Chambers Flintlock Kits?

[Greebe]

Has anyone put together one of the Chambers Flintlock kits? I am considering going that route to save some money and because I enjoy building things. I am a machinist so have the equipment and know how.

Thanks,
Greebe

 

[rich pierce]

Yes, 30 years ago. It's a good learning experience.

 

[agill]

Yep. I have done two of them. You can search for my posts and take a look at the progress and the finished rifles.

 

[Mercian]

I'm about to start one, 12ga colonial fowler, never built one before but I was a blacksmith for 32years and do apply myself to some woodwork, so fingers crossed I'm hoping I'll be able to cope.

 

[Greebe]

Thanks guys for the responses, however I think I might not have been clear with what I was asking. I am actually looking at one of the actual lock kits like this:

Thanks,
Greebe

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hi,
There is not too much in putting one of these locks together.
The holes are spotted for the screws, so drilling & tapping will not be difficult.
Polishing all parts for a machinist is nothing.
If the frizzen is hardened great, if not that is easy to do.
All you really have to do is a little polishing (correctly) tapping and case hardening.
No big deal.
Good luck
Fred

 

[wattlebuster]

Yes several of them. Best kits out there in my opinion :hatsoff:

 

[Greebe]

Thanks guys for the responses. I am not worried about having the aptitude to complete the operations, but I am not sure if someone, like myself who does not have much experience with flintlocks, would be able to get it tuned right. I am pretty detail oriented, some call me anal, and can figure just about anything out.

I didn't know though if there was some special magic :stir: to putting them together and having them work properly. :grin:

 

[Billnpatti]

Chambers kits are not the kind that you just assemble and finish like many of the kits from the various sporting goods stores. His kits are more of a bunch of excellent parts that you will have to cut, fit, drill and finish. Not a beginners kit but with care, books and lot of patience, you can certainly turn out a fine gun. I know it can be done because I have built two of them.

 

[Stoner]

With the barrels that come with the Chambers kits I notice they have the dovetail notches cut out for the front and rear sights. Are the barrels crowned as well? There anything that you have to do to the barrel with the Chambers kit?

 

[F.G. Ford]

One thing you will find useful is a mainspring vise.
That tool compresses the main spring, using visegrips will only end in tragedy, with your main spring.
If you are going to get into this, get the right tool.
Track of the Wolf has them, they are not pricey.
I must caution you that gunsmith tools are not the same as machinist tools. Some are interchangeable but not all.
Good luck!
Fred

 

[Stoner]

One thing you will find useful is a mainspring vise.
That tool compresses the main spring, using visegrips will only end in tragedy, with your main spring.
If you are going to get into this, get the right tool.
Track of the Wolf has them, they are not pricey.
I must caution you that gunsmith tools are not the same as machinist tools. Some are interchangeable but not all.
Good luck!
Fred

Chambers has the main spring vise on their web site as well.

 

[Vaino]

Have assembled a few older Bud Siler flintlocks....before Chambers.

Your biggest concern will be heat treating the parts correctly....unless you've got the use of a furnace.....Especially the frizzen.....Fred

 

[Zonie]

Heat treating the frizzen, tumbler and sear is critical but it isn't that hard if the Siler kit instructions are followed. (Yes, the tumbler and frizzen is left soft in the kit because they both need to be drilled (and threaded in the case of the tumbler)).

I consider the greater challenge to be drilling the hole thru the lockplate, frizzen and frizzen bridle as being more difficult.

These parts must be almost finished and assembled before drilling the screw hole thru all three parts simultaneously. They cannot be drilled as individual pieces and have them line up like they must to work properly.

Actually, this part of building one of these kits is a big enough PITA that I recommend that it not be done by a novice. At least not unless he/she wants to buy several replacement parts to replace the ones they messed up.

The lock on this Kentucky is a converted percussion exactly because of my screwing up "the drilling of the frizzen". I decided it was easier to cut off and modify the pan than to buy several new parts to try again. :grin:


Now, building a percussion Siler kit is pretty easy and straight forward so long as the heat treatment is done right.

 

[jdkerstetter]

I don't find that building locks from kits that are otherwise available built much of a money saver. Good experience, but the time it takes...... :shake:

I'd reserve lock building to castings like those from Jack Brooks, or other locks that can't be easily attained commercially assembled.

Besides heat treating, another critical step is drilling the tumber shaft hole in the plate to the exact size of the shaft after it's turned and hardened. Any slop will effect lock operation and longevity.

Also, don't necessarily trust that the dimples in the lock plate in these kits are exactly where the holes go. There is a certain ammount of shrinkage from casting. The guys who assemble a lot of locks have jigs set up to do these operations.

Good luck, and just Enjoy the Journey, J.D.