CVA St. Louis Hawkins Lock Issue

[Kansas Jake]

If you don't have some thin leather, try to find a thrift shop and buy an old leather coat for a few dollars and cut a piece out of it. The leather might even give you some material for a couple of other projects. A piece of old almost worn out work gloves will work too. Given the lock geometry, it will be tough to use a thick piece of leather.

 

[Versanaut]

Evening all,

@SDS - I have a large notch in the lead for the screw. I ensured there was contact between the flint and the screw. (you can see the screw through the lead in IMG3532. I'll give the leather a second chance though. The picture of your lock has me looking again at my geometry. My half-**** points down, not parallel to the barrel. There are probably a million locks out there with just as many different geometries, but...

Deer Creek returned my email. While not listed on the website, they said they have a lot of left hand components. I'll see if they have a a hammer. If so, I'll compare the two and if they are identical, I'll have one I can modify without remorse! Will also try to get a frizzen. Just to have a spare and to "properly harden" without fear of goofing that up...

 

[SDSmlf]

• Evening all,

@SDS - I have a large notch in the lead for the screw. I ensured there was contact between the flint and the screw. (you can see the screw through the lead in IMG3532. I'll give the leather a second chance though. The picture of your lock has me looking again at my geometry. My half-**** points down, not parallel to the barrel. There are probably a million locks out there with just as many different geometries, but...

Deer Creek returned my email. While not listed on the website, they said they have a lot of left hand components. I'll see if they have a a hammer. If so, I'll compare the two and if they are identical, I'll have one I can modify without remorse! Will also try to get a frizzen. Just to have a spare and to "properly harden" without fear of goofing that up...

A couple of thoughts based on your photographs, call it speculation.

• Looks like you may have relatively thick flints.
• Thicker flint plus two sides of lead increases the package height.
• Increased package height raises the height of the top clamp on the ****.
• Increased height of the top clamp will cause it to strike the frizzen earlier in the stroke of the **** piece.
• If the top clamp hits the frizzen before the flint and the frizzen have done their deed (created a shower of sparks) you will have reduced sparks.
• With the lead protruding out in front of the clamp, the lead will hit the frizzen before the top clamp. Another reduction in sparks.
• Call it the perfect storm....

Suggest you try one of your thinnest flints with a leather holder. You might be surprised with the increase of sparks your lock is throwing.

 

[Versanaut]

Update:

Evening all! I went ahead and picked the thinnest flint we had and installed it in the lock going back to leather. I needed to install it bevel down in order to strike the frizzen face. In this configuration, the flint was just ever so slightly touching the frizzen, but did not hold it open. I also went ahead and started to clean up and polish the frizzen mechanisms. Ran into trouble removing the frizzen itself. The screw wants to strip. Soaked in PB blaster to no avail so I cleaned it up and just took the frizzen spring off and cleaned that up. Will order a new frizzen screw before I seriously try to remove it. That all said, the first couple of cycles threw amazing sparks! So off to the range we went!

We fired some 25 shots. All but 3 flashed on the first drop. We did have over 50% flash in the pan at least once. The liner is drilled out to 1/16th. Might try one more size up on the drill. Swapped from 4F to 3F... Bigger flash, no better luck. I'll be ordering a RMS liner anyway to try. Same threads so no big deal... To White Lightning the vent I think I'd have to oversize and retap the barrel. Prefer no to have to touch that if I can avoid it.

As a side note: I placed and received an order for more flints. The website said I could specify aspects specific to my rifle so I requested all thinner than 3/16th. Unfortunately 8 of the 12 were 1/4 or thicker. I sent an email asking if I could swap them for some dieting flints. Will see.

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I still feel the whole lock/jaw geometry is cramped on this rifle. Going to make replacing each flint a science project.

 

[jdw276]

Update:

Evening all! I went ahead and picked the thinnest flint we had and installed it in the lock going back to leather. I needed to install it bevel down in order to strike the frizzen face. In this configuration, the flint was just ever so slightly touching the frizzen, but did not hold it open. I also went ahead and started to clean up and polish the frizzen mechanisms. Ran into trouble removing the frizzen itself. The screw wants to strip. Soaked in PB blaster to no avail so I cleaned it up and just took the frizzen spring off and cleaned that up. Will order a new frizzen screw before I seriously try to remove it. That all said, the first couple of cycles threw amazing sparks! So off to the range we went!

We fired some 25 shots. All but 3 flashed on the first drop. We did have over 50% flash in the pan at least once. The liner is drilled out to 1/16th. Might try one more size up on the drill. Swapped from 4F to 3F... Bigger flash, no better luck. I'll be ordering a RMS liner anyway to try. Same threads so no big deal... To White Lightning the vent I think I'd have to oversize and retap the barrel. Prefer no to have to touch that if I can avoid it.

As a side note: I placed and received an order for more flints. The website said I could specify aspects specific to my rifle so I requested all thinner than 3/16th. Unfortunately 8 of the 12 were 1/4 or thicker. I sent an email asking if I could swap them for some dieting flints. Will see.

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I still feel the whole lock/jaw geometry is cramped on this rifle. Going to make replacing each flint a science project.

Well congrats on the progress! I am baffled by the flash in the pans. If i read correctly, out of 22 or so strikes with sparks you got 11 flash in the pans. I use 1 grain of 4f, thrown from my measure i made in my cva lefty flinter just like yours. I think your touch hole is more aligned with the pan now. I dont think i have had 11 flash in the pans since i have had the rifle. I know there are lots of reasons for the flash in the pans but might make sure to pick the touch hole after loading to ensure it has a clear path to the main charge and when you clean your rifle the next time, take the touch hole vent liner out and make sure the powder chamber is clean. I use q tips and pipe cleaners through the touch hole.

Glad you are making progress, but i think once you get the hammer geometry aligned properly that will help with the flint selection. Call stonewall creek for your flints. Explain your issue and He will sort though what he has to give you what you need. He is a good man. Glad things are getting a bit better for you.

 

[SDSmlf]

Update:
We fired some 25 shots. All but 3 flashed on the first drop. We did have over 50% flash in the pan at least once. The liner is drilled out to 1/16th. Might try one more size up on the drill. Swapped from 4F to 3F... Bigger flash, no better luck. I'll be ordering a RMS liner anyway to try. Same threads so no big deal... To White Lightning the vent I think I'd have to oversize and retap the barrel. Prefer no to have to touch that if I can avoid it.

Ok, progress is being made. Flash in the pan, I would look at the touch hole, and because you are using removable liners it is pretty easy to adjust. I have always started at a 1/16” through hole, but always seem to end up at 5/64” (.078”) for consistent and quick ignition. Less than .078 diameter, I perceived a delay in ignition, from 32 up to 62 caliber. Based on what I see posted here I expect others will disagree, but that is what I have found. I use a #2 center drill (Do-All brand), hand turning from the inside of the liner to create a chamfer and a minimum length of .78 diameter.