Hi all, new member with an interest for wheellocks

[evand848]

howdy, I am new here. I have been looking into getting a wheellock, I know this adventure isnt going to be cheap. What is the best way to get into wheellocks? Is Bolek the way to go? or therifleshoppe? what can I expect? (it probably doesnt help that im undecided on a pistol, a rifle, or a musket).

 

[Rudyard]

Once you've decided on what sort of Wheellock & there where some large pistol style ones cheaply had a few years since the rest is up to your skill to wed a suitable barrel to a suitable stock form These locks would suit a long arm best .Paul Jacobi was a vender once & Navy Arms had similar offering's For alternant styles refer pages below ' Hunting with W locks ect' Ive gone different styles but most as the photos show.. Quite WHY youde want one is another matter! but your choice . Have fun.
Rudyard

 

[ChrisPer]

Welcome! I can't afford Bolek's work, unfortunately. My impression is that his locks will run like a Swiss watch.

 

[evand848]

Welcome! I can't afford Bolek's work, unfortunately. My impression is that his locks will run like a Swiss watch.

How much does his run? im guessing 1000 to 1500 for a lock?

 

[evand848]

Once you've decided on what sort of Wheellock & there where some large pistol style ones cheaply had a few years since the rest is up to your skill to wed a suitable barrel to a suitable stock form These locks would suit a long arm best .Paul Jacobi was a vender once & Navy Arms had similar offering's For alternant styles refer pages below ' Hunting with W locks ect' Ive gone different styles but most as the photos show.. Quite WHY youde want one is another matter! but your choice . Have fun.
Rudyard

So i would basically have to build one with a complete lock?

 

[Commodore Swab]

If you are looking to get something functional quickly (under a couple years) and not build the lock yourself then Bolek is your best bet. If you are skilled and want to try building one yourself once you get the rifle shoppe on the phone ask what parts sets they have in stock and go from there. If all you are looking for is decoration Loyalist was having them built in India and has them on their website. One thing is certain going with one of Boleks locks should save you much time and aggravation should you want a shooter.

 

[evand848]

If you are looking to get something functional quickly (under a couple years) and not build the lock yourself then Bolek is your best bet. If you are skilled and want to try building one yourself once you get the rifle shoppe on the phone ask what parts sets they have in stock and go from there. If all you are looking for is decoration Loyalist was having them built in India and has them on their website. One thing is certain going with one of Boleks locks should save you much time and aggravation should you want a shooter.

Thank you! do you know how much I can expect for a complete gun (of any kind)? Im always afraid to ask him because I dont have the money quite yet. I dont want to offend him

 

[Rudyard]

So i would basically have to build one with a complete lock?

No,, if the Jacobi lock can be found you don't need to make a new lock. .That is no simple matter I did get some locks made in Cawnpore years ago but they where all made in different shops so the workers couldn't copy them entirely I've worked up two the rest where all sold Ide guess the lock on Felt Wads rifle is a Jacobi lock much the same if not thee same as the Navy Arms offerings. But again your looking for old offerings . I have made Wheellock locks from scratch but its not easy .I've not seen what Loyalist arms are offering it might be your best bet re availability & price Ime pretty sure you will have to do a lot of ' working up ' but That would be my start point in your position
.Rudyard

 

[Feltwad]

I bought two wheel locks from Major Noel Corry one was with a Mendi pistol kit and the one I fitted to my build of the rifle was the same has the pistol lock see image
Lock fitted to the Mendi pistol and rifle
Feltwad

Mendi pistol kit

 

[Rudyard]

Meni - Jacobi Ide guess its the same lock I made up a pistol since used by a museum curator to illustrate a talk on armour its rise & demise thanks to Wheellocks pistol single & doubled shotted . We both got them to work and they where not dear but might be hard to find and might not suit you . Cheers Rudyard

 

[JohnASwett]

I bought a pistol style w.lock from The Rifleshoppe some years' back; not a good experience! Many of the parts were warped, the promised Parts Diagram was not included, they do not furnish instructions, and I had to call twice to talk to someone who could tell me what alloys the various, parts were made of so I could harden & temper them correctly ,and I waited months to get something which was supposedly "in stock"! Some months later I bought the same lock over the internet pre-assembled by who I don't know. It was not assembled well, the lock plate was warped, the hammer (cock) would not bear on the wheel, the pan cover fit was poor, and most of the screws could not be seated correctly. BEWARE!

I am lapping a barrel for a w.lock rifle which will have a coned muzzle with the grooves filed out like the old-timers did.
Does anyone know this procedure? and would you be kind enough to tell me. Thanks, [email protected]

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

You might search for joe woods coning tool.

 

[Rudyard]

In Defence of The Rifle Shoppe If a casting is warped then set it with a deft blow of a hammer Most customers seem to manage and it beats hacking it all our from scratch . I don't buy much from TRS simply out of expense reasons but I know he is a most diligent man & certainly offers us all a great service &'wish list' his catalogue alone is a great reference & mine is 15 years old . Their is No hammer or cock on a wheellock its called a' doghead.'
Though stock wood suppliers might disagree we allways reckoned best grade stock blanks should not be sold to ametures as they would only ruin them by their cack handedness or want of skill. Re the bold grouve depth at the muzzles of RB rifles I use a needle file . Rudyard

 

[evand848]

I bought a pistol style w.lock from The Rifleshoppe some years' back; not a good experience! Many of the parts were warped, the promised Parts Diagram was not included, they do not furnish instructions, and I had to call twice to talk to someone who could tell me what alloys the various, parts were made of so I could harden & temper them correctly ,and I waited months to get something which was supposedly "in stock"! Some months later I bought the same lock over the internet pre-assembled by who I don't know. It was not assembled well, the lock plate was warped, the hammer (cock) would not bear on the wheel, the pan cover fit was poor, and most of the screws could not be seated correctly. BEWARE!

