Lock For T/C Renegade

[7shortmag]

I have been back and forth about this for several years.
Should I replace my OEM lock on my Renegade.
I have gone all over it. slicked it up, adjusted, shimmed, tinkered and improved it over it's original condition. I've done this to a handful of OEM T/C locks, and was never impressed with the form/fit/function. (coming from a Tool & Die Maker)

Would I notice any appreciable difference if I were to replace it with an aftermarket lock?
Which lock would you recommend?

 

[Grimord]

I have replaced a few T/C Hawken/Renegade locks with the L&R RPL locks but it is quite a project. Quite a bit of wood has to be removed from the lock mortise to accommodate the leaf spring, and the lock plate itself may/did need to be filed to fit the lock opening. Sometimes the barrel lug needs to be filed so the hammer lines up with the snail and nipple, or if a flint lock, to get proper alignment with the touch hole. Once replaced, I definitely noticed better function and spark in the flint lock, but not so much with the percussion lock. As a tool & die maker, these modifications will most likely be a piece of cake, but for a amateur gunsmith like me, it was a slow and cautious process to be sure I didn't ruin the gun(s).

 

[7shortmag]

I have replaced a few T/C Hawken/Renegade locks with the L&R RPL locks but it is quite a project. Quite a bit of wood has to be removed from the lock mortise to accommodate the leaf spring, and the lock plate itself may/did need to be filed to fit the lock opening. Sometimes the barrel lug needs to be filed so the hammer lines up with the snail and nipple, or if a flint lock, to get proper alignment with the touch hole. Once replaced, I definitely noticed better function and spark in the flint lock, but not so much with the percussion lock. As a tool & die maker, these modifications will most likely be a piece of cake, but for a amateur gunsmith like me, it was a slow and cautious process to be sure I didn't ruin the gun(s).

Would it be a noticeable improvement over a slicked-up T/C/ Lock?

 

[Eric Krewson]

I doubt if you will find a $185 improvement in you locks function from the swap, plus you will have more in you gun than it is worth.

I put an L&R RPL flintlock into a percussion stock with a new TC flint barrel, it would take me a long paragraph to describe all the problems I encountered to pull off the swap. These RPL locks aren't even close to a drop-in.

Here is a quick description and picture; move the barrel back to line up the touch hole and pan, relocate the lock bolt, grind off the back of the tang to accommodate the new bolt and completely reinlet the lock to make it work, fill in the gaps in the lock mortis to accommodate a lock smaller than the TC inlet.

A friend wanted the finished gun, he collects and doesn't shoot so I don't know how much better the L&R lock is than a TC, the rifle has never been shot.