Regrets with L and R lock for Traditions?

[Cayman like]

View attachment 301758I did it made the trigger pull heavy then I had Brad at cabin creek fix the lock from L&R , cost me more than the lock (either way it was an improvement over the traditions lock)View attachment 301763IT'S NOT A DROP IN now after this Brad told me he fixes the traditions locks to work as they should for the last 20+ years and it is more cost effective than what I DID . SO if you need a better spark call Brad first might save you

cabin creek (717) 757-5841

I have Brad tune all my locks 6 silers and 1 L&R sticking to silers

He tuned mine...works great.

 

[bpd303]

Yep, the wife factor can be a bitter pill to swallow.

I'm lucky I guess, my wife enjoys working on and shooting anything that goes bang/boom.

 

[MtHoot]

Many years ago I put an L&R replacement lock on my Traditions Pennsylvania Rifle. The lock is good, but the rifle is a POS. So I gained nothing.

I am acutely aware of everyone’s need to try to stay on a budget when shopping for a decent muzzleloader. The problem is that you (in general terms) limit yourself to purchasing cheaply made imported goods. Even the popular Italian made Ml’s which people love aren’t much better and they are still not inexpensive. I would not have bought an imported firearm period. If I wanted quality I saved and did without to get what I wanted. You have to be disciplined. Every single firearm I own was made in the USA, every part down to the screws and I would not have it any other way. Just saying IYKYK..

 

[bldtrailer]

everyone needs a starting point and unless you have a mentor in the flintlock world you most likely get the sportsman or box store sales pitch( even cabelas is a box store now) it's a small world of flinters best advise is find a local muzzleloader club and watch/ask a lot of times they are really proud of their Kit and rifle and will share the info . sometimes you might find a great used flint/cap gun to start with the advise you will need. My less than custom came from my good hearted wife and son during covid she understood that I wanted to build a rifle. but didn't know what kind so my son got the word from her and what he could afford sent me a kit (I WOULD HAVE ORDERED A CUSTOM kit) but they ordered the traditions and now my grandsons have a starter rifle .
Some day they will get my Allen Martin or my other custom rifles but NOT to start with boys are hard on things till they understand the value of things

HERE'S what I made plank to rifle build - HOYT BARREL SILER LOCK AND HOURS OF WOOD WORK

 

[Pete G]

Yep, the wife factor can be a bitter pill to swallow.

Wrong wife.

 

[TDM]

Wrong wife.

Not for me.

 

[Coinneach]

I'm one for

The last one I messed with had a stiff spring like that. I compressed it a little in a spring vise over night, reinstalled it and it worked like a champ.

I'm one for weakening springs that way too, its always worked a treat for me.

 

[Fatboyz]

Can't polish a turd

Actually the Myth busters proved you actually can polish a Turd! lol

 

[Sidney Smith]

yes live and learn (as long as the wife doesn't find out ) can be costly but my $$$ might save someone else

And who cares if she does. As long as you aren't robbing Peter to pay Paul, the wife should keep her mouth shut.

You think she's going to ask your permission to spend whatever $ amount she wants on what makes her happy? Do it anyway.

 

[bldtrailer]

never ask permission ask for forgiveness and after nearly 50 yrs cheaper to keep her (instead of breaking in a new one) they may forgive but they never forget

 

[mckutzy]

I recently bought a L&R lock for my flintlock traditions woodsman.
The standard stock lock fits the same in any as the same, tried with a buddies lock in my gun, fits where it should be right at the touchhole and centered...
The new L&R lock is about 3/16-1/4" behind the touchhole, As they incorporated a drip edge right around the pan, and well that completely offset the whole lock, not making it not only not drop in but basically a refit.

I havent really dealt with this one too much, Ive been able to make some other fixes work on my gun to the existing lock... but as a good company and making a somewhat acceptable replacement lock, they really messed up on this one...
I'm in Canada, so getting it here cost me total $450. Could have bought another gun.

 

[exarcher]

I actually just received a new one in the mail and at first I was having issues with decent spark and the frizzen not opening all the way. I just now removed the frizzen spring and tried the lock and now I get a good shower of sparks in the pan. So my question would be, would it be a good move to thin the frizzen spring a little at a time, trying the lock periodically for good spark but not weakening the spring to much? I might add that the spring is pretty stiff.

i bought one too,,, i think the frizzen spring is entirely too strong! the only flintlock i have experience with is my t/c & i had to file down the frizzen contact to get the tension low enough to slow flint breaking. the l&r roller contact wouldn't allow this,, guess spring "thinning" is the only choice. I took my frizzen off just now & find the "roller" is bent and is not even rolling.. this could be much of the problem? guess the "returning" will begin..

 

[flatcreek]

I've built two rifles of late and all I can say is I think the components are sub par. I'm 75 and have worked just about everything including racecars and airplanes. All I can say is when you pay 300 dollars + or - for a lock or a barrel you should not have to tune it or bend it. My next rifle if there is one will probably be a Kibler. I like to do things from scratch but I can't find components that I'm happy with and I think Jim Kibler feels the same way he makes most all of his own.

 

[RobertIN]

My frizzen spring was pretty strong, sen the lock off to @FlinterNick and it works great now. Just keep that touch hole clean. Patent breech is nonsense.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I put an L&R in a TC renegade percussion stock, it was a difficult swap, I ended up moving the barrel back about 3/16" to get the touch hole centered with the pan. Seems like I lengthened the underlug slots just a little and had to cut some off the under rib to move the barrel back. Of course, the ramrod keeper spring had to go but I made a new ramrod out of a straight blank without any runout that fit tightly enough as to not need a keeper.

The lock had issues, I sent it back twice, it was inoperable when I got it back the second time so I fixed it myself and made a good sparker out of it. No more L&R locks for me.

 

[reddogge]

I've built two rifles of late and all I can say is I think the components are sub par. I'm 75 and have worked just about everything including racecars and airplanes. All I can say is when you pay 300 dollars + or - for a lock or a barrel you should not have to tune it or bend it. My next rifle if there is one will probably be a Kibler. I like to do things from scratch but I can't find components that I'm happy with and I think Jim Kibler feels the same way he makes most all of his own.

I see Kibler does sell his lock for $315 so you don't have to buy the kit.

 

[Pete G]

I see Kibler does sell his lock for $315 so you don't have to buy the kit.

That would be like putting a racing saddle on a pig!

 

[flatcreek]

I see Kibler does sell his lock for $315 so you don't have to buy the kit.

He also has barrels listed and I have been considering buying a barrel and lock if in fact jim is selling them. His guns are so nice and I've proved to myself that I can build a nice rifle from a plank, so maybe its time to let someone else do most of the hard stuff. Absolutely no shame in BUILDING one of his rifles as some would like you to think.