Desperately need a part!!!!

[Mossyrock]

Gents,

I am scraping parts into a pile for a Leman build and have hit a snag. I have everything I need but the trigger plate, and I can't find one anywhere. This is the part I need:
Leman Trigger Plate

I have tried Track, Pecatonica and the Log cabin Shop. Any other suggestions? If you have one or know where I can find one, PLEASE drop me a line. Thanks!!

 

[Vaino]

If you're unable to get the part, make it out of 2 pieces...plate and pivot block and high temp silver solder together. Have made similar parts and it's not difficult at all using 2 pieces. Good luck on finding the part.....Fred

 

[BrownBear]

Have you checked with The Gun Works yet? They have some pretty amazing things hovering in the back room.

 

[J.D.]

I agree with Fred, however, I would make a simple, flat trigger plate and pin the trigger high and about 3/8 from the sear screw.

IMHO, those trigger plates with the vertical bar make for a hard heavy trigger pull, as compared to a trigger pined higher that provides better leverage.

God bless

 

[Swampman]

What about Tip Curtis?

 

[Mossyrock]

Haven't tried him yet.

UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Tip Curtis. He also recommends making a flat trigger plate and pinning through the wood under the lock plate. Sounds like a plan!

 

[Zonie]

If you do choose to drill the trigger pin in the stock, remember, drill the hole all the way thru.

Often in the final stages of making everything work at its best some final filing and fitting is required and the last thing we want to see here on the forum is someone trying to remove a pin in a blind hole.

 

[Bow Creek Bob]

Did you find a trigger & Plate? I think I have a couple over at my shop.

 

[Mossyrock]

I have the trigger, and will pin it through the wood like a fowler. Problem solved.

 

[JohnN]

What about modifying the Tulle trigger plate ? One or 2 pages farther in Track.

 

[Bow Creek Bob]

Mossy, I am not trying to sell you a trigger,but have you checked as to the way originals were done? Pinning a trigger guard is one thing but pinning a trigger seems pretty crude way of doing it. Just my two cents worth.

 

[Jason Lewis]

Mossy, I am not trying to sell you a trigger,but have you checked as to the way originals were done? Pinning a trigger guard is one thing but pinning a trigger seems pretty crude way of doing it. Just my two cents worth.

it's simple and quite effective.

 

[Bow Creek Bob]

I would still rather have the trigger between two pieces of metal than two pieces of wood. Has to last longer and would still like to know if originals were done this way.Wonder if pinning through the stock was a later repair for some rifles. Leman sold parts to alot of other makers so some rifles marked Leman that were pinned through the stock may not have been Lemans. I have an original perc rifle 45" barrel about .40 cal. set triggers, the lock and barrel are marked Leman. Would like to think its an original Leman but cant say for sure. I still think if I was building a half stock I would go with trigger and plate.

 

[J.D.]

Based on my experience with a few originals, and the reports of some very experienced researchers and restorers, a vast majority, if not all flintguns with simple triggers were pinned directly to the stock.

Those simple pinned triggers have lasted for a coupla hundred years, so they must hold up.

God bless

 

[Zonie]

Just a wooden slot for the trigger?

OK.

Remembering that a trigger doesn't have to move very far to fire a gun, I wonder how many times I could rub a little block of smooth steel back and forth that small amount before I could measure any real wear? Not the "polishing" kind of wear. The REAL WEAR that might cause a problem.

I guess I would also have to say that there is very little side load on a trigger when it is being fired. Probably just the side pressure that one finger would produce.

So...I wonder....just how many times would I have to move this slightly loaded piece of steel to cause excessive wear? 2000? 5000? 10000?

No, I don't know the answer and I'm not expecting anyone to give me an answer but put into this scenario I suspect that the real answer is, "It will not wear out in my lifetime."

I guess that is why some of the original builders didn't seem to worry about having a piece of metal holding the trigger in position.

There are a lot of guns that do have steel/iron trigger plates along with the wooden slot to guide the trigger that is just pinned in place but IMO, those plates are there to strengthen the stock* and to give the tang screw a good solid metal part to screw into.

*(The barrel tang screw passing thru the stock and tightening down the trigger plate creates a compressive stress in the wood that strengthens the gun in that area.)

 

[Birddog6]

Lets keep in mind that when you pin a trigger thru the wood of a stock, the Wear is on the trigger at the pivot point & the pin, not on the wood....... Originals were done that way & have lasted hundreds of years & still work.

Me not being real good in math, I can't tell ya exactly how much it moves on the pin, but I can tell ya if that 1.5" long trigger is pulled 3/8" to release the sear. At the pivot point it only moved about .005 to .010" if that. Gonna take allot of pulls to wear out that .062 SS pin !! thousands & thousands !!!!
:shocked2:

 

[Dave K]

I just got finished restoring a 1790's SXS flinter. Both triggers of course shared the same pin. Of course I have no idea how many times this gun was shot in the past 200+ yrs. When I removed the pivot pin (approx. 1/8" dia.) and triggers, to repair cracks in the stock, these parts showed no apparent wear at all. I reassembled these very same parts and I expect them to still be functioning fine 200yrs. from now. Remind me then and I will report back. :grin:

I will have this gun at the CLA show.

 

[oldarmy]

Always used the "trigger assemblies"
After a good friend told me it's much simpler, and easier to just pin the trigger.
He was right.
Have never used another "trigger assembly"
Plus you remove much less wood. Making for a stronger wrist, which means you can shape it thinner.Making it look slimmer at the same time, keeping it strong.