How often taking apart and cleaning the locks is needed.

[Acohill1]

I have been shooting alot of trap. Like 25-50 shots twice a week for the last month. I'm wondering how long I can keep that up before I need to break down both locks completely and clean the parts... I will need to purchase the appropriate tools to make sure I don't break anything. It's a pedersoli sxs 13ga.

 

[Kansas Jake]

You may be able to just clean the locks with aerosol brake cleaner, relube them and re-install them without completely disabling them. Even cleaning them in warm water with a bit of dish soap would work. Blow them dry with compressed air, lube and re-install. I don’t like to totally disassemble locks unless necessary. Too many things to break or fly off into never land. That’s just me.

 

[wiscoaster]

You don't need to disassemble a lock to clean it well, ever. Disassemble only if it needs some tuning or polishing due to friction from rubbing and rotating parts. Clean it first with aerosol spray Ballistol (or "moose milk") because it's black powder residue, then rinse in hot water, then (optionally) clean with aerosol gun action cleaner (brake cleaner works, too), then blow out the excess cleaner (or water) and dry with aerosol canned air (and/or hot air from hair dryer), then when 100% dry, lightly lubricate with aerosol gun oil (or spray Ballistol), then again blow out the excess oil with aerosol canned air, and finally wipe any obvious remaining oil traces dry with Q-tips, inside and out. You don't want a lock over-lubricated because the oil collects residue. Thank goodness for aerosol spray cans. Makes a lot of things really fast and easy.

 

[ZUG]

For me I find if a lock is giving me problems or is sluggish, I will disassemble it, clean it, lube it and put it back together. I do not go by a timetable for this. The lock tells me when to do it.

 

[Phil Coffins]

My Pedersoli double locks haven’t been removed for decades, all the interior parts are well protected by the design. A touch of oil to the exterior and where the tumbler comes threw the plate has proven adequate.

 

[TDM]

I do pretty much the same as said above. Mainly inspection and wipe down while the locks out for barrel cleaning. A little lube as necessary, never had the need to disassemble doing it this way.

But if a lock has been neglected and gummy, or you see some rust, then disassembly and a good cleaning to zero it out would be in order.

 

[Rat]

You don't want a lock over-lubricated because the oil collects residue.

If it's a flintlock, oil will also seep up between the lock and barrel, or barrel and pan, and kill the prime. Many assume it "moisture from the air" when it is actually oil. I didn't see where/if the OP stated what kind of smoothbore he has, flint of cap. ??

 

[Togo]

I always remove the locks after every use, drop them into my cleaning bucket with water and a few drops of dawn, scrub them down really good, towel dry them then hit them with the air compressor. Then spray them down with RemOil, pat off the access oil, screw the lock back onto the gun. I've been using RemOil as the final protectant on all of my muzzleloaders forever, always clean with water and dawn

 

[French Colonial]

Take the lock apart.......... Never, unless there is a problem it gets cleaned and oiled and thats it.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I have been in the habit of putting a small amount of white grease into the tumbler region. keeps it lubed yet you can clean the areas that have fowling on them. re oil and put back into the gun. Like others have stated rarely will I take a lock apart.

 

[Juice Jaws]

I have been shooting alot of trap. Like 25-50 shots twice a week for the last month. I'm wondering how long I can keep that up before I need to break down both locks completely and clean the parts... I will need to purchase the appropriate tools to make sure I don't break anything. It's a pedersoli sxs 13ga.

I have never broken down a lock, just rinse in warm water dry and reoil and good to go. Don't over think things

 

[wiscoaster]

If it's a flintlock, oil will also seep up between the lock and barrel, or barrel and pan, and kill the prime. Many assume it "moisture from the air" when it is actually oil. I didn't see where/if the OP stated what kind of smoothbore he has, flint of cap. ??

Good point. Removing the lock is a necessity; disassembling it is not.

 

[oldwood]

Make sure no powder ignition gasses are going into the lock mechanism and inlet. Grease goes on sear nose , and main spring end where it rides on the tumbler. Don't forget after cleaning powder residue from frizzen , grease the frizzen lobe touching the frizzen spring , and Oil the frizzen screw bearing surface. Oil the tumbler shaft , sear arm bearing bolt , oil the fly shaft on the tumbler. When you clean the gun , always check the lock mechanism for lubrication , and frizzen bearing surfaces for lube. Just do it.

 

[boberator]

I agree. Most owners will never need to disassemble a lock. I will wipe anything that looks dirty if I’m doing general cleaning but rarely pull off a lock plate.

 

[Rat]

Make sure no powder ignition gasses are going into the lock mechanism and inlet. Grease goes on sear nose , and main spring end where it rides on the tumbler. Don't forget after cleaning powder residue from frizzen , grease the frizzen lobe touching the frizzen spring , and Oil the frizzen screw bearing surface. Oil the tumbler shaft , sear arm bearing bolt , oil the fly shaft on the tumbler. When you clean the gun , always check the lock mechanism for lubrication , and frizzen bearing surfaces for lube. Just do it.

When I put any oil on the moving lock parts, I use a tooth pick that I dip in a small drop of oil, and very very sparingly apply it with that. I'll say again, oil likes to "creep", and if you use too much, which isn't much, it can creep up the lock plate, between the plate and the barrel, and get into the prime or even the main charge with enough time. Also avoid penetrating oils, WD-40, stuff like that. They are even worse creepers. !!