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Flint lock problem

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Joined
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Shooting my flintlock today and all of a sudden, I can not cock the hammer all the way back and have it hold in place without setting the set trigger first. Before I could cock it and set the trigger, but not now. When I clean it the lock work just fine out of the gun, but when I put ever thing back together will not cock intill I set the trigger. The lock is clean and oil . And the screws holding the lock to the stock are not over tight
 
Take the lock out and operate the trigger, look for any difference between the unset and set positions that would cause the sear not to engage until the trigger is set.
 
Shooting my flintlock today and all of a sudden, I can not cock the hammer all the way back and have it hold in place without setting the set trigger first. Before I could cock it and set the trigger, but not now. When I clean it the lock work just fine out of the gun, but when I put ever thing back together will not cock intill I set the trigger. The lock is clean and oil . And the screws holding the lock to the stock are not over tight
You may have some wood swelling that is causing binding. Blacken the lock internals, cycle the lock and check for marks in the inlet. Sometimes, the end of the sear bar can be rubbing on wood, but this is more difficult to see as the end is in a hole.

In a nutshell - if the lock works properly out of the gun, there is likely wood binding/rubbing when in the mortise that is impeding function.
 
You may have some wood swelling that is causing binding. Blacken the lock internals, cycle the lock and check for marks in the inlet. Sometimes, the end of the sear bar can be rubbing on wood, but this is more difficult to see as the end is in a hole.

In a nutshell - if the lock works properly out of the gun, there is likely wood binding/rubbing when in the mortise that is impeding function.

Thanks Black Hand, but I fire about 10 rounds before I had any problems, and this is the first time this has happen and I have had the rifle for years. Will check out the wood binding, thanks again
 
I would suggest as above that you check the sear for wood contact at the far side of the hole. Perhaps just hit the end a few strokes with a file. You won't take much off but it might be enough.

As to the triggers.... looking good and working properly are two different things.... I really think you may have too much pressure on your set trigger. Try lightning the strength of the set trigger spring a bit. Also check to see that the set trigger moves freely in the trigger system.

JMHO
 
Shooting my flintlock today and all of a sudden, I can not cock the hammer all the way back and have it hold in place without setting the set trigger first. Before I could cock it and set the trigger, but not now. When I clean it the lock work just fine out of the gun, but when I put ever thing back together will not cock intill I set the trigger. The lock is clean and oil . And the screws holding the lock to the stock are not over tight
When you have to set the triggers to be able to cock the hammer, your trigger lever when unset is too high and holding the nose of the sear out of the full cock notch. It seems that after about 10 rounds your lock or trigger plate settles down enough so that the trigger lever interferes with the sear. You will have to shim the trigger plate down or adjust the set trigger lever down to provide some clearance to the sear.
 
Shooting my flintlock today and all of a sudden, I can not cock the hammer all the way back and have it hold in place without setting the set trigger first. Before I could cock it and set the trigger, but not now. When I clean it the lock work just fine out of the gun, but when I put ever thing back together will not cock intill I set the trigger. The lock is clean and oil . And the screws holding the lock to the stock are not over tight
Since this happened while you were shooting it, I'll assume you didn't tighten any screws.

It sounds to me like the trigger plate the set triggers are built into has moved upward a bit. This could be caused by over tightening the screws that hold it in place (which you didn't do) or a combination of the wood shrinking over time and the shock of the recoil jarring the plate just enough to cause trouble.

I suggest removing the trigger guard and trigger assembly and then cutting a piece or two of heavy card stock, the kind that cracker boxes are made from, so that it fits down into the trigger guard mortise between the trigger plate and the wood at the rear of the trigger plate.
Putting these card-stock pieces in place and reinstalling the trigger should fix it. Check it out before you reinstall the trigger guard. You might have to put in more than two pieces.

Some set triggers also have a screw on the spring at the rear that can adjust the spring tension. Changing the tension might also fix the problem but be careful. If you reduce the spring tension too far, the rear set trigger won't be able to trip the lock sear to fire the gun.
 
Since this happened while you were shooting it, I'll assume you didn't tighten any screws.

It sounds to me like the trigger plate the set triggers are built into has moved upward a bit. This could be caused by over tightening the screws that hold it in place (which you didn't do) or a combination of the wood shrinking over time and the shock of the recoil jarring the plate just enough to cause trouble.

I suggest removing the trigger guard and trigger assembly and then cutting a piece or two of heavy card stock, the kind that cracker boxes are made from, so that it fits down into the trigger guard mortise between the trigger plate and the wood at the rear of the trigger plate.
Putting these card-stock pieces in place and reinstalling the trigger should fix it. Check it out before you reinstall the trigger guard. You might have to put in more than two pieces.

Some set triggers also have a screw on the spring at the rear that can adjust the spring tension. Changing the tension might also fix the problem but be careful. If you reduce the spring tension too far, the rear set trigger won't be able to trip the lock sear to fire the gun.

Thanks Zonie, the cards work. Thanks to ever one else who reply
 
Yeah so I have also had problems. I have a Lyman great plains 50 cal. I use 4f in the pan and noticed a whole back that the frizzen leaks from the back. If I hold the gun upright no more powder. Can't see the seating issue but was wondering if there is any ideas on how to correct this. I thought about replacing the frizzen being that it is starting to shatter flints and getting rough
 
Thanks Zonie, the cards work. Thanks to ever one else who reply
At some point you will want to replace the card stock as it will eventually oil soak and soften up. This is a perfect place to make a permanent oil proof fix with a couple of glass bedding pillars to reinforce the stock and keep the trigger or lock plate where it should stay.
 
I think many of us have had this problem at one time or another, I know I have. In my case it was caused by swelling of the wood behind the lock. Do what has been suggested for this problem and you'll probably be OK.
 
This thread has to be the umpteenth time I have heard about trigger bars/plates sinking in the inlet on one of these rifles thus allowing the top of the triggers to interfere with the "set" process. All seem to have ben fixed by the method Zonie listed or the others who replied.

I guess the thing to do with these rifles is just cut a brass or steel shim and place it in the inlet from the get go on these guns or gently remove some metal from the trigger tops till they work.

JMHO
 
Shooting my flintlock today and all of a sudden, I can not cock the hammer all the way back and have it hold in place without setting the set trigger first. Before I could cock it and set the trigger, but not now. When I clean it the lock work just fine out of the gun, but when I put ever thing back together will not cock intill I set the trigger. The lock is clean and oil . And the screws holding the lock to the stock are not over tight
I once had the same problem. I found that the lock was fouling on the stock. I carved out the lock mortice a little more & that fixed the problem.
Keith.
 
Yeah so I have also had problems. I have a Lyman great plains 50 cal. I use 4f in the pan and noticed a whole back that the frizzen leaks from the back. If I hold the gun upright no more powder. Can't see the seating issue but was wondering if there is any ideas on how to correct this. I thought about replacing the frizzen being that it is starting to shatter flints and getting rough

You might have to set the lock in a little deeper to get the pan tight to the barrel. I had to do that to one of mine.
 
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