I will pull them from the stock, dunk clean them in the sink with warm soapy water, blast dry with compressed air, and then spray with Kroil and wipe down.
There is little reason to disassemble a functioning lock.
There is little reason to disassemble a functioning lock.
I only disassmble a lock if it needs a little "tuning" or least some friction reduction.
Your cleaning process is good enough, and with experience, and trial and error, you'll learn where to add just a little extra grease in only just the right spots.
Your cleaning process is good enough, and with experience, and trial and error, you'll learn where to add just a little extra grease in only just the right spots.
ronaldrothb49
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I do pull the lock and clean it every time I clean a rifle. I see no reason to disassemble the lock unless there is something that needs to be worked on.
I usually disassemble my locks only once to tune them. Then like others have said a good cleaning after shooting and re-oil is all that is needed, unless there is a problem.
I rarely disassemble the locks on my guns. For cleaning, I place the entire lock in my ultra sonic cleaner, then blow dry with compressed air, and lube as necessary. For my hunting rifles, I like to lube the lock with dry graphite for cold weather use, Oils and grease can sometimes slow down a lock when the temps get below freezing.
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With a lock that is properly fitted up against the barrel there is no fouling or anything else getting down to the inside of the lock so really there is no reason to clean the inside of the lock.
I only pull the lock off because it makes the rest of the gun easier to clean using one of those magnet-hose thingies (whatever they are called) and then I am basically cleaning the outside of the lock before reinstalling.
This is assuming cleaning in the shop, field cleaning I would not even take the lock off.
Unless there is a problem why would you disassemble the lock?
I only pull the lock off because it makes the rest of the gun easier to clean using one of those magnet-hose thingies (whatever they are called) and then I am basically cleaning the outside of the lock before reinstalling.
This is assuming cleaning in the shop, field cleaning I would not even take the lock off.
Unless there is a problem why would you disassemble the lock?
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Hi,
There is no reason to take a lock apart for cleaning. However, always remove the lock from the stock and clean it after shooting. I simply dunk mine in water and scrub with a tooth brush. Then dry with a paper towel and spray with WD40 to disperse any remaining water. WIPE off the WD40 and then grease the tumbler where the mainspring slides on it and put a little grease on the frizzen spring where the toe of the frizzen slides. Then a few drops of gun oil on the tumbler and sear and put it back on the gun. When removing a lock from the stock, it is best to loosen the lock bolt(s) and then tap them to push the lock out of its mortise rather than yanking the lock out by grabbing the flint cock and levering it out.
dave
There is no reason to take a lock apart for cleaning. However, always remove the lock from the stock and clean it after shooting. I simply dunk mine in water and scrub with a tooth brush. Then dry with a paper towel and spray with WD40 to disperse any remaining water. WIPE off the WD40 and then grease the tumbler where the mainspring slides on it and put a little grease on the frizzen spring where the toe of the frizzen slides. Then a few drops of gun oil on the tumbler and sear and put it back on the gun. When removing a lock from the stock, it is best to loosen the lock bolt(s) and then tap them to push the lock out of its mortise rather than yanking the lock out by grabbing the flint cock and levering it out.
dave
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For myself, it depends on the lock. If the pan is detachable, I often remove the pan, frizzen and leaf spring to clean out that area but generally nothing else.
For locks with integral pans i don’t take them apart, other than the top jaw and jaw screw.
The only time i take my locks apart is when there’s a problem, such as scratch marks on the inside of the lock plate from the tumbler is an indication that the parts are rubbing and may need to be deburred.
For locks with integral pans i don’t take them apart, other than the top jaw and jaw screw.
The only time i take my locks apart is when there’s a problem, such as scratch marks on the inside of the lock plate from the tumbler is an indication that the parts are rubbing and may need to be deburred.
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Forgot to mention.
so if you’re using heavy gun grease on a lock, that may need to be cleaned out from the internals from time to time. I don’t use heavy grease, a lot of reinactors use TOO MUCH grease, I’ve seen as much as half a tube of Hopps gun grease on the inside of the lock. Too much grease can pick up dirt, metal shavings, wood, etc and it could potentially rot the lock mortise.
I only use a very small amount of grease, (graphite grease or copper colored grease) on lock internals but it’s usually the screws so they don’t seize up.
I have never disassembled a lock unless I was building a gun and needed to inlet the lock.
I always take the lock off when I am cleaning the gun and place a folded-up paper towel over the vent to catch all the water and crud that blows out of it when I am ramming cleaning patches down the barrel.
In this picture I have the barrel full of water soaking, toothpicks in the vent leak so I have a paper towel positioned to keep the water off the stock. After I dump the water out, I move the paper towel up and over the vent to catch the crud as I start to dry things out.
I always take the lock off when I am cleaning the gun and place a folded-up paper towel over the vent to catch all the water and crud that blows out of it when I am ramming cleaning patches down the barrel.
In this picture I have the barrel full of water soaking, toothpicks in the vent leak so I have a paper towel positioned to keep the water off the stock. After I dump the water out, I move the paper towel up and over the vent to catch the crud as I start to dry things out.
I never take locks apart.
Pull them from the gun, wash them in soap & water.
Put the hair dryer to them & oil using fresh 10W-30 motor oil.
This process usually takes 6-8 minutes on a normal day of shooting.
Put back on gun & store it in the safe.
Pull them from the gun, wash them in soap & water.
Put the hair dryer to them & oil using fresh 10W-30 motor oil.
This process usually takes 6-8 minutes on a normal day of shooting.
Put back on gun & store it in the safe.
Been in this hobby for 30 years and have a dozen muzzleloaders, have not taken a lock apart yet.
My routine also. Never take apart except for tuning or repairs.
I’ve been using my restocked Moroku (sp?) Brown Bess for 45 years and never disassembled the innerds.
Never did that with my 40 year old L&R Durrs Egg lock. Actually, I’ve never disassembled any of my ten flintlock locks.
And yet, I still sleep well each night
Never did that with my 40 year old L&R Durrs Egg lock. Actually, I’ve never disassembled any of my ten flintlock locks.
And yet, I still sleep well each night
BJHabermehl
40 Cal
Somewhere between seldom and never. Usually when I build a rifle the lock is disassembled and reassembled a couple of times. I usually do any tuning and debugging in the process. When in service my lock cleaning steps mimic Dave Person’s. BJH
exactly my procedure Dave,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Only for repair, or finishing
westrayer
40 Cal
The only time I has disassembled a lock was to polish the parts for better trigger pull. I clean with hot soapy water, GunScrubber, and then 1000+ on a toothbrush as a protector against rust.
I just take the lock off to clean. Only take apart for repair. Dunk it in hot water with some Dawn. Shoot it with wd40 and later balistol
