adjusting frizzen

When I got my Blue Ridge flinter the frizzen seem to take a lot force before it would snap open,which can wear down your flints real fast.
Most of the guys at my club shoot flinters,and they showed how easy theirs snapped open,but with still enough pressure let the flint scrape some sparks off before it snapped open.They got a lot more wear from their flints that way.They did it by CAREFULLY grinding the foot of the frizzen until it was just right.
I had a good gunsmith do that to my Blue Ridge,and it made a big difference,but I have never heard of it being done by anyone else or in any articles I have read.
Has anyone else ever done this?

 

[musketman]

This seems to be OK to do, I know people (myself included) who take everything in the lock apart and polish the contact points where parts meet and remove all burrs...

The frizzen's body is probably cast instead of machined, I'm thinking just the striking face is the only surface that is machined...

So the foot of the frizzen may have a few casting flaws on it, and excess metal will cause it to open harder that designed.

This would be better to file the foot of the frizzen than trying to bend the spring, don't want to mess with the temper...

 

Actually I prefer my frizzen to "not open" completely when struck by the flint!!

I think the partialy closed frizzen helps "hold the heat" in the pan for better ignition, and I prefer the lack of a "2nd. jolt" to the lock after pull'n the trigger,.... 'specialy with the "big" locks!!

I also think a frizzen thet doesn't "flip completely open", helps ignition when shoot'n in the wind!!

anybuddy else notice this??.... or is it jest me????

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by rollingb:
I also think a frizzen thet doesn't "flip completely open", helps ignition when shoot'n in the wind!! Anybuddy else notice this??.... Or is it jest me????

My Brown Bess has a firm (but not unbearable) click to it, the large frizzen is held in place by a stout spring.

The frizzen could work as a wind break when shooting into the wind, preventing the flash from ending up on your face...

And to think, all this time I thought I had freckles...

 

Freckles,.. errr!!!.. Musketman,..... A good frizzen will "spark" without a frizzen-spring (you probly already knew thet)! With my "light barreled" NWTG, I prefer to elminate as much "lock-shock" as I can (maybe I'm "over-sensitive" HA! HA!)!!

Seriously tho,.. I know some other competition shooters who also try to eliminate as much "lock-shock" as possible!!

Sounds like yore "Bess" is fairly smooth, compared to some!! (Anythin called "Bess", should be "smooth" and of "fair complextion";>)

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by rollingb:
(Anythin called "Bess", should be "smooth" and of "fair complextion") Yeah, but she has a big mouth...

I polish all moving parts and friction points, the frizzen will open with a flip of the thumb...

I opt for a frizzen spring so I don't loose all of my priming pan powder...

 

Musketman,.... <"I opt for a frizzen spring so I don't loose all of my priming pan powder...">

Me too!!.... I warn't advise'n anyone to remove ther frizzen-spring, but simplely state'n thet it isn't needed in order for the lock to "spark". I've knowed some shooters whats light'ned ther frizzen springs a "liddle bit" ('long with polish'n) to reduce "lock shock"!!

 

[2172]

had the same problem with my new Lyman GPR. I was afraid to mess with the frizzen spring, so I took the frizzen off the lock, and polished the surfaces where the frizzen moved on its pin (axle?)...that, and about 25 shots loosened things up to no problems as of yesterday at the range. Hank