Late English locks

[Naphtali]

I'm ferreting out what I refer to as an "extremely late English lock." Pedersoli's Mortimer rifle/shotgun lock appears to fulfill my want. But except for a brief handling of a friend's Mortimer Rifle nearly 20 years ago, I've neither examined nor shot one.

Aside from price, does this lock have design problems that obstruct or interfere with its long-term use?

Does the lock have quality control issues?
***
I guess I want to know whether reliability and usability issues should preclude me from buying the lock.

 

[TDM]

What do you plan to use the lock on?

 

[Flintleather]

I have a L&R Late English on my 58cal Leman and love it. I did have to send it in to L&R though to get an updated longer sear for more flint frizzen clearance at half ****.

 

[oldwood]

An opinion........I don't build much any more , but if I do , it's a scratch build. I use , for smaller cal. ,like squirrel guns , .40 cal , and under I have used an L and R Manton flint lock. Makes a long thin small cal. longrifle with little English influence import lock. ......Next , for a mid 18th century longrifle with a larger , robust non Germanic , English-Dutch import lock influence, I've used the L and R flat face trade gun flint lock. It's a larger flat face flint lock , also seen on English , and some Dutch guns F and I war period. Also , L and R , as well as Larry Zorns /Log Cabin Shop make quality Germanic style , American long rifle locks. All these locks function well. I have them on my personal hunting long rifles.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The L&R Late English lock is the lock I used for my Derringer rifle. Now that it is tuned with the latest sear tuning, it is a very reliable rifle.

 

[BoomStick]

I have the L&R late English on a fowling gun. Nice looking lock, but it is temperamental about the length of flint -I have to find shorter ones. If it's just a bit too long the frizzen won't close fully at half **** and won't spring open when fired. Reading a couple previous posts I'm wondering if the sear may be the issue.

 

[Flintleather]

I have the L&R late English on a fowling gun. Nice looking lock, but it is temperamental about the length of flint -I have to find shorter ones. If it's just a bit too long the frizzen won't close fully at half **** and won't spring open when fired. Reading a couple previous posts I'm wondering if the sear may be the issue.

Yes, i had the same problems and had to use a 3/4” square flint or the frizzen wouldn’t close or the top jaw would rub the frizzen. I sent mine in for the longer sear and now i can use the 3/4-7/8 flints bevel up and the frizzen will close fully at half **** and the flint scrapes instead of bashes.

 

[TerryK]

I owned a Pedersoli Mortimer in 54 caliber. It was a super heavy rifle or I would have kept it.
Again this is a sample of 1, but that was the best lock I ever had. Quick, ultra reliable, and easy on flints. It was also good in the wet, reliable for hunting in wet snow.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
The Pedersoli Mortimer lock is a good lock and I am not aware of any quality control issues. It deserves a little tuning to bring it up to a standard close to the originals, which it can do. The sliding safety mechanism is a modern design and does not copy the bar, lug, and spring mechanisms used on the originals. Still it works fine and you cannot tell the difference from the outside.

dave