cap lock to rock lock conversion

[Intosomthin]

Forgive me if this is a previously posted thread, if so i cant find it, n yall an encyclopedia of info.
That said, i have a traditions .45 caplock, that shoots where its pointed, my bad eyes open group to 5 inches, young eyes can do clover...
My question is the lock totally sucksssss.
Dun pop cap half the time. N yes i can prolly fix it but heres the question.
Totw sells a flintlock conversion... n i hate caps... its an l&r lock so no fears there... will the vent liner fit the existing drum pos the nipple is on? Or goin need drilling n tapping. Ty

 

[Intosomthin]

Ps... its a tradions .45 pennsylvania rifle

 

[Grenadier1758]

Do the search here on the forum and understand the design of the through breech chamber of the CVA/Traditions breech and why its not recommended to remove the CVA/Traditions drum. Its threaded through the chamber. Replacing the drum with a touch hole liner will leave a gap at the breech to fill with fouling. Not pretty to think of.

Some people have done the transition from cap to flint and you can find those threads too.

 

[mooman76]

The threads are metric. You couldn't find a liner to match before but that doesn't mean you can't now necessarily. Several of us including myself made them out of a metric bolt. Make the liner long enough so there is no gap or remove to clean. Drilling an taping is also a choice. If you do it make sure it is a good lock, not a cheap one.

 

[TNGhost]

L&R is a good lock, no doubt. I have one on my Dixie TN Mtn rifle. I installed it when I converted it from cap to flint. It was easy, bu then the TN mtn rifle was built with the intention of being convertible. Your Traditions was not designed that way, but in following mooman's advice it should be a relatively doable project.

 

[appalichian hunter]

As you TNG I have a Dixie Tenn.. mtn. rifle in .32 cal. that I converted from cap to flint. fairly easy job and I like the option of either cap or flint. As to the traditions rifle in discussion I also would leave it alone and figure out the ignition situation really cannot be to hard to fix that. If I was the original poster I would save my pennies and buy a CVA flinter 2 rifles are always better than 1

 

[Intosomthin]

Ty all that replied.I have a couple links from TOW. Not sure if its as easy as this but they have the lock and liner...
Liner:
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/960/1/THL-CVA-SLock:
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/724/1/LOCK-LR-01-F

 

[mooman76]

Hardest part will be removing the drum. After that, it should be fairly easy. I wouldn't buy a CVA flinter. Their flint locks are kind of iffy as to how good you would get. I'd spend a little extra and get a Lyman or another brand that has better flint locks.

 

[Zonie]

If I was going to make this change from a Traditions or CVA sidelock rifle I would not even try to remove the drum from the barrel.

I would cut off the end of the drum that protrudes outside the barrel and then file what remained of it flush with the barrels side flat.

This would leave the threads of the drum in the breech plug and barrel. Going down the center if this threaded remains is the flame channel hole that used to connect the nipple with the bore.
This hole is much too large for a flintlock vent but by using a #3 drill bit (.2036 diameter) as a tap drill I would drill out the old hole about 1/2" deep.
I would then use a 1/4-28UNF tap to thread this hole.

With the hole threaded, I would install a vent liner with a 1/4-28UNF thread on it. This is a standard size vent liner and it is available from Dixie Gun Works or Track of the Wolf for just a few dollars.
The barrel is now a flintlock barrel that only needs to have the filed areas blued or browned.

A L&R flintlock that is made to be used on the Traditions stock would need to be installed and the gun should be ready to shoot.

The only catch here is, once this change is made, it isn't easy to get the old drum remains out and to then find a replacement side drum that would work to make the gun a percussion gun again.
Also, with the cost of parts being what they are, there is no way to recoup the money spent on this conversion because the Traditions and old CVA's are not selling for a price that would pay for the gun plus the extra parts that had been bought.

 

[Intosomthin]

Again, i apreciate all the replys. Im very new to flintlocks but in love. Im goin to have to go with the old master Zonie on this one, sounds like a (forgive the pun) rock solid solution. As to converting it back, the percusion lock is going in the trash where it belongs lol. If i had to guess it was left cocked for a while... it barely pops caps, i got it used for 300, so 200 for a lock n liner wont hurt it non, its otherwise a nice rifle n good shooter. Again thank you all for input

 

[Intosomthin]

Well, I finally got around to converting this ole penn rifle. Done it just like Zonie said & came off without a hitch. It also fires EVERY TIME you pull the trigger, lol. Good deal, and thank you all for the input.

 

[Intosomthin]

Don't shoot too bad either for a half blind old man, lol

 

[Intosomthin]

If I was going to make this change from a Traditions or CVA sidelock rifle I would not even try to remove the drum from the barrel.

I would cut off the end of the drum that protrudes outside the barrel and then file what remained of it flush with the barrels side flat.

This would leave the threads of the drum in the breech plug and barrel. Going down the center if this threaded remains is the flame channel hole that used to connect the nipple with the bore.
This hole is much too large for a flintlock vent but by using a #3 drill bit (.2036 diameter) as a tap drill I would drill out the old hole about 1/2" deep.
I would then use a 1/4-28UNF tap to thread this hole.

With the hole threaded, I would install a vent liner with a 1/4-28UNF thread on it. This is a standard size vent liner and it is available from Dixie Gun Works or Track of the Wolf for just a few dollars.
The barrel is now a flintlock barrel that only needs to have the filed areas blued or browned.

A L&R flintlock that is made to be used on the Traditions stock would need to be installed and the gun should be ready to shoot.

The only catch here is, once this change is made, it isn't easy to get the old drum remains out and to then find a replacement side drum that would work to make the gun a percussion gun again.
Also, with the cost of parts being what they are, there is no way to recoup the money spent on this conversion because the Traditions and old CVA's are not selling for a price that would pay for the gun plus the extra parts that had been bought.

THANK YOU so very much! Worked perfectly, & now it shoots EVERY time.

 

[pab1]

Nice work @Intosomthin!