Protecting the inside of a lock

[jbwilliams3]

Just wondering what others use to protect the inside of the lock. Some warn not to use petroleum-based oils there. I have used them in the barrel and the lock- but unlike the inside of my barrel, I don’t dissolve the oil from the inside of my locks before shooting. Is there a potential problem with petroleum oils in the lock?

What do you do?

 

[Ken Rummer]

I clean my lock after each range session by washing it in hot soapy water which will remove all the lubricant. I dry with hot air or hose it down with WD-40. Most important to me, to keep the action from slowing down I take the frizzen off to clean and relube the frizzen screw area.
I finish with a RemOil spray to lube all the other moving parts and then wipe off the excess.

I just started this procedure and though it is too early to tell it seems like it has made my flintlock shooting much more reliable and less frustrating.

 

[jimmy82]

I use petroleum based oils also. I don't worry about cleaning the lock off prior to shooting. I just make sure the pan and the frizzen are dry. When I was first taught to shoot BP I was told not to use petroleum based oils in the barrel because they would increase the pressure in the bore upon ignition. I use them in the barrel now because I have a very hard time fighting rust but I do clean the oil out of the barrel before loading, more for fear of compromising the powder charge instead of the pressure. On an original rifle I would not use petroleum based oil on the bore. I would be much more conservative about the pressures in the bore in that case.

 

[rabjr]

Just wondering what others use to protect the inside of the lock

I make sure it's clean real well, then I use an old shaving brush of which I use a few drops of bear oil on and wipe the inside of the lock real good using that. You can substitute a differant oil for the bear oil if ya ain't got it. Works quite well for me. :thumbsup:

 

[hawkeye2]

There is no reason not to use petrolium, what you need to be careful of is too much lubricant. An excess of oil or any liquid and/or grease based lubes is that they can soak into the wood inside the lock mortise causing swelling and interference with the moving parts of the lock. Long term they can cause deteration of the wood also.

 

[Melton Kidd]

I wipe the inside of the lock with WD 40, then I use a tiny drop of tri-flow on the bearing points( frizzen screw, frizzen tail, tumbler -lock plate points of contact, and on the sear main spring cont point). I don't want too much of any oil inside the lock. If it will run off the place where applied, then thats too much.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Just wondering what others use to protect the inside of the lock. Some warn not to use petroleum-based oils there. I have used them in the barrel and the lock- but unlike the inside of my barrel, I don’t dissolve the oil from the inside of my locks before shooting. Is there a potential problem with petroleum oils in the lock?

What do you do?

I lightly oil my locks with 3 in 1 oil, especially the bearing surfaces between the tumbler and the bridle/lockplate and mainspring. Also the frizzen pivot screw and where the toe of the frizzen contacts the frizzen spring.

Don't let anybody tell you that petroleum based oils will damage your rifle. That's pure hogwash. You can over-oil however and can get problems from that. Too much oil in the barrel, especially the breech, can create a thick gum if you oil the bore when there is still some powder residue in there. This is more noticeable in percussion guns with long flash channels and if you store your gun standing up, even a light coat of oil will eventually run to the breech and cause a mess. And of course, too much oil can and will contaminate your powder. Just make sure you wipe with a dry patch before loading.

Too much oil in the lock can cause problems in very cold weather. When it thickens it can cause lock speed to slow down. If you shoot in very cold weather, it may pay to wipe off any excess before your hunting trip. You really shouldn't have an excess to start with. Just a small drop at the bearing points will be enough. As for the rest of the lock and other metal parts, I often use the oily patch that I ran down the bore to wipe these off.

And oiling the face of the frizzen is a good idea. But remember to wipe it all off before shooting because that oil will do what it was designed to do and prevent friction. And the frizzen face is the one place on that lock that you do want friction.
:thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu can use any good gun oil on the internal parts of the lock, as long you don't use too much. AND, it helps if you first coat the lock mortise with gunstock oil finish, to seal the wood., That will seal the wood from any excess oil that might get on the it, and soften the wood.

 

[Stumpkiller]

No reason I can think of not to use petroleum based oils inside the lock. There should be no combustion inside the lockplate!

I use B-C Sheath applied with a toothpick or Marvel Mystery Oil (same applicator). You don't need much. I also wipe the insides well with a piece of cotton with Sheath on it and dig around with a toothpick for any accumulated crud.

You should keep any oils off the face of the frizzen. That or wipe with a solvent before use. Oiling your frizzen is like washing your powder . . . counterproductive.

 

[roundball]

LOCK - Hot soapy water & toothbrush
Disassemble & clean jaw, screw, flint, & leather
Blow off with compressed air;
Flood/flush with aerosol WD40;
Blow off with compressed air;

FRIZZEN - Q-tips & pipe cleaners
Disassemble frizzen pivot screw & frizzen
Clean spring top & all moving contact surfaces
Lube surfaces with Shooter's Choice grease syringe
Reassemble
Wipe pan & frizzen face with alcohol rag

 

[Trench]

I use 3-in-1 oil as well to lubricate the inner workings and where the frizzen meets the frizzen spring. It's been fine in normal weather. The viscosity is such that it stays in place when applied in small amounts and doesn't run. I moisten a Q-tip with oil and touch it to the points I want to lubricate to ensure I'm not using too much.