I am lapping a barrel for a w.lock rifle which will have a coned muzzle with the grooves filed out like the old-timers did.
Does anyone know this procedure? and would you be kind enough to tell me. Thanks, [email protected]

wow, sorry about the problem youve had! im glad i didnt have to fund to put together to make that happen from then or i surely would have been screwed too. sounds like I will have to put money together to afford something from Bolek!

screwed as in, I do not have the skills, tools, or time to make something of that nature work for me. If i am going to get a wheellock I am going to do it right.....hopefully. Unless someone can prove otherwise, my hunt begins and ends with Bolek.

 

[Rudyard]

What is this ' Lets rubbish TRS' theme ?.TRS have sold a great many kits & parts most customers seem content despite some times lengthy delivery times . You cant expect them to run up a huge inventory of stock for all they offer I knew Jesse Melot when he first started up a proper gentleman .Definatly Not the sort who could blithely 'Screw' anyone .If the buyer is a cack handed bod then no amount of care can alter that. TRS provide the stuff of dreams they cant sell ability or counter any woe full lack of skill on the buyers part .
Rudyard

 

[evand848]

What is this ' Lets rubbish TRS' theme ?.TRS have sold a great many kits & parts most customers seem content despite some times lengthy delivery times . You cant expect them to run up a huge inventory of stock for all they offer I knew Jesse Melot when he first started up a proper gentleman .Definatly Not the sort who could blithely 'Screw' anyone .If the buyer is a cack handed bod then no amount of care can alter that. TRS provide the stuff of dreams they cant sell ability or counter any woe full lack of skill on the buyers part .
Rudyard

Well in my opinion, I would be screwed considering my goal is not to have to shape parts given I would have no idea what I am doing. I am looking to buy a complete ready to go gun, or something well enough along for a builder to finish. I would consider myself screwed if I Left it up to myself. No disrespect to TRS or you. They just dont fit my criteria for where I am to be spending my money right now, unless the lead times work with me and i can find a builder that is knowledgable of the topic. I want to order stuff from them in the future maybe when I have tools and knowhow, and a working wheellock to base off of.

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Evand848 You've summed it up If you havn't the skills you had best go to makers who have and cant really expect the parts to just put together like a jigsaw puzzle . I was once approached by a UK firearms Officer as three lads had decided they where" Going to make guns to sell to the US " and of course needed to be a Registered firearm dealer as I was .So I ring the aspireing makers who I found had never ever made Any guns " But had a mate who was a blacksmith ". .Their whole plan a pub inspired pipe dream !. Imagination & desire isn't enough "You Cant DO these things Nemo'" It does take skill not that ready to aquire , Unless Like Bud Siler & some others you have an unusual natural gift . Most gunmakers want to get back the first gun they made ( & Bury it! ) Mine where on the crude side but after near a couple of Hundred I've got better ! . Regards Rudyard

 

[rickystl]

FLASH !!!!

Evand848: There is a perfect wheellock lock for sale on Gunbroker right now. Looks like one of Bulok's. Very $$$$$
The auction shows only one day left. You might contact the owner and see if you can work out a deal? Hurry.
Item # 862328923.

Rick

 

[evand848]

FLASH !!!!

Evand848: There is a perfect wheellock lock for sale on Gunbroker right now. Looks like one of Bulok's. Very $$$$$
The auction shows only one day left. You might contact the owner and see if you can work out a deal? Hurry.
Item # 862328923.

Rick

ive been keeping an eye on that one, Its been up for a few weeks now. not quite the style im ready to have yet, thats going to cost a lot of money to get into a finished gun and that looks like a rifle lock if im not mistaken. someday Id like one like that, but my first id like to be a pistol. Thank you for telling me none the less!

 

[Henry Elwood]

This is my first post. The art of building a wheellock is not that easy just because they were an early firearm. The other thing I have found is that folks also think that just because it's a muzzleloader anyone can make one. The lock is the heart. When I first started I thought if I started with making Snaphaunce,Wheellock, Miquelett that I would be able to make a fine French Flintlock. They are all different. May I also say I have done a lot to business with TRS are they perfect no but I have learned a lot from the opportunity to purchase Jess' castings. It's like Rudyard said you have to know what you are looking at. I still have my first rifle I made it helps me to show folks that want to start making Muzzleloaders how I started, BTW it was a CVA in '72. The lock in this Muellerbuchse started out as a #535 that I altered back in '97 for this project that I only finished a couple of months ago. Once I started working on it took 18 months. The Sideplate alone took 3 months to cut it out from flat sheet Brass then Chase. Just had to know and understand the process. The same with the Flask I just had to know how it was made. It was fun. Sorry too many words. Later, Hank