matchlock's and modern world view

dyemaker said:

There is a site called adaptagun that sells modern matchlock conversion locks. For turkey and such, I'm not so sure the smoking match would repel them. I don't know really. One of the most interesting antique guns I have seen was a wheelock target rifle converted to matchlock retaining the lockplate etc. but with a hoop instead of an actual wheel. Here is the link for what it's worth... Link

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That looks interesting, but the website doesn't have much info. Can you give us some details? Have you used their locks? Are they designed to fit particular rifles? Where are they based? Sounds like a foreign company.

wow neat!!!

there are some cool ideas there

check out the matchlock the guy makes

(Can you give us some details? Have you used their locks? Are they designed to fit particular rifles? Where are they based? Sounds like a foreign company.)

I have no clue. It is just another link I came across whilst searching for photos of muzzleloaders I have not seen yet online. Im not sure but the converted firearms in the photos look like TC Hawkens.

I have also seen a few photos of 1850's or later Japanese matchlock revolving or turret pistols etc.that were quite unique. The technology lagged WAY behind as Japan isolated itself and the Samurai had banned firearms. Sorry, had to add this because it is relevant to the original post in this thread.

no problems I don't mind well placed asides

If they are T/C adaptable I want one!

Now that is a spiffy lock!

This is a 1905 painting. According to the article on matchlocks, these are still being used to hunt wolves etc. in Tibet. Notice the affixed bipod.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tibetan_Soldier_at_Target_Practise.jpg

So I wrote the guy who made these locks and he wrote me this back:

Hi Cynthia, thanks for the link. I read the comments
You have my permission to let them know you’ve contacted the inventor and he is a guy from Argentina !!! Like the new Pope Francis, jeje
The Rifle I used for the lock conversions is the T/C Hawken. I went in 2000 to the Las Vegas Shot Show to contact Thompson Center people there, but they didn’t find my ideas trendy those days.
Regarding the other rifles I used in the photos and Videos, there are to many, the site has about 20 different kits.
[redacted this part]
Anyway, I’m in Miami and my phone is [redacted] if you have further questions. I rather speak than write
best
JC Di Pietro

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It always turns out an idea I have has already been done by someone.

When I was a little kid I wanted to invent the 4 door pick up truck. About 2 hours after my great idea I saw an old beat up truck, had to have been 20 years old or older and you guessed it...4 doors.

Watching my uncle split logs as a kid I mused that a machine that does it for you would work great. His response was 'I wonder where Pop's old log spliter is?'.

A number of years ago I thought that an online auction site would be really neat. A week later I heard about ebay.

Progresively faster rifleing. I thought it might work and I never heard of it before. Turns out Gain Twist rifleing goes back to the 1800's.

just a few examples that imediatly come to mind

It always turns out that way for me, that someone else has thought up something long before I did.

I tried contacting him at the address shown at the bottom of the page but it came back undeliverable. Did you get any price quotes? I'm interested in two of those locks.

no price quotes

[email protected]

that is the email addy he used to respond to me, as it is a .biz email that indicates it is a business email

Cool, that helps. Thanks.

I know the feeling.When I started smoking a pipe in the late 70s I found it went out a lot, so I started packing it with a short piece of dowl,only to discover tampers are a thousand years old.I invented short startes and shot cartiges,just about 500 years late.Smoking black parts I'm inleting is a nother one of my great late ideas...Maybe you and I should start a think tank :haha: By the by I think one reason match locks hung on was any one handy with tools could make one.I'm sure I coud turn one out but I dont have half the skills to make a flint lock,as for a wheellock I might as wel shoot the moon :wink:

A bit hard to do a conversion on an existing lock that would be reverseable, due to the flint lock snaps fast when released and a match lock falls slower and softer so as not to stub out the match, I have seen it done but using two locks that fit the one gun .That said there are some originals kicking around that were built with both a flint and match mechanism , they tend to have two triggers and a complex lock ,they date from around the last 1/4 of the 17th centry

Well, I inquired about those replacement locks. This is the reply I got:

I'm sorry to tell you I don't have any one left. I made 11 of this locks based on a list of people that wanted them about 10 years ago. Since I move to the USA by that time, I never carry out with that project. There are a lot of cool stuff in the website for muzzleloading, there's even several systems for Zimmerschutzen (indoor practicing) that are great for indoor shooting in winter. I'm open to start all over again with this business If I find the right people who want to invest in my inventions. If you know of somebody that want to start a new business with a lot of potential, please let him know about me and my site. May be that way several muzzleloader guns will have access to play with wheel locks, match locks and indoor practicing.

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So then I asked about the possibility of making a batch of the matchlock replacement locks if I could find enough people for a group buy, and I got this reply:

The guy that made them is a gunsmith that lives in Argentina, and I don't know anybody here that wants to do 6- 10 handmade locks. I guess that each wheel lock would cost at least $300-$400 + profit to produce that way. I think is to expensive what do you think?

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I said no thanks after I saw that price.

I did not look at any prices but I can imagine :shocked2: Wow! I see now I agree.

Maybe the gunsmith can farm the work out to a jungle village in Vietnam, a valley in Afghanistan, to India or China...
:shake:

I downloaded the pic of the tactical caplock a while back Cynthialee. I have it as the background on my laptop. PM me your email and I will send it to you.

Charley

Well if you are trying to come up with a steam punk gunlock based on the matchlock..., why are you keeping the match? Why not change it out for a butane pencil torch? Or maybe somebody could build you one that uses a piece of nichrome wire heated to red hot like a toaster element?

LD

Not a match lock but I remember seeing a pair of wheel lock dueling pistols from about 1830's. Looked like typical English duelers of the period except the locks. Auction company didn't have a lot of details thought maybe they were made for a period collector