New Matchlock Lock

[denster]

Rick.
http://mksikligar.com/index.php/guns-locks/ item: MKS-GL-01
I bought mine before the recent change to their website which is a mess now. It was $60 IIRC delivered to your door from India all sewn up in a strong neat parcel. They had been calling it a 'snap matchlock' which of course it is not. But it is a good example of a late 17th century military musket lock and at least as well made as a service lock of the day.

Do you by any chance have a current link to this vendor?

 

[RAEDWALD]

Narayan Sports, Traditional Indian Swordsmiths, Damascus steel Billets, Blanks, Knives, Skinner, Folding Knives, Axes, Swords, Arrowheads, Bows & Spare parts for Muzzle Loading Matchlock, Doglock, Flintlock Caplock Guns & Pistols, Bayonets, Gun Powder Flasks & Accessories

Item GUN LOCKS: NS/GL-08

 

[rickystl]

Hi Raedwald

You mention in Post #8 above:

"The lock will go with a flint lock on the same size lock plate and be interchangeable. Matchlocks of this period were often updated by swapping locks over, the pan being part of the lock and not the barrel. The pan is not designed to swivel but to remain in place when the screw is tightened fully to fix it into the fore end notch"

Just for fun, here is a clever gun from the Coorg region on the south western coast of India. It's dual ignition. Both flintlock and matchlock. It has separate triggers for each lock. The serpentine for the matchlock actually pivots to the left, out of the way when the flintlock is in use. And then pivots to the right when in use with the flint hammer at half-cock. Also shows how the locals were reluctant to fully give up their matchlocks. Just thought you and others would like to see this.

Rick

 

[ajbennettnc]

It is indeed an Indian made lock. For $60 delivered it hardly seemed worth making my own. The lock will go with a flint lock on the same size lock plate and be interchangeable. Matchlocks of this period were often updated by swapping locks over, the pan being part of the lock and not the barrel. The pan is not designed to swivel but to remain in place when the screw is tightened fully to fix it into the fore end notch. It is a manufacturing feature letting one make the pan, complete with cover and fence, separately and then fit to the lock plate. No lock nail holes are made as yet. The end product will be much as Mike has posted above and the stock painted black as was normal then. These things eat powder at 7.5 grams per bang. I get only 65 bangs from a 500g bottle which makes powder just over 0.50 euros a bang with postage.

Hey Raedwald,
I recently purchased a similar late, William III era matchlock from an online auction (it should arrive Friday so i can mess with it this weekend). It appears to have been built from a kit sold by The Rifle Shoppe.
Did you ever mount the lock that you posted about onto a gun? Also, did you also get a flintlock that was interchangeable? I'm considering getting a doglock or flintlock for mine. Once the gun gets here, I'll make a post about it.

 

[RAEDWALD]

Hey Raedwald,
I recently purchased a similar late, William III era matchlock from an online auction (it should arrive Friday so i can mess with it this weekend). It appears to have been built from a kit sold by The Rifle Shoppe.
Did you ever mount the lock that you posted about onto a gun? Also, did you also get a flintlock that was interchangeable? I'm considering getting a doglock or flintlock for mine. Once the gun gets here, I'll make a post about it.

I did get a 28 inch cut down Bess barrel and a suitable tree centre slab of cherry but currently I am a bit busy bringing up twin premature, now strapping great two year old, grand daughters in another country far from my workshop, so things are on a major pause. Next purchase must be a plausible flintlock then I can drill the matchlock plate to the same pattern. The trickiest bit will be inletting that allows for either lock.

At the moment any time spent back home in France has been taken up fettling the new house fit for the children and cutting down the garden. Not to mention having returned to my old hobby of etching prints and working on my (one day) book and its illustrations. Still finding new information on the Brunswick Rifle for it. Just when you thought you knew all about it you find yet another alternative bullet design trialled by the Board of Ordnance and so forth.

Bonne chance and do post a photograph of your musket when you can.