Quality of L&R lock?

I sent the lock from my unknown (Ardessa, Spain) .45 flintlock rifle to ToW to have the frizzen hardened. They told me the springs, etc., were shot, and there was no way to get new ones. So I ordered a new L&R replacement lock. (I figured it's cheaper than a new smokepole.)

Is this a quality lock? I'm expecting a much better sparker than I've had for the last year or so. Hope that's true. Any comments?

Also: I like using just one powder granulation in my Bess. Is it possible to do the same in a .45 rifle? Would this small L&R lock spark well enough to use 3Fg as my prime?

As always, thanks loads for sharing your knowledge.

L&R are supposed to be a Quality lock. I know that had some Quality control issues with some of there locks a while back, but hopefully they have that sraightened out now. Your new lock should work just fine with 3f in the barrel and the pan.

About 25 years ago I was at Friendship buying parts and picked up a double set trigger from L&R. One of the guys asked to see it and he tried it a couple of times, put it back and picked another one, tried it a few times and said "here, this one is better". Impressed me with their integrity as they could have just as well let me walk away with a trigger that I may have had problems with.

I've got an L&R Lock and it's a good lock.No,It's a Real Good lock.and the couple of times that I managed to bugger it up myself they fixed it @ no cost to me(Only postage).I am impressed with their locks and service. :v

I have two L&R locks, a Queen Anne on my fowler and a number 4 that was a replacement for a Dixie and now sits in my 36. Both give good, fast ignition and reliability. The number 4 was sort of hard on some flints I was using, but the last lot I bought was from TOTW and I am seeing them last longer.

If you look in the workbench area for gunsmithing you will find the problems that I had with a L&R lock just this month. :cursing: I have seen where some have real good luck and others don't even want to waste the time. The lock looked great but once you started looking closer, the things they stated that their lock had for the most part wasn't the truth. Just my two bits

Homesteader said:

I sent the lock from my unknown (Ardessa, Spain) .45 flintlock rifle to ToW to have the frizzen hardened. They told me the springs, etc., were shot, and there was no way to get new ones. So I ordered a new L&R replacement lock. (I figured it's cheaper than a new smokepole.)

Is this a quality lock? I'm expecting a much better sparker than I've had for the last year or so. Hope that's true. Any comments?

Also: I like using just one powder granulation in my Bess. Is it possible to do the same in a .45 rifle? Would this small L&R lock spark well enough to use 3Fg as my prime?

As always, thanks loads for sharing your knowledge.

Click to expand...

L&R lock should be good.
FFFG will slow ignition slightly compared to FFFFG but will work fine.

Dan

I have used L&R locks on several of my guns and have had no troubles. Back in the 80's they had some problems with quality control, but they are under new ownership now and it appears to have been corrected. I like the L&R locks better than Siler.

Many Klatch

I hope the L&R works real well. I have one ready to install on a new build Hawken that I have to that point of construction. While at Friendship two years ago, I looked at every lock I clould pick up along dealers' row. L&R seemed to have the features I wanted and the workmanship was very good. I didn't look at price in this survey.

If mine should fail and be of poor functional quality, I'll be right back here giving an editorial blast. :v

Dan is of course technically correct, but I doubt if you'd be able to detect the difference without the use of that super slow motion camera that Pletch used at Friendship when he ran a bunch of tests on locks to check for speed. It greatly simplifies life if you just use 3Fg as both prime and main load and it's something many of us have done for years.

If you are going to shoot competitively for a prize, then you might want to use some 4fg as prime. Beware of using 4fg in humid conditions. It turns into soup pretty quickly when the humidity's up.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:

I get to use a lot of locks (go figure...) All of the major lock makers have great potential. The main thing I like anymore is consistancy, and right now Chambers is the most consistant well made lock that I have used (in all lock styles) I don't have to work on them or send them back, not one yet anyway. Limited by the locks Chambers makes though I have to use at times other's.
I have had a few great L&R locks and I have had some that needed work, or just sent back. I think that it has to do with certain styles... but I could be wrong. They are good people though and they will make the repairs or send parts when needed.

I have three L&R locks on different rifles, two Mantons and one New English. All have been great but I have heard some people having problems with some of them.

Those people that have gotten the replacement locks seeme to be very pleased with them. They are so much better than the ones they replaced that most are giggling happy.

Compared to a CVA, Jukar, no-name spanish lock, I would rate the RPL lock an improvement. (I assume you are referring to a RPL replacement lock, rather than a standard L&R lock)

If it is a standard L&R lock like the Classic or the Jaeger lock, go back in the archives & read what was said about them. YOu are not gonna like it. :shake:

Birddog6 said:

Compared to a CVA, Jukar, no-name spanish lock, I would rate the RPL lock an improvement. (I assume you are referring to a RPL replacement lock, rather than a standard L&R lock) . . . .

Click to expand...

The L&R replacement locks use the Manton parts on the back side of the plate - this from Bill Cox, who sold recently because of poor health. He's a good guy. I expect that if anyone had problems with L&R products, the company would make it right. I found them very helpful. (I'm not connected with them in any way.)

Regards,
Pletch

We have been thru this over & over in past threads about locks.

I am glad you have a lock that you are happy with. :grin:

Thanks for the info, everyone. It looks like I should be pretty happy with my purchase. Once I get it, brown it, do the inletting to fit it, and get out to actually try it, I'll let you all know what I think.

Mike2005 said:

I have three L&R locks on different rifles, two Mantons and one New English. All have been great but I have heard some people having problems with some of them.

Those people that have gotten the replacement locks seeme to be very pleased with them. They are so much better than the ones they replaced that most are giggling happy.

Click to expand...

I should have said in my earlier post that mine is the RPL lOCK AND Yes,I am Giggling Happy! :grin:

I have two Mantons and am very pleased with both of them. I just bought another Manton flint to convert an old caplock.

I have a L&R Queen Anne lock on a fowler. It works well, the main spring isn't as strong as in a Chambers resulting in that the flint has to be pretty sharp or it won't spark.

The only issue I have is the raised profile under the frizzen that fits into the pan. This may give better waterproofing but it only allows for the minimum of 4F priming or it will not close fully.

Have any of you encountered this and did you remove this profile or deepen the pan?

I hope you have better luck with your Mantons, than the 2 I bought 7/25/05 or the 2 Durs Egg locks I bought in 2006. This thread prompted me to go to the reciepts and mailings I had to L&R trying to make them work. It was kind of the same story I had with the Classic L&R I bought in 2001. I did find others who were able to make them work, but I then had more money in them than the Chambers locks and still didn't work like a Chambers. The Chambers locks only need a gun to make them work, not a re-engineering. Birddog is right, check the archives on these locks. It is a terrible shame though. They do make some lock styles that are not made anywhere else. If they would just work. To me, a lock that will only spark about 8 times with a new flint, is not a good lock. Especially when I can take the very same flint out of the L&R and put it in a Chambers and get another 35-50 firings before I have to look at it. :surrender: