Sighting in Snaphaunce

[BenCoogle]

I usually go up to close to Salmon color and get good hard results. The 6150 seems to be very temperature tolerant in the draw. I use a "Vortex" type propane torch for drawing and bring it up to a "Ghostly" red in a dark corner of the shop. You're not quite sure it's glowing. Jesse says he'll bring them up to a scarlet.

What did you think of the double sear arrangement? Took me a while to figure out how it worked! Had to adjust the springs too.

Ben

 

[bioprof]

I annealed it in my oven at 350 degrees and it seems to help a little. It's getting good spark, but I'm starting to think that the problem is the angle between the flint and the battery, causing the sparks to land on the pan cover rather than the pan itself. Maybe that's why the top of the pan cover is concave. It's so you can put some of the priming powder on top of the pan cover to catch the sparks. :shocked2: I think a spall might give me better geometry than the English flints that I'm using. With the flint bevel up, it is striking the battery too low. With the flint bevel down, it's hitting the battery too high. I am getting a lot of sparks though.

It didn't take me too long to figure out the sear arrangement, because I had already built a wheellock which has a similar sear arrangement. The primary sear that was provided to me had way too much metal though, so I had to do a lot of filing to get it to fit.

 

[BenCoogle]

One thing I learned with mine is that it "Knap" a flint that is too long PDQ! Ben

 

[Erzulis boat]

Granted, I have the larger Snaphaunce lock from TRS, but the frizzen pivot geometry is really quick- As soon as the flint impacts, the frizzen pops over with just the first kiss, and the pan cover pushrod has full contact with arm.

I was very surprised at the action, just as good as any pre-built Chambers lock that I have.

Maybe it is a geometry issue? My pan cover doesn't have a lot of forward travel until the pushrod dis-engages, and the pan is pretty darn shallow.

I can see that your frizzen to spring engagement is via flats, where my lock utilizes circular protrusions that are easier to tune, yours might be difficult to get it to "pop" at the right time :hmm:

Before I forget to ask- When your frizzen is down (for firing) how far back is the bottom of the face in relation to the back "wall" of the pan? Mine is set up to go all the way to the back, so that when it gets hit and "pops" forward, the frizzen face is right over the pan, and the shower is totally focused, then the frizzen goes over.

 

[Erzulis boat]

Here is the frizzen position when it is sitting on the pan. It is under spring pressure, and rests nice and solid on the pan cover. When the flint impacts (never mind the thrashed flint)and the flint gets the last bit of stroke on the face, the frizzen is slightly forward of pan center, and the shower goes accurately right into the pan.

At least on this Snaphaunce lock, you can see how far rearward the frizzen face has to go. If I put it farther forward by maybe .125" it would shower the cover, and only a few sparks would get to the pan.

 

[BenCoogle]

That's the same lock I have, the Coltens. Mine works well also. Jesse said that he is the one who added the second little knob to the frizzen arm bearing. Originally it would snap all the way over to the full away position and if your fingers were in the way....you had a bad day!

Ben

 

[smoothbore69]

Ben,
Could you list the contact information for Mr. Winters?

Thank you,

Chris Quattlebaum

 

[bioprof]

Erzulis,

Here is the flint position when it first starts striking the battery:

And here is the position when it is at the bottom of the frizzen:

I think I am getting more spark now that I heated it in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. Also, I think I solved another problem. I discovered that the pan lever was dragging on the wood in the lock inlet. I've relieved the wood now, so I should be getting a little better lock speed.

Another thing I've noticed is that the frizzen (battery) spring isn't very strong. The battery flips forward further than it should after a shot. I don't know if this makes any difference or not though.

 

[bingo1952]

I think if you would heat the battery arm so you could move the bottom of the battery towards the muzzle by 1/16" or so your angle would be better for a scrape of the flint down the battery rather than the bash it appears you are now getting and heating the arm shouldn't draw the temper of the battery face if done quickly.

 

[jstranah]

/barges into the middle of the thread

Random question, gents, because I freely admit I do not know: Do snaphaunce locks have a half-cock? Does the one from TRS? I've been looking at it for a long, long time now....

 

[Erzulis boat]

Not the "English Musket" lock.

The sear acts from the side, and engages a recess on the cock through a port on the lockplate.

 

[Erzulis boat]

Bioprof-

That setup looks good to me, maybe starts out a bit low (flint frizzen), but otherwise looks like it kicks over in the right spot.

My frizzen is not super hard, I would say "medium hard" in comparison to other locks that I have, and it sparks great.

Your lock is so similar to mine, just a little smaller.

 

[Erzulis boat]

I think if you would heat the battery arm so you could move the bottom of the battery towards the muzzle by 1/16" or so your angle would be better for a scrape of the flint down the battery rather than the bash it appears you are now getting and heating the arm shouldn't draw the temper of the battery face if done quickly.

That might definitely be an option. Even getting another frizen casting from TRS might be a good idea. I always purchase 2 sets of spring castings, and 2 frizzens (per lock) when I order from TRS.

 

[BenCoogle]

Sorry Chris I just saw your post! The address I have is: Bob Winters
1792 Cedar Creek Road
Sparta TN 38583

(931)761-3011

Ben

 

[bioprof]

/barges into the middle of the thread

Random question, gents, because I freely admit I do not know: Do snaphaunce locks have a half-cock? Does the one from TRS? I've been looking at it for a long, long time now....

Pirate,

No, it doesn't have a half cock, but you can make it safe from firing by moving the battery forward. When loading, the lock is unset and the battery is pushed forward so that it is impossible for the flint to make contact. After loading, the cock is pulled back and set. Then before firing, the battery must be moved into position over the pan, so in a sense, there is a "safe" position when the lock is set.

 

[jstranah]

Ah, good. Thank you.

 

[BenCoogle]

'Morning Gentlemen,
I used my Snaphaunce at a small rondesvous this past weekend and it performed flawlessly, however I did not!
I loaded with the first charger and got 4 "Flashes in the pan". I pulled the bullet and discovered that there was no powder! :shake: I then loaded from the second charger and discovered the extra powder! :rotf:
Did get second place though.
Ben

 

[mazo kid]

Hi Ben! Glad to see you here; you are going to be a valuable resource. Can you post a picture(s) of your gun? I know you do very nice work. Emery

 

[BenCoogle]

I really don't know how to work this stuff, trying this.
http://s430.photobucket.com/albums/qq22/Ben_Coogle/

Well, I went and looked and it was there. If anyone would like to make the pictures appear here be my guest! Lloyd Moler did it for me on another board!

Ben

 

[bingo1952]

Here are your pics.