shooting tomorrow

[ebiggs1]

I am going shooting tomorrow. Here is what I am starting with. Each lock is very different even by the same manufacture. The L&R is the most difficult to put the flint in. It is striking the top most part of the frizzen.
I have several different flints to try also.

Here is the TC which shoots better than the L&R.

Here is my refference brand new TC lock.

This just may determine if I have guns or wall decorations. I just may not be cut out for flintlocks!

 

[ohio ramrod]

Good photo's! It apears that the L&R is striking the frizzen at a nearly right angle. I am told by those who know more than I do about Flintlocks that the angle should be close to 60 degrees.It would apear to my humble eyes that the cock needs to be bent slightly to give you more of an angle, of course this would cause the flint to strike lower on the frizzen.Maybe some one more knowledgeable than I could help you more.

 

[fort fireman]

Try turning the flint bevel up on your L&R lock. I may hit alittle lower on the frizzen and at a more glancing blow to produce more sparks. Just give it a try, it my work , it may not. Someone with more experience may have a better idea but I would try that before I did any bending of the hammer or changing any geometery of the lock.

 

[torn moc]

yes...turn your flint over and it will strike lowere on the frizzen. Those cut agate flints are not the best for good sparks....get some of Rich Pierce's flints...!

 

[gpeterson]

ebiggs,

Check out the L&R Manton lock on Track's website. You may want to consider getting the Manton cock for your lock. It should be compatible, and also, the top jaw and jaw screw from your lock should fit on the Manton cock. Looks like the Manton may have a bit more downward angle against the frizzen. May be worth a looksee (FWIW).

reinert

 

[ebiggs1]

You know I noticed the odd angle the L&R lock was striking the frizzen but not knowing any better I don't know. Even the two TC locks do not have the same cock on them. Look closely at the two and you can see the difference.

 

[alrany187]

You know I noticed the odd angle the L&R lock was striking the frizzen but not knowing any better I don't know. Even the two TC locks do not have the same cock on them. Look closely at the two and you can see the difference.

If you have already sparked the lock, you'll know whether the bevel is correct. The angle of the flint to the frizzen on the L&R picture indicates that the frizzen will only open halfway before getting stuck on the flint coming down. This doesn't mean it won't throw sparks and it doesn't mean those sparks won't fire the priming powder, but it isn't as effective as when the frizzen opens all the way.

BTW, why is it more difficult getting the flint into the L&R?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Read the article on Shooting and Tuning a flintlock, which you will find under " Articles", indexed towards the top of the INdex page of this forum, under Member resources. You will better understand how to mount the flint to get better sparking in any lock.

I too am NO fan of the cut agate flints. Some work, some don't. The problem is that the agate is cut with a saw, ignoring the natural fracture lines in the rock. The English flints, and those that Rich Pierce makes are knapped, and by the very process, follow the fracture lines of the rock.

You want the flint to strike the frizzen at a 60 degree angle, from the bottom for best sparking. The point of Impact should be between 60% and 66% of the distance UP from the bottom of the frizzen. That point allows the flint to scrape steel bits from the face, not gouge them out, and also allows the frizzen to pop open at the right moment to permit the sparks to be THROWN into the pan. Badly tuned locks merely allow the sparks to dribble down the face of the frizzen, and bounce into the pan, slowing ignition time, or causing a misfire. You don't want the edge of the flint to strike too low on the frizzen, or it won't open the frizzen. You also want to oil and lube the frizzen pivot screw or pin, before every shooting outing, and you also need to polish, and lube the cam that rubs against the frizzen spring, so that those two surfaces rub as smooth as glass. The only PURPOSE of the frizzen spring is to keep the frizzen closed in the event you decide to point the muzzle downward vertically. It should not resist the frizzen popping open. A good lock will cut steel from the frizzen with NO frizzen spring present in the lock.

Re: your pictures: Turn the flint in the top photo over, so that the bevel is up, not down. That should get the edge to strike the frizzen at the right location.

The T/C lock looks okay.

The bottom photo indicates you have cocked the agate flint in the jaws, and you need to mount that flint so that the top and bottom of the flint are parallel in the jaws.

If the flint has to be mounted forward, due to being short for the lock, then put a twig or stick carved to needed width behind the flint and in front of the cock screw to hold the flint forward. Don't try to hold the flint forward by doing what you have done here. A couple of strikes, and that flint will go flying out of the lock and be possibly lost, or damaged.

 

[ebiggs1]

It is harder to get the flint in because, I can't get the correct angle on it and I think it is just bashing the frizzen. Someone suggested turning the bevel over and that has produced a pretty good result. I snapped it 5 or 6 times and it sparked well.

 

[ebiggs1]

I have read the "tuning" article and much more but when you are new to this, it takes awhile to set in. I was feeling better by just turning the bevel on the L&R lock, it works better now.
The bottom picture shows a lock that is brand new and un-molested from TC. That is how they placed the flint. Plus they use the sawn flints exclusively. BTW, the TC "help-line" is of very little help. You guys are miles better!

 

[ebiggs1]

It is raining today so I didn't get to shoot. I don't want to add another problem to the equation.

 

[Haleh]

You may want to try a thinner piece of leather. Can't say for sure it would help, but I
have been told that it will. When I got mine from the builder it had thin leather on it and that's all I have ever used. Been real happy with my ignition. Hopefully the more experienced ones will chime in about the leather.

H.Hale

 

[paulvallandigham]

BTW, the TC "help-line" is of very little help. You guys are miles better!

Thanks for the compliment to the members of the forum. We already knew what you now know. But, then we are not trying to make a living selling guns. Give the folks at T/C a bit of slack about this. :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[robinghewitt]

You may want to try a thinner piece of leather.

I agree, the leather is too thick, it's tilting the top jaw up and the flint isn't sitting square to the bottom jaw where it wants to be.

Thinner leather would allow the flint further back in the jaws, decrease the strike angle and give you a much better grip.

Squire Robin

 

[wcontratto]

I installed an L&R in my GPR not too long ago. I had terrible problems getting it to spark, and it was shattering flints, some on the first strike.

I found 2 things that appear to have relieved my problems that I'll share.

1) Use a shorter flint than the one you have in the first picture. Have a minimum of 1/8 inch gap between the flint and frizzen at 1/2 cock. The cock will arc further when it makes first contact, striking the frizzen at a better angle.

2) Make sure you use thick flints, or use a lead wrap to thicken them up (see the article Paul referenced). Looking at your first picture, if you go to a thinner piece of leather, like many suggest, will not result in a tighter grip on the flint. This is because the L&R has a stop (horizontal ledge) at the back of the cock. This keeps the upper jaw from cranking down any further than where it is in your first picture. Going to thinner leather will result in the flint being loose in the jaws. You could probably file down the ledge on the cock. I've been thinking of doing that to mine.

Good Luck,
Bill C.