L&R John Bailes Lock

[MikeC]

For the guys that own and use one. How is yours on flint life and reliablity regarding a good spark after a few strikes?

Bevel up or down? Tuning issues or suggestions?

Any input would be appreciated.

I have one on a pistol and I'm not having the best of luck with flint life, after a few strikes the sparks are not good for relaible ignition. New flints spark well for the first few strikes.

Thank you in advance to all that reply.

 

[Dave K]

I have 2 of those Bailes locks. They are one a SxS flinter and another pair of Mantons on another SxS flinter. Anyhow, the best thing I ever did was send them to LC Rice and have he work them over. They are not drilled correctly and parts are in a bind and out of line. I am not sure, but he may have worked on the frizzen as well. Now though, they work pretty good, almost as good as a Siler/Chambers. I am preparing to get pair of Durs Egg locks and they have to be L&R's as well, because it is another SxS. They will go right into the mail, to get them reworked, before my Dr. needs to change my BP meds. Talking to L&R themselves has proven to be as good as looking at your computer monitor and talking to it. I sure hope there are always guys like LC to keep these locks going. I have missplaced his ph. no. and address, but you can probably get it from Rice Barrels. Good luck!

 

[Mike Brooks]

LC Rice used to own L&R locks.

 

[MikeC]

Thanks for the information guys. I shot an email over to the Rice barrel Company for LC.

Dave...Forgot to mention earlier mine will drop the "hammer" when in half **** both in the pistol by the trigger and with the lock removed and in my hands. I'm assuming this is not right, nothing looks out of place with the lock.

 

[Dave K]

Mike B. You are right, LC did own L&R at one time. That must have been when the good locks were made. :surrender:

I would guess here as I am not a lock expert, but it sounds as either the tunbler needs attention or the sear.

 

[MikeC]

Mike B. You are right, LC did own L&R at one time. That must have been when the good locks were made. :surrender:

I would guess here as I am not a lock expert, but it sounds as either the tunbler needs attention or the sear.

I took a good look at it last night. Looks like the slot for the half **** position is not deep enough so pressure on the sear will move it out.

 

[Birddog6]

There is supposed to be a lil lip on that halfcock notch. Either the sear is not going in deep enough or the lip is broken off the notch. Not an uncommon thing for the lil lip to break off.
I dropped a lock one time & it was on halfcock & when it ht the floor it snapped that lil lip off.

 

[texcl]

A piece of my tumbler broke off my L&R Manton lock when I was building my tennessee rifle, I'm not very happy with the quality of L&R locks if I wasn't left handed I would not be buying from them. I wish chambers would build a l/h late ketland lock and a l/h virginia/fowler lock, they would sell a bunch to us south paws and double gun builders. I had to do alot of fitting on my manton just to get the sucker to work correctly and the fit of the internals is still not up to my standards. That being say it is one fast little lock, but just think how fast it would be if they made it correctly. How much does rice charge to go over these locks generally?