ram rod hits lock screw.

[amccall]

Hey guys, I am building a lancaster longrifle and I thought that I measured correctly when putting the lock bolts in to miss the ramrod channel but oops I did not. Is this a big deal and occasionally happens or do I redo things. Any experience or info would be appreciated. :cry:

 

[Dave K]

I assume you are referring to the front lock screw. Your certainly wouldn't be the first gun to either have the front screw notched to allow the rod to pass( be sure to put an indexing mark on that screw so you always know where it should be). Others have made the front screw into a pin if the ram rod falls right in the middle of the screw. Of course be sure to remove the ram rod first before removing the screw so you don't damage the rod if you notch that screw.

 

[Slowpoke]

On kits this is really common. I did a fowler that this was the case.
Put your bolt in then with a little inletting black on the end of the ramrod put it in so that it hits the bolt. Then take the ramrod out and examine the bolt and see how much of the bolt it actual hits. If its just a little bit I would make a little cresent in the bolt, that's what I did. In the future when your rifles finished, you have to remember to take the ramrod out first before you take your lock bolt out or you'll carve into the ramrod. I always forget.
If your ramrod hits the bolt center and there's no way to cut a cresent in the bolt, you can always make the front lock screw a fake.

SP

 

If it is only a minorintrusion them notching the screw does well.

If that is not enough sometimes a heavy taper on the end of the ramrod helps also. Almost all of the origionals were tapered anyway.

A heavy taper and the addition of a rolled sheet metal furrel, with threads tapped in the end for a worm, will hide the problem in a very skillful manner. (as in "I made it look this way on purpose!")

If it is like my first one then there is no hope. I put the screw smack in the middle of the rr channel.

This may be why so many of the old timers had a rr that poked 3" ahead of the barrel!

 

[amccall]

Thanks for the information. It looks like the ramrod is in the middle of the bolt or at least a significant part of it. What I did temporarily was make a short metal rod attachment and have it in my patchbox, incase I want to go hunting. I was going to use a range rod for target practice so I would not need the rifle ramrod. I was wanting to get some more information to see if there was anything else that I could do, thanks

 

Does the lock sit in place without the front screw? It should if properly inlet.

Many builders will use a "fake screw" at the front of the plate. Most of the time it is a wood screw that matches the lock screw. They then "plug" the foreward hole in the lockplate. It looks like there is a foreward screw when there is none and the rr will go all the way down the channel.

Yes, one screw is sufficient to hold the lock while firing. Most of the latter guns went to one screw and a small inlay instead of the massive sideplate of the early flint era.

 

[Pork Chop]

Another option from the peanut gallery. If the hole for the front lock screw is small enough, you could open it enough to use a shorter screw that is only on the lock side of the ramrod hole. Use a cabinet screwdriver to install that one. Then use a short screw of much larger size to cover the hole. It is a little more monkey motion, but it could work if you need the security of two screws.

 

[Birddog6]

If it hits right in the middle of the screw you are pretty much SOL. That is considering you have the lock screw drilled & taped in the lock & the sideplate inleted.

If sso, fill both holes in the stock with a glued in plug & cut the head off the lock/sideplate screw & solder it to the head of a small flathead screw & attach the sideplate with that fake bolt.

If the hole on thee lock shows, thread a short piece of the lock screw you cut the head off from, thread into the lockplate, cut off & file flush. Now fit the lockplate so one bolt holds it flat to the barrel with just laying it on there, not having to torque it. If you have to torque it to make it flush, it is not fitted correctly. :thumbsup:










7

 

[Donny]

I've seen the bolthead cut off and soldered to the sideplate over the hole. One bolt holds the lock on. If you can't live with a mistake, :cry: you could plug the hole in the lock, peen it good, redrill a new hole. It will take a new sideplate. just a thought.