Wheelock Lock From Scratch

Some photos of the lock for a wheellock a friend is building from scratch. He is an experienced machinist and gunsmith but the mainspring is giving him some trouble. He has had a couple break and the current one is working but not completely satisfactorily. They have failed in the same place and from what I have read here they have given others similar problems too. I'm sure he will resolve the issue and move on to complete the gun. I thought you might enjoy some photos of the lock and also of a matchlock he built a few years ago.

That’s pretty wild! Mad skills!!!

RM

I would love a wheelock! I assume he fabricated the lock himself, which is even beyond my understanding. Amazing work!

Most wheellocks, or I should I more properly say ... 'at least those that work' ... have a HUGE 'V'-shaped mainspring. Your friend is putting all the tension (read: stress) onto one leaf.

The spring should be a large U shape I found old grass mower blades steel are about right the set up isn't normal but if it works thats enough
Rudyard

hawkeye2 said:

Some photos of the lock for a wheellock a friend is building from scratch. He is an experienced machinist and gunsmith but the mainspring is giving him some trouble. He has had a couple break and the current one is working but not completely satisfactorily. They have failed in the same place and from what I have read here they have given others similar problems too. I'm sure he will resolve the issue and move on to complete the gun. I thought you might enjoy some photos of the lock and also of a matchlock he built a few years ago.

Click to expand...

I have made a number of wheelies from scratch.....after the first few I figured an easier way must exist....so I redesigned the interior. Everything is correct on the out side but I use a 'screen door' spring as a main spring. .......................I apologize. I looked all over and can't
find any pics of the insides..... Anyway the coil spring work well and gives a full turn, not just a half turn. Makes it much simpler to make.
I probably made about a half dozen of various caliber. Sold all but two. The rest were all long guns. Now, I am puzzled as to why I lost a
pic of the insides.....

Dear Wulf. Ive only made up Five W locks two where a copied origall I freind let me take to Cawnpore India they 'got up' imperfectly a dozen or more ( Indians cant resist selling your developement to anyone else )the two other were pistols one a Jacobi lock same as NA tried to sell . the third pistol basically TRS parts Oh and one exposed external spring rifle lock . and a French lock in the style of Louis the 13th s Boys gun only a 54 rifle that Dunk NZ now owns . so thats 7 All of them a struggle and the notion of useing coil springs or other expedients has merit. After all Leonardos drawing shows a coil spring lock if I don't think it was a gun lock but its Leonardo he had lots of ideas . Xmas day here .
Regards Rudyard