L&R RPL04 Experience

[Daryl Crawford]

I currently have a Dixie Gun Works SMR, .50 caliber, stocked in cherry from the later 70s. While front heavy, it is a beautiful rifle and shoots well. That said, I think I'm on borrowed time with the lock.
I understand the L&R RPL04 was made for this rifle as a replacement. I wanted feedback from anyone who has experience with this lock and with fitting it. I have no experience working a lock over to ensure it is quick and reliable but am not opposed to learning.
I did a search on the forum and didn't find too much other than that I will have to remove a little wood at the base of the lock mortise.
Any practical experience would be appreciated.
If you have a similar rifle with a lock issue and found someone who could rebuild it, I'd take that information as well.

 

[TreeMan]

I currently have a Dixie Gun Works SMR, .50 caliber, stocked in cherry from the later 70s. While front heavy, it is a beautiful rifle and shoots well. That said, I think I'm on borrowed time with the lock.
I understand the L&R RPL04 was made for this rifle as a replacement. I wanted feedback from anyone who has experience with this lock and with fitting it. I have no experience working a lock over to ensure it is quick and reliable but am not opposed to learning.
I did a search on the forum and didn't find too much other than that I will have to remove a little wood at the base of the lock mortise.
Any practical experience would be appreciated.
If you have a similar rifle with a lock issue and found someone who could rebuild it, I'd take that information as well.

What’s wrong with the lock that’s currently in the rifle? There are numerous competent people that frequent this forum that can fix and tune that lock. The replacement lock isn’t an easy drop in fit. There are a few threads on the forum about the process. Brad Emig at cabin creek muzzleloading does excellent work on locks.

 

[Nobade]

I have that L&R lock in my Dixie squirrel rifle. The original lock was worn out beyond economical repair. I fought with the L&R for several years off and on before I finally decided to fix it. That involved getting another cock for it with the swan neck instead of the double one it comes with, so I could heat and bend it to get the flint to hit correctly and not smash into the frizzen. I polished the insides, cut the sear engagement surfaces to give it a nice trigger pull, and I think I worked on the frizen spring to lighten that. I also widened the pan as much as I could manage to help catch sparks. It works great now but was quite poor out of the box. Those locks do work and are the only replacements for the Dixie rifle I know of, but they do take some attention to get them to perform properly.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

What’s wrong with the lock that’s currently in the rifle? There are numerous competent people that frequent this forum that can fix and tune that lock. The replacement lock isn’t an easy drop in fit. There are a few threads on the forum about the process. Brad Emig at cabin creek muzzleloading does excellent work on locks.

There is some slop in the frizzen as it rotates over a threaded screw. It sometimes fails to catch in half cock or full cock. I have to be sure I'm applying slight inward pressure for it to catch.
The main spring was replaced and I believe a fly was repurposed for it. If I don't put many rounds through it per year, it should last me for a while. That said, I want to shoot it more often.

 

[TreeMan]

There is some slop in the frizzen as it rotates over a threaded screw. It sometimes fails to catch in half cock or full cock. I have to be sure I'm applying slight inward pressure for it to catch.
The main spring was replaced and I believe a fly was repurposed for it. If I don't put many rounds through it per year, it should last me for a while. That said, I want to shoot it more often.

I’d call Brad and send it to him. Won’t cost anything except shipping to get his opinion. Maybe he can fix it. If he can’t fix it maybe he has something to replace it. I had Paul at Home fix a lock for me one time a few years ago. Super nice guy. I think the repair cost me $20 and shipping.

 

[Buckskinquin]

I currently have a Dixie Gun Works SMR, .50 caliber, stocked in cherry from the later 70s. While front heavy, it is a beautiful rifle and shoots well. That said, I think I'm on borrowed time with the lock.
I understand the L&R RPL04 was made for this rifle as a replacement. I wanted feedback from anyone who has experience with this lock and with fitting it. I have no experience working a lock over to ensure it is quick and reliable but am not opposed to learning.
I did a search on the forum and didn't find too much other than that I will have to remove a little wood at the base of the lock mortise.
Any practical experience would be appreciated.
If you have a similar rifle with a lock issue and found someone who could rebuild it, I'd take that information as well.

I put L&R locks in a Renegade and a Hatfield. The instructions received with the locks and the support from L&R will easily get you through this replacement. They are a top notch company to do business with.

 

[Y2GREY]

I have several Dixie TMRs. I converted one from percussion to flint in the early 90s using an RPL. It was detailed but not complicated and the rifle is shooting strong today. The challenge I have with the factory Dixie flintlock is the frizzen casting is weak. I’ve had two break and one is a lefty… I swapped to an RPL on riight hand this a broken frizzen but have since picked up some inventory and gone back to factory. Still looking for lefty parts…

 

[Daryl Crawford]

I have several Dixie TMRs. I converted one from percussion to flint in the early 90s using an RPL. It was detailed but not complicated and the rifle is shooting strong today. The challenge I have with the factory Dixie flintlock is the frizzen casting is weak. I’ve had two break and one is a lefty… I swapped to an RPL on riight hand this a broken frizzen but have since picked up some inventory and gone back to factory. Still looking for lefty parts…

Any idea where to find parts now? Wonder if an old lock could be found reasonably to serve as spare parts.

 

[Sam squanch]

Get a vise, hacksaw and set of files, and take a crash course in making parts yourself. It may be faster than tracking down a replacement. I made a hammer and locking lug for an unmentionable pinfire shotgun . Took 3 try’s, but turned out great.

 

[duca]

Get a vise, hacksaw and set of files, and take a crash course in making parts yourself. It may be faster than tracking down a replacement. I made a hammer and locking lug for an unmentionable pinfire shotgun . Took 3 try’s, but turned out great.

hey Daryl, I had one in the 80s I put together from a kit 50 caliber Flint. I remember replacing the lock with an L&R with no problem. I Also went a step further and was able to switch over to percussion also. I sold it off in the early 2000s. Just didn't do it for me anymore. I have a couple of Flint lock plates and some internals. Have to look if you're interested let me know.

 

[Ben Meyer]

Same situation. My Dixie SMR is still shooting with its original lock, with a replaced frizzen and frizzen spring. I bought the L&R lock, and while it fit the inletting about perfectly, it didn't work right. I took videos of what it was doing(was a set trigger/seer issue if I remember right) and sent it back to L&R after calling them. It was sent back functioning perfectly; they knew just what to fix. A+ customer service.

That said....it's not a simple drop in replacement. At least it wasn't for me. Takes some gunsmithing. Also, if you have any kind of patina on your rifle, you'll need to treat it to match. I used Laurel Mtn Barrel Brown with good results. See pic

 

[Daryl Crawford]

hey Daryl, I had one in the 80s I put together from a kit 50 caliber Flint. I remember replacing the lock with an L&R with no problem. I Also went a step further and was able to switch over to percussion also. I sold it off in the early 2000s. Just didn't do it for me anymore. I have a couple of Flint lock plates and some internals. Have to look if you're interested let me know.

If you have parts, I think I'd be interested in them.

 

[duca]

If you have parts, I think I'd be interested in them.

Give me a couple hours and I’ll take pictures of what I have

 

[Y2GREY]

Any idea where to find parts now? Wonder if an old lock could be found reasonably to serve as spare parts.

I’ve picked up a couple of right hand locks for parts… usually at gun shows… most have a missing or broken frizzen. I haven’t found any left hand parts.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

I’ve picked up a couple of right hand locks for parts… usually at gun shows… most have a missing or broken frizzen. I haven’t found any left hand parts.

Guess I need to hit gun shows. I'm right hand and my frizzen is good. Hopefully if I cast a net on line and check gun shows I could score a lock, or partial. I hear they are like hens teeth any more. Most folks who have them are holding them.
Appreciate the info.

 

[Y2GREY]

Guess I need to hit gun shows. I'm right hand and my frizzen is good. Hopefully if I cast a net on line and check gun shows I could score a lock, or partial. I hear they are like hens teeth any more. Most folks who have them are holding them.
Appreciate the info.

The ones I turn up are usually in parts cases… I can usually get them cheap when I say it’s a Japanese reproduction piece…

 

[LongWalker]

I'm not an L&R fanboy, but unless you can do the work to re-build the lock, I think their "drop-in" might be the best option. I've seen one DGW Mountain Rifle lock at a gunshow; I think I gave about $30 for it in about 1990 due to the condition of the lock (sloppy, worn out, broken frizzen). I thought I might re-work it and use it on a pistol or something.

It made a nice little lock after being re-worked. The holes in the lock were all welded up and the lock plate polished down. Then new tumbler was fitted and a fly slotted in. Then it got a new bridle/sear/mainspring/screws/frizzen fitted, and the frizzen converted to pivot on a pin from the inside rather than a screw from the outside. Finally, fitted a new double-throated hammer I picked up at a gunshow.

It sat in my lock box for around 20 years waiting for a project to come long. I recently fitted it to a DGW rifle belonging to the grandson of one of my gunstocking mentors. His rifle had been sidelined while he searched for a Dixie lock, as his was a worn miserable unreliable hunk of junk.

 

[Y2GREY]

My first go round an RPL was converting a Tennessee Mountain Rifle to flint from percussion the rifle had a high 6000 production number so it had a 15/16 barrel and all around thicker stock. It was not overly complicated just a bit tedious with the inletting. The lock performs flawlessly and once I got the touch hole dialed it had very fast ignition. Converting to an RPL on a TMR with an early 7/8 barrel or a TSR with a 13/16 barrel will require some reworking of the lock itself on the mainspring, sear and sear spring this is in addition wood removal to achieve a proper fit. You will also find the replacement lock bolt will be too long for this application.

 

[ZUG]

If you have parts, I think I'd be interested in them.

Do yourself a favor and do as TreeMan suggested call " Brad Emig at cabin creek muzzleloading " and explain your issues. If he tells you that it would be better to replace it then go with the L&R lock. Simple fix