TC problems....again

[410-er]

Couple months ago I got a TC 45 Hawkens in great shape.After talking to a few I found I had the old hammer.It was striking the frizzen real low and covered an area about 1/2".Sent the lock back to TC and they replaced the hammer with a new style and a new flint(agate).The frizzen was pitted but they didn't replace that.When I got it back the flint was covering the same amount of area on the frizzen only about 3/8 higher.The flint also didn't follow the contour of the frizzen.Called TC about it and talked to the service guy who said he has set them up for 20+ years and thats the way they are to be.I didn't argue and said I would try it.Tonite I tried it!I never had SO MANY misfire in my life.I had more misfires with the 1st charge than I had with my Lymans in 15yrs!Frizzen would hang up and not flip the whole way forward to let the spark drop in the pan.My average for the nite was about 4-5 clicks to 1 discharge.Thought about putting the Lyman frizzen I have on it but if it doesn't flip it foward enough why bother.Guess it goes back AGAIN!Hope they still have an old hammer laying around.At least the old one fliped the frizzen like it should.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Sounds like you need a slightly longer flint. Can't tell for sure unless we see a picture of your lock or see it in person. Before buying a new flint, put a short stick, or twig behind your wrap. to move this flint forward, See if it opens the frizzen, properly then.

Misfires usually are the result of damp powder in the chamber, or a too small touch hole, rather than the flash powder failing to ignite. Your flint's edge should strike the frizzen between 1/2 and 2/3 of the way up from the flashpan, and scrape down. If its the new lock, you should be able to mount the flint, bevel up. If you are striking too low, then turn the flint around so that the bevel is on the bottom, or " bevel down".

Let us know more.

 

[Rebel]

If your flint is bevel up try turning it over and see if that helps.

 

[roundball]

When a frizzen doesn't flip open all the way, the most common cause is that the flint is simply too short...you need to reposition it correctly.

On a TC lock with the new style hammer sitting in the half cock notch and the frizen closed, the leading edge of the flint should be all but touching the face of the frizzen...imagine only a sheet of notebook paper betwen the frizzen face and the edge of the flint.

PS: I've tried several different kinds of flints in TC locks, and without question, Tom Fuller 3/4" (x 7/8") black english flints are head & shoulders above all the rest, and particularly agate flints like TC sells.

Once an agate gets a dull spot on them, they can't be knapped, you have to remove them and resharped the edge with a diamond file, or belt sander, etc.

Saturday before last I shot a 50 shot range session on one 3/4" BEF without ever touching it, cleaned everything when I got home, shot another 50 shot range session on the same flint this past Saturday and only had to lightly knapp it twice.
100 shots on one flint and it was still going strong...no comparison to agates.

 

[410-er]

Yep,I know that a flint should be about "paper thin"from frizzen.My Lymans are set that way.I questioned this also as the flint was about 1/8" from frizzen.Service guy said he has been setting them up for 20+ years and this is the way it is suposed to be.Said I would try it before I say it won't work.IT DIDN'T WORK!If I extend the flint it will strike about 3/8 from the VERY top of the frizzen.Is that where it should strike?

I wish Lyman made a 45.

 

[Swampman]

Cheap flintlocks can be a pain. The L&R replacement lock is nice, but I personally found it tough to inlet into the stock. I guess a .45 is ok for target shooting but the .50 & .54 are just as accurate if not more so. TOW makes .40 caliber barrels for the Lyman, but I'm not sure they are flintlock barrels. Just some thoughts.....

 

[roundball]

I'm sorry you're frustrated and think a lyman is the only solution...but if they had fixed the lock correctly, you'd be fine...I have about a dozen of them and they all work flawlessly...wouldn't waste my time or money with them if they didn't.

There are a couple of old curmudgeons that still work in the repair shop with very negative attitudes...sounds like you found one...it's why I stopped dealing with the repair shop 10+ years ago and only sent to the attention of the Service Manager via Priority Mail / Delivery Confirmation with a memo explaining the situation. On several occasions like your situation, they've simply sent me an entire complete new Flint lock assembly.

They completely overhauled the Flintlock assembly about 6-7 years ago with differently designed parts and if he's still setting them up the way he did 20 years ago, that may be part of the problem. :shake:

I know you know that the flint should be tried bevel up or down and positioned so that when it does hit the frizzen, it shold be about 1/3 of the way down from the top, and appearing that it will hit the frizzen at a slightly downward shaving/slicing angle.

If it's hitting to high and straight on, there will be very few sparks and short flint life from the square-on battering against the frizzen. Has to be able to shave/slice bits of steel off the face of the frizzen and needs to slice down into it to do that.

If it was me, I'd take a deep breath, put together a good memeo and send it back, this time to the attention of: TC Service Manager ONLY.

This what the new style looks like:

 

[retired]

Roundball is right on, have had Tom Fuller BEF 3/4 x 7/8 go 120 shots with one or two knappings. The average is easily 50-60 shots.

 

[410-er]

Roundball,thanks for the pic.I compared mine to the pic.My flint,in that position,is really different.The bottom edge of my flint is DIRECTLY across from the bottom edge of my frizzen.Straight across.The distance between is 7/16.I have 3 TC's that are percussions and this is my 1st TC flint.I not ready to give up,just a little frustrated not with the gun but the repair guy.Maybe I expect too much.Guess I box it up and send her back.

 

[Walks with fire]

I am not sure about what you mean about even with the bottom of the frizzen but it sounds like your hammer is not traveling the full distance down the frizzen. This can happen if the fly isn't positioned correctly. Like Roundball said: Send it the TC Service Manager and it will come back right.

 

[roundball]

Roundball,thanks for the pic.I compared mine to the pic.My flint,in that position,is really different.The bottom edge of my flint is DIRECTLY across from the bottom edge of my frizzen.Straight across.The distance between is 7/16.

Is this a fairly old Flint lock?

Reason I ask, is that one of the design improvements is a redesigned tumbler to replace old tumblers, whose position was actually adjustable on the hammer pivot shaft...held in place by a set screw that would slip...the flint's edge should essentially be pointing down into the pan area...if yours is stopping that high, there's a lock internals problem of some sort...make sure you point that out in your return memo.

Won't hurt to weave in a couple comments about your great disappointment with TC's product quality and the quality of your recent TC customer service experience, etc... :grin:

 

[410-er]

I think its around 20+ years.Will compose a nice letter tonite and have the lock sent back tomorrow.Will let everyone know the results.Thanks to everyone for the help.

 

[cptleo1]

410

Sent PM

 

[8 BORE]

hello sgt