flintlock lock dimensions

[james d ward]

hello every. i have been looking for lock dimensions or blue prints. i cant find anything. after a month of looking. i have made several attempts. but then things start to not line up. any help what so ever would be much appreciated.

 

[Crewdawg445]

hello every. i have been looking for lock dimensions or blue prints. i cant find anything. after a month of looking. i have made several attempts. but then things start to not line up. any help what so ever would be much appreciated.

Well you gave literally no information with what your dealing with or wanting... Dimensions of what? A Siler, Ketland, Virginia etc. VERY broad range here, you need to be more specific.

 

[james d ward]

Well you gave literally no information with what your dealing with or wanting... Dimensions of what? A Siler, Ketland, Virginia etc. VERY broad range here, you need to be more specific.

i would be happy with any one i can get

 

[Crewdawg445]

i would be happy with any one i can get

I'd like to help, but what are you referring when you say anyone I can get?

 

[jackley]

Locks run from small pistol to large musket. Need some more info. Get a Tack of the wolf catalog it has actual size pics.

Jerry

 

[james d ward]

I'd like to help, but what are you referring when you say anyone I can get?

you dont understand anyone. meens anyone any person may have willing to share. need more info still

 

[james d ward]

you dont understand anyone. meens anyone any person may have willing to share. need more info still

what you said tells me you know nothing about it anyways.

 

[Crewdawg445]

what you said tells me you know nothing about it anyways.

Interesting... Have fun getting around this fourm with responses like that being a new individual. Judging by the amount of responses you have in regards to your question, allot of members must not know anything as well. Yet, I know nothing about locks... What a shame. Good day to you.

To end, go to TOTW and request a catalog.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I posted this answer on the ALF forum; Get a Track of The Wolf catalog, all the lock pictures front and back are full size. People use these pictures to determine if a lock will fit their existing mortise.

 

[rich pierce]

As I stated over there, buying a lock is the best blueprint. It’s 3D.

 

[44-henry]

If you are looking for actual machinist drawings there is not much out there. George Lauber has a book on making a flintlock that you might find, the styling on the lock is pretty generic though.

 

[eggwelder]

every now and again you will get a good answer to technical questions on here, more often than not it will be no answers at all or someone instructing you to contact the parts purveyor of your choice(they will usually recommend one). lots of guys on here who do respond get really anal and specific without answering the question, especially when they have higher post counts than you. some will disparage any attempt you may make, will dissect the use of the english language, and otherwise attempt to discourage you from your chosen course of action. many expect new guys to toe the line and take their word for gospel. i guess what I'm saying is that you must pick thru the answers, assess and decide where you want to go from there.
some members here do not seem to have the desire, self confidence or knowhow to tackle something such as making your own parts/ locks/ barrels and will purchase what they need. each to their own.
i often prefer the lack of answers, means I'm probably on the path less traveled.


I don't know the skill or talent level you possess, and therefore must assume that you have at least an idea of what you are asking.

there are only a few guys on here whose answers i will really pay attention to. the above answer given by 44-henry is the best so far if looking for blueprints, the book is not easy to find, and is expensive when you do. Rich Pierce`s answer is good if you wish to go that route. I'm half done building my own lock from Georg Lauber`s book. it involves a lot of hand work unless you have some machine tools.

 

[Lobo505]

Which Lauber book are you using?

 

[Metalshaper]

Which Lauber book are you using?

The problem with Lauber's books are, there is some inaccuracies built in due to the publishing and in recreating his drawings. These are magnified if you are trying to
use a copier to make templates and just do the print and go.. the copier I use copies close to 99% across the page but is about 96-97% down the length of the page?
IF you know that and do some careful scaling you can get close but DON'T rely on it ..

My Experience anyways???

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[Lobo505]

Thanks!

 

[eggwelder]

I'm using his flintlock book.and i agree with what metalshaper is saying, you really have to pay attention to the scaling. i used a professional grade copier, not much difference to even notice. the geometry seems a little obtuse, but i`ll find out when its done.

 

[44-henry]

Lauber has three books dealing with percussion, flintlock, and wheelock arms. There was mention that he had another book on matchlocks, though I have never seen it.

As has been mentioned there are issues with all of them in terms of accuracy, largely I feel in conversion from metric to inch. I have built both the percussion and flintlocks from these plans when I was in highschool, I started the wheelock but never finished it. I did end up drawing all the parts from Lauber's wheelock plans in AutoCad and found numerous errors while doing so. At some point I would like to try building it again.

One thing to keep in mind is that the machinist drawings will only take you so far, a flintlock it a complex project with lots of organic shapes that make taking measurements difficult. Lauber suggested a fit as you go approach and that is what a lot of it comes down to unless you want to invest a lot of money and time into sophisticated holding fixtures, for use with machine tools.

Best of luck, I understand why you want to do the project and you will, i'm sure, know there are much easier ways to build a gun.

 

[Felix the Cat]

Flintlocks were never made from plans. That never really happened before Robbins and Lawrence got their act together in the 1840s.. Flintlocks were hand fitted, just like.... Locks!

It all depends on where you are starting.. If you are using castings or a kit, much of the design decisions have been made already. All you really need to do is work out the axis of the ****/tumbler. If your foundryman/mouldmaker has been nice to you, they will have marked this axis on the lockplate...!

Laying out a flintlocks is like a clock.. you start by deciding the principle elements and then work backwards meshing the parts as you go. Your main fixed point is the pan on the lock plate. This then defines the position of the frizzen and its hinge point. Having laid this out you can then position the frizzen spring and it's screw. You may have to adjust the length of the upper limb of the spring to ensure it does not foul the underside of the pan. The lid of the frizzen should close on the pan with no gaps.

Having fixed the location of the frizzen, the centre of rotation of the **** can be decided such that the flint strikes near the top of the frizzen and ends over the centre of the pan. The centre of rotation defines the axis of the tumbler. That having been fixed allows the hinge point of the sear to be decided. The nose of the sear needs to fit into the full **** notch on the tumbler at right angles to the axis of the tumbler. The rest position of the nose of the sear in the full **** notch, the half **** bent and the remainder of the tumbler should be on the same radius from the axis.

The tumbler axis and the sear hinge point allows you to decide the placement of the bridle which needs to lie within the lock plate and be held by the sear screw. Once you have fitted the bridle, you can then place and fit the sear spring to bear on the tail of the sear.

Finally you can position the mainspring to bear on the tail of the tumbler at one end and the bolster at the other end..

Flintlocks were never made from plans. That never really happened before Robbins and Lawrence got their act together in the 1840s.. Locks were hand fitted from rough parts. Despite what the long beards tell you, its not that difficult provided you take your time and use good hand tools..(particularly files..!)