Best Lock inlet?

[jamesthomas]

I may open a can of worms here, but who does the best lock inletting? If you've had several companies TOTW, TVM, Pecatonica do one. Who does the best one? Thanks.

 

[Pete G]

Why not just do it yourself? It's not that hard and you can get the lock located properly in relation to the barrel instead of having to locate a barrel in relation to the lock mortise, which may of may not be in the correct position.

 

[alex efremenko]

1.Cabin Creek
2.Chambers
More due to proper location and minimal clean up work to get it to fit.

 

[Birddog6]

Most of them I see leave allot to be desired, simply because the guys cutting them off Patterns. the dang patterns are worn & they Over-inlet not only the locks, but other things as well.
So you end up getting a nice stock & immediately have to start gluing in strips of wood.

The last two stocks I received that were over-inlet I sent back Collect, as I told them right up front if they were over-inlet they are coming back collect.

Your best option is to SEE it in hand, or order it without a lock inlet.... You will have enough screwups to repair, you don't need them too.

Keith Lisle

 

[inlikeflint]

I did it on the flint pistol I have been working on. It just takes time. Took the parts off the lock plate and used candle soot to mark the stock.
john

 

[Birddog6]

1.Cabin Creek
2.Chambers
More due to proper location and minimal clean up work to get it to fit.

Not hardly...... Don't know about Cabin Creek, but the Chambers stocks I had, All 3 needed wood glued in because the inlets were too large for the parts. I built one & sold the other two as is immediately.

I have the best luck on Precarved stocks from Tip Curtis & Jacks Mountain Stocks. More wood to remove, but better than gluing in wood & trying to match it up & etc.

Keith Lisle

 

[frogwalking]

I have built two Chambers kits. The inlets on both were well done. However, one had the lock inletted 1/4 inch too far back. If I had carefully moved the barrel back, all would have been fine. I did not notice this until the barrel was in place. One note: most kit makers use one stock pattern for several barrel weights. If you order one of the smaller barrels, the stock will be too wide and the inlet not very useful as you will have to move the lock much deeper. I normally inlet my own locks.

 

[jamesthomas]

I have inletted the lock that's on the rifle I'm working on now. I was just checking if anybody thought a pre-inlet lock was worth it. By the looks of things I'll be doing another one come late summer or early fall.

 

[alex efremenko]

I confess that it has been a number of years since I did a Chambers gun. Maybe I was Lucky.

 

[kaintuck]

I would agree with Keith......old worn patterns.....maybe let some inlet my barrels.....but I want to do my own lock inlet!
BTW, just got the full lock inlet and trigger in the canoe gun....got 1st sparks today :grin:

 

[Vaino]

I've only had precarves w/ the lock inlet from 2 companies....Chambers and Pecatonica. The lock inlet on the Pecatonica although nearly perfect, was mislocated and a replacement was necessary. The 3 Chambers precarves were all outlined precisely, but on 2, the plate inlet depth was off and needed a filler.

Realized that having the bbl inlet and RR work done by Dave Rase using a blank was a lot less trouble than using a precarve. Once this work is done and the sawing out of the profile on a bandsaw is finished, the rest is easy. After bandsawing, very little wood is left. Determining the lock position is a very important facet of the build and I prefer to do my own.

Have returned a couple of parts sets {kits} because of poor quality and the troubles that are sure to follow.......Fred

 

[Birddog6]

EVERY precarved stock I have seen to date (and I have seen Allot...of them) that already had the lock inlet, needed the barrel set back more towards the tang for the vent liner to clear the breechplug face & threads. Now some venders will tell you "Just cut a groove into the breechplug, been done for Years that way".

Well, I am sorry, but to me fitting a breechplug perfectly so it seals out moisture, fouling, etc., then cutting a groove across the breechplug face & exposing breechplug threads leaves me a question..... What in the heck is the reason for even seating it at all if you are going to expose it after ya do this ?

Well, I am not gonna do that. I inlet the lock 75%+ of the way, mark the vent position according to the breechplug face & move the barrel back. If it is not HC/PC then the HC/PC police can just arrest me & so be it. Just because someone did something a certain way for years doesn't mean it was the best way, it means they did it & others just copied it.

Regardless of Who you got the precarve from...... If it has the Lock Inlet, ya best be checking the vent liner position to the breechplug face, or ya will be in a mess as several others have been on her.

Keith Lisle

 

[gwill]

I've only built two flintlocks so I'm no expert. However the first one was a precarve with the lock inlet cut by the manufacturer. What a mess. I should have sent it back but I was too inexperienced to realize it! On the next one I listened to the advice of Keith and others and inlet the lock myself. For me it wasn't quick (I work really slow - it's a hobby right?) but the end result was definitely worth it. The lock is in the exact right place in relation to the barrel and snaps into the inlet with no gaps. I don't think I would ever depend on anyone to inlet a lock for me again.

 

[Dane]

You!!!

 

[jerrywh]

I agree with Dane. If you want a good job do it yourself. Dave Race does a great job if you can talk him into it.

 

[Zonie]

Most of my experience with pre-inlet locks is with Pecatonica Rivers stocks.

The mortice was done as I expected it to be. That is, it was undersize for the lockplate.
This is as it should be.

There are variations in these lockplates and by leaving the mortice slightly undersize, the supplier is giving the builder the opportunity to enlarge the cavity for an exact fit with a pointed razor edged Exacto Knife.

Had they made it so the largest lockplate would fit, it would be sloppy for all of the other lockplates.

Sometimes I get the feeling that people who buy these kits expect everything to be done so parts almost fall together. They don't, by design.

As for the location of the pre-inlet mortice, they should be in such a position that moving the barrel aft is necessary to obtain the proper location of the barrels breech plug with the lock.

Again, this is by design because different barrels use different breech plugs so they require the barrel to positioned in a different location relative to the lock depending on who made the barrel and which breech plug is installed.

Sure this takes some measuring and calculating and some work with a good wood chisel but no one ever said these "kits" were supposed to be easy.

IMO these "kits" are a starting place. Everything will need to be measured and adjusted to get everything to come together like it should.

If people realized this before they bought their "kit" and started trying to slap things together without doing the fine fitting needed, they would be a lot happier.

 

[Vaino]

The parts set precarve from Pecatonica had the lock inlet too low ....it was a Hawken and there was no room for the DSTs. Went to their shop and they replaced the {#4}| w/ a #5....beautiful piece of quarter sawn curly maple......Fred

 

[jamesthomas]

How about Muzzleloaders Builders Supply? I've been checking them out and most of their stocks come without the lock inlet, But they will inlet you one for a fee. I would think this would be better cause if you send them the lock and barrel the inlet (should?) be right on. But I have an old catalog (spiral bound :thumbsup: ) and their website doesn't give as much information as the catalog. Just thinking out loud here cause I bought a "A" weight .40 cal. G.M. 38" and a "C" weight .50 G.M. 38" from Pecatonica yesterday and was thinking of getting just the stock for them this summer or fall. I can do a lock inlet but I thought MAYBE they would be a better choice and maybe save me a headache down the road.

 

[fusil de chase]

Get it with out the lock inlet. Per above WAY to much chance of disapointment.

Unless you are putting the barrel, lock and stock in a good man's hands who cares about your success and your willing to pay and to wait then a headache is surely gaurenteed.

You can handle the lock inlet.

 

[kaintuck]

keith, do you think with Barbie working closer now in the barrel end of the company, will make the stock cutters a little better?
she always seems so nice to deal with, maybe we could mention it to her, i may see her in the fall at the Lex KY show~ if I can remember~~ :youcrazy: