My article is now found here on the forum, under member resources, under " Articles". I do discuss design fundamentals, without naming specific locks or makers. I cannot disagree with Dan's remarks, based on similar observations I have made of my own, however.
My article does detail HOw to set the flint in the lock, and goes on to demonstrate the the advantage in having the flint strike the frizzen at the proper angle is that it thereafter knapps itself. I also give the suggested spring tension for the frizzen spring, and the mainspring. to stop Crushing the Valuable Flints, and tell shooter how to go about testing those springs themselves.
That information has not been previously made available to shooters in the literature. Since 2004, when my article was first published, I have heard from many flintlock shooters who have read my article, fixed their own locks, and have seen the difference by then using my recommendations on mounting the flint in LEAD( don't have another stroke, Roundball!) priming, and loading FFg powder in the barrel loosely to get the best performance. They have been kind enough to let me know that what I recommend works, and tell me about their match wins, and successful hunts. I had a very good teacher who was kind enough to teach me how a lock should work, and WHY. What my article attempts to do, which I do not see in other articles is to give readers the WHY's. What you do to make use of this knowledge is up to the reader.
I am very happy to see that T/C, has made substantial improvements to its flintlock design, and that all the T/C shooter that have used the new lock love it. It shows that at least one gun company is listening to shooters, and is willing to make its product better. Years ago, when T/C was making its fame with its first single shot pistol, the Contender, a friend of mine found that if the pivot point for the opening lever was move forward a small amount, the action worked better. He call Mr. Center, had a long talk with him, sent his gun with the modification up to the factor for them to see and try, and, as a result, the factory changed the location of the pivot screw hole in the frame per my friend's suggestion, and thereafter produced a better pistol. I don't remember the details, other than that he still had his original contender with the extra( now unused) hole in the frame where the factor pivot pin used to be located, when we went shooting one day. It was just nice to hear that a company and its formost gun designer was willing to listen to suggestions from its customers, and respond to better ideas with improved designs. Of course, it would have been nice if T/C had given my friend credit for the suggested change. Perhaps that is asking too much of fragile egos. :hmm:
