• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Bedford Co. lock internals?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Grizzly Adams

50 Cal.
Joined
Jul 21, 2014
Messages
1,049
Reaction score
2
Hello all,

I received this complete bag of parts for a Bedford flint lock from a friend, and was looking for some pictures of the placement of the internals, as well as any suggestions to help me in building this lock. Thanks in advance!

Bag of parts:
 
Since lock function is more about function rather than form, does location really matter so long as it works? I mean, you really never see the internals except during building and cleaning.

Since most Bedfords were in the post 1840 time frame, most of (original) examples I've seen (just in pictures) were built as percussion guns, but I know some flinters were built too,and many of the originals may have been converted.
 
I got that same kit (it looks like to me), from Dixie Gun Works, about forty years ago. Only my kit is percussion. I didn't receive any instructions with it. :idunno:
 
Thank you everybody for the insight. I sort of figured that building a lock kit wasn't rocket surgery, but just wanted to make sure there weren't any crucial details I was missing.
 
I used this book for building a lock : "Craft and Practice-Part 1, Re-Conversion , Screw Threads, Assembling Locks" by Kit Ravenshear. Available at TOW.
 
A lot of work there. Cant see from the pic if the screw holes are spotted on the lock plate. If not
?? Hope you have access to a good drill press and good bits.
Good Luck
 
I second geb324's opinion! It's gonna be a lot of work if you have never built a lock before.
Not saying at all that you can't do it, but you need a good lock building reference book, especially if there are no references on the backside of the lockplate to help you locate the holes.
There's a lot of holes for you to drill and get lined up perfectly. The geometry of the internals matters quite a bit for it to work properly. Some of those castings look a bit rough and will need to get filed/stoned and polished.
As mentioned, you are also missing the frizzen spring.

It's certainly above my skill level, so I won't offer any building advice...
There are many on this forum who can give you good advice. Artificer comes to mind for locks.

Good luck with it, and please post your progress, I'd love to see how it goes.
 
I highly recommend Ravenshears booklet. It gives step by step instructions on how to assemble a set of lock castings. After assembly you will also have to have have your springs and frizzen done and should have other parts hardened.
 
Building locks is a true specialty and takes on a whole new skillset from just gun stocking. In reality, historically speaking, the majority of original gunsmiths used imported ready made locks back in the day. It is important for a competent gun maker to know his way around a lock. As in tuning, frizzon hardening, replacing worn parts, etc. etc. But to make a complete serviceable lock from a bag of parts without instructions or pilot guide markings will be a chore I would not relish! There are only a handful of specialists around today that have had many years of experience with locks that I would trust to do the job on your set to make a mechanism worthy of a fine rifle build!
 
I don't think you need to be an expert to make a working lock but to make a perfectly working and tuned lock you need to know your stuff. Especially the spring and frizzen heat treating. I bought an Indian French 1728 several years ago. I didn't like the idea of not being able to get spare parts so I decided to build my own lock using Rifle Shoppe parts and a plate I made myself. I used the book mentioned earlier as a guide. I am not highly skilled but can drill and tap file and polish. Sent the lock out for engraving and to have the frizzen and springs done and both men said the lock was very well done (not perfect). So if you have some basic skills you can do this.
IMG_0394-1.jpg
 
I think one of the first skills is ability to drill perpendicular holes. From experience with a Silar kit years ago. I have purchased new locks (L&R) where the holds were not straight, which I didn't discover until much later.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top