 

[jbwilliams3]

Well, I’m not worried then.

Isn’t it interesting how you do something that works for years, and then when a few people start making you second guess it, you start questioning yourself?

 

[Tumblernotch]

Well, I’m not worried then.

Isn’t it interesting how you do something that works for years, and then when a few people start making you second guess it, you start questioning yourself?

I don't second guess myself, but I'm willing to try something new if I believe it has merit, such as MooseMilk for shooting patches. Oil is tried and true and designed for what I use it for, metal protection and lubrication. If we keep it simple, we have more time to shoot. I've seen a lot of Rube Goldberg jimcracks on here and though some may work well enough (?), the time and costs involved in using them don't seem to justify me using them. But that's just me. :grin:

Now if somebody wants to come up with a way to help me see better without surgery and to keep my aiming arm dead still while shooting offhand...I'm listenin'!
:thumbsup:

 

[sniper68]

Here's my lock cleaning and lubing method. :grin: I use one of them hand steam cleaners(as seen on TV thingy)that I bought at Big Lots on special for $20 bucks.
I remove the lock and hose it down with the steam cleaner. It don't miss nuttin! When clean, The lock goes into a pan of boiling, or near boiling water, just long enough for the lock to get good and hot. Remove the lock the lock with a pair of tongs and set on a towel to dry(it don't take long). While still hot I give the ENTIRE lock a LIGHT coating of Teflon spray. While it's hot the teflon will flow into every nook and cranny. When cool, I give it a wipe down on the exposed surfaces with a paper or cotton towel. End of story..... :thumbsup:

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have never had a problem with petrolium oils on locks. You want a fine, not heavy coating of oil on all parts. I myself use either the old G.I. gun oil, since I still have a few bottles left from Nam ( I had a case at one time) or Spray On 709 rust preventive. It is an industrial spray on oil/wax combination much like a very thin cosmoline available from J&L Industrial supply.Another oil that you might like is the Synthetic sperm whale oil the Dixie gun works sells. I have tried it and cann't tell it from the origional sperm whale oil ( Of which I have a few ounces left. ) Sperm whale oil was considered the best oil to use in the old days.

 

[roundball]

G.I. gun oil

I've used the GI #158 medium weight gun oil in the green 4oz plastic bottle for decades on everything...a suspension of light oil & lithium grease...outstsanding stuff...ordered another 30 bottles this summer as I was almost out

 

[Jasseji]

i use a mixture called CX 80 Krytox - leaves a thick protective layer on all parts - we will try it now on the wheel-lock pistol to cover the area under the wheel - it's supposed to be non-sticky and leave a non-friction surface which is very important for a wheel-lock

Otherwise i found out that i genereally only need to wipe the BP fouling with a dry patch to remove it from the lock parts - also when left for a few days with the fouling on (sometimes field conditions dont allow for extensive cleaning of the inside lock mechanism)

After the wiping i just spray the lock again to re-fresh the protective layer

 

[DanChamberlain]

Well I'm the odd man out. I didn't take the lock off the trade gun until I'd had three range sessions in the course of three days. I didn't find any residue beneath the lock plate! No soot. No rust. No gunk. It was as clean as the day I set it in the wood and screwed it down. Now, I only clean the outside of the lockplate and all the moving parts. I'll remove the lock plate again, but not every time I clean.

Dan

 

[Stumpkiller]

Well, I’m not worried then.

Isn’t it interesting how you do something that works for years, and then when a few people start making you second guess it, you start questioning yourself?

It pays to keep an open mind but a squinted eye.

I avoid anything to do with muzzleloaders that says "new" or "patented". They worked in 1750 so obviously they rely on low tech and simple solutions. There have been more changes to muzzleloaders and loading or cleaning techniques in the last 25 years than in the last 250 . . . most of dubious benefit and obviously unnecessary.

 

[Dphar]

Just wondering what others use to protect the inside of the lock. Some warn not to use petroleum-based oils there. I have used them in the barrel and the lock- but unlike the inside of my barrel, I don’t dissolve the oil from the inside of my locks before shooting. Is there a potential problem with petroleum oils in the lock?

What do you do?

The lock only needs a light coat of oil. A drop the tumbler hole in the lock/tumbler pivot points, maybe some high tech grease on the really high pressure areas like where the main spring bears on the tumbler and the sear nose.

If you don't pull the lock fairly often there can be trouble if water from cleaning gets into the inletting by leaking out the vent.

Its also easier to clean the exterior of the lock when its off the gun since the stock is less likely to get water/cleaning solvent on/in it and thus into the inletting making the lock mortise a damp box.

Dan