modifying the lock

[bouldersmith]

I'm building an Englsh sporting rifle using The Alexander Henry lock from Track. I believe this is a davis lock. I have spent a fair amount of time tuning it and its coming along nicely. Now I want to add a real Engliash touch, a bolted lock. Has anyone here ever built a safety on a percussion lock? I have most of it figured out, but still have a few question. I believe the bar for the safety actually intercepts the tumbler and not the hammer...I have considered making it do both. I'm slightly perplexed as to spring placement for the safety br also. Any insight greatly appreciated.
Steve

 

[Mike Lea]

There are two types of sliding safeties. One has a secondary bar that slides between the sear spring leaves , (front to back) and intercepts a rectangular notch in the tumbler. The other merely has a bar that slides into a rectangular recess on the back of the thicker than usual cock. The safety bar spring for either system is actually inbetween the "V" of the searspring leaves. It is a long "delta", or triangle shape with an eye in one corner for the sear spring screw to pass through and it has a tiny detent (bump) to engage the backside of the sliding bar on the external side of the lockplate. (Follow me?)

The only problem is the internal parts (safety tension spring, sliding bolt tennon, detent bar and link pin) are all confined in a very small area within the "V" of the sear spring and have to be just right or they won't work.

Send me an e-mail (from my profile) and I'll send exploded views of the sundry parts and pictures of what the parts look like on a flint lock and how they work. I have locks with both types of safeties. I am too new to know how to upload them here.

GD