Installing a flashguard on a bridle-less frizzen

[Owenbrau]

I'm hoping for black.

I had another idea (scary, ain't it?). Would it be safe to drill and tap a hole in the bottom of the pan, and bolt the flashguard on there? That way, I could take it off at times and put the bolt back, and it wouldn't show.

 

Drilling the bottom of the pan is not exactly a stroke of genius. Of all ot the places where corosion and rust are absolutely bound to accumilate to lock up screw threads and cause erosion the bottom of the pan if place number one!

Drill a simple 8x32 hole in the plate and be done with it. Place it so that you can run a screw through from the back and file it flush if you ever wish to hide it's existance.

I think you are going way overboard in trying to keep this musket in pristine condition with no extra holes in the plate etc.

This is supposed to be a 70(?) year old colonial musket in the hands of a militia soldier. This is the crew where half of them showed up with no guns and the other half had guns that would not fire without repair. And here you are with a like new pristine 70 year old doglock!

You are starting off with a plain gun, not a highly carved family herloom. By all logic there should be pitting from erosion on the breech and in the pan, the lock should be dark from exposure and the wood flash-burned around the lock. There should be wear at the cheek, wrist, balance point and muzzle and some nicks and dents, that are older than you are, scattered over the entire surface! All of that should have happened in the first 20 years of use on the frontier.

I'm not saying to go beat up your gun, I am just saying that all of this concern for the pristine finish is not in character with the persona you are using.

:front:

 

[Owenbrau]

Well, it's been re-stocked. It is 70 years old, after all! :thumbsup:

I'm not so much worried about a "pristine" look, as an appropriate one. Besides, I hate the damn flashguards, and want to not be reminded of them when it's off. I was trying to avoid drilling the lockplate, but I probably will, eventually anyway. And have no fears, this weapon will get beat up; I don't mind "dying" and getting me and my gear all dirty, so it's going to hit the ground a bit.

 

[jamesbstrong]

Beautiful firelock - where did you obtain it? Check sutlers at events; a flash guard is made for l&r and Siler locks - longer screw from backside of lock plate and a locking bolt to hold flash guard on. Jim Strong

 

[WRussell]

I like the magnet idea. Lee Valley has a good selection. Epoxy one to a piece of copper. You could put a screw head or two on the copper to make it look screwed on. Should be plenty sturdy, although it would burnish the lockplate after some use. You could glue a thin bit of card on the magnet to avoid metal-to-metal (and make it a little easier to get on and off).
[url] http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32065&cat=1,42363,42348[/url]

 

[Henry]

I am part of the french militia ,one popular
lock for the Tulle gun is the Davis . I bought
a spécial screw/bolt , from a sutler at Ticonderoge
it is threaded on both ends and just the right lenght to hold the frizzen solidly .

Réplace the screw with the new one , place the
standard flash guard , screw the small nut ,
that's it .

At camp of before the public , just remove the flash guard
, no spring wise needed.

I made a magnetic device , but it was quickly
lost in the action at St Frédéric ( Crown Point )
just waiting for the archéologist to find it some day :hmm: