L&R Queen Anne lock loose cock on half-and-full cock?

[Boston123]

So, I have been dry-firing my tradegun, with a bit of wood in the jaws in place of flint, for the last couple of weeks to get used to the action of the mechanism. I went to go do so today, and I noticed that when I pulled the cock back to half-cock, the whole cock-arm is "wiggly", as in it wiggles back and forth with regards to the lock-face, not the pan, kind of like if the screw was loose. This happens when the mechanism is set to full-cock as well, but NOT when the mechanism is disengaged.

Everything still "works", it just feels like things are loosening up. I took the lock off the gun and looked at the mechanism inside, and it doesn't look like anything is weird.

Is this supposed to happen over time, or did I do something wrong? Can I just tighten the screw holding the cock, or do I have to send it to L&R?

Looking at this angle, the cock wiggles back and forth with regards to the lock face, not back and forth with regards to the pan

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I'd put a turn screw to the cock screw and see if that gains you any relief, Just don't get all gorilla ham handed with it as the screw has a small diameter shaft and fine threads therefore it is not designed to push the cock onto the tumbler shaft, those cocks should be a press fit and not work loose, but it can happen.

Best option if that doesn't help is to send the works to the lock maker.

The reason it does not move in the at rest position is the cock rests on the bolster behind the pan fence.

 

[Boston123]

I'd put a turn screw to the cock screw and see if that gains you any relief, Just don't get all gorilla ham handed with it as the screw has a small diameter shaft and fine threads therefore it is not designed to push the cock onto the tumbler shaft, those cocks should be a press fit and not work loose, but it can happen.

Best option if that doesn't help is to send the works to the lock maker.

The reason it does not move in the at rest position is the cock rests on the bolster behind the pan fence.

Yeah, I just applied a screwdriver to the cock screw and found that it was loose. I tightened it until it was firm, and ran through the cocking sequence to see that everything was nice and tight, no wobble.

My main issue at this point is that I haven't used the gun that much. I have only really put about 15 bullets downrange, and even if I figure in the dryfiring I have been doing with a wooden blank in place of a flint, I have operated the mechanism maybe 100 times. I didn't think, and wouldn't really expect, for things to start working loose without much more usage.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Used to be you could purchase a cock press from TOTW, I'm not seeing it now though?

Keep the screw cinched up, contact the lockmaker with your concerns in a nicely worded e-mail, if it starts to flop about fore and aft then it is a problem.

 

[Boston123]

contact the lockmaker with your concerns in a nicely worded e-mail

It actually looks like the L&R website is no longer online, the domain expired? I just looked at it, like, 2 weeks ago....

if it starts to flop about fore and aft then it is a problem.

I am assuming that the gun is now safe to fire, since the cock was tightened up. If it started to wobble front-and-back relative to the pan, I am assuming it would be different.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I am assuming that the gun is now safe to fire, since the cock was tightened up. If it started to wobble front-and-back relative to the pan, I am assuming it would be different.

Correct,

Interesting about L&R, I was there several days ago.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

here is a link to the press I referenced earlier.

 

[Boston123]

here is a link to the press I referenced earlier.

That looks simple enough to use, even for me. If this happens again, I'll try that out, then if that doesnt work and the L&R site is still down, there is apparently a gunsmith near.me that works on muzzleloaders. I'll.give him a call

Thanks for the advice!

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

there is apparently a gunsmith near.me that works on muzzleloaders. I'll.give him a call

Thanks for the advice!

No worries, glad to help, if you've got a smith close and he'll let you look over his shoulder then that would be the ideal situation, lots can be learned that way.

Good Luck.

 

[billraby]

Use some locktite if the only problem was a loose screw.

 

[Boston123]

I took the entire lock apart today (which, might I say, felt like I was defusing a bomb. NOTHING WOULD FIT BACK TOGETHER), and after taking the hammer off the tumber, giving it a wipedown, and tapping it back into place with a wooden mallet, everything is nice and tight

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Used to be you could purchase a cock press from TOTW, I'm not seeing it now though?

Keep the screw cinched up, contact the lockmaker with your concerns in a nicely worded e-mail, if it starts to flop about fore and aft then it is a problem.

I have that same lock on my Early Lancaster rifle and have literally fired thousands of rounds (mostly blanks at reenactments) with it. Never had any problem with it being loose or having any wobble to it. I do make a point of cleaning it every day that I fire it, and I've never removed the cock. I did however manage to lose my frizzen spring when I was cleaning the lock in the field one evening when I lived in Virginia. I normally don't remove the frizzen spring but it seemed to have a little build up on the cam and on the spring itself that I wanted to remove. And, of course, I was in tall grass. I set it on my gear-box next to me but after I finished cleaning the lock...it wasn't there. Seemed to work fine without it but I called them on Monday when I got back and asked about getting a new frizzen spring. Fellow said he had them, gave me the price, and then offered to install it and go through the rest of the lock for just the price of the part if I wanted to send it in. So I did.

I told him I was surprised that it seemed to work fine without any spring tension holding the frizzen in place. He told me the frizzen spring is not designed to hold the frizzen in place when it's being struck. It's designed to keep it from bouncing back and hitting your flint after it's been struck then it made perfect sense.

I got it back on Friday with the frizzen spring installed and a note in the box the said, "Nice Lock!" and was signed by the man (forgotten the name, sorry). Anyhow, I've found that lock to be extremely reliable; works well with any amount of powder you charge it with; and has really been carefree for me since I bought my Early Lancaster back in about 2006. My Traditions Pennsylvania longrifle on the other hand has a much smaller lock and the pan needs to be half full and banked away from touch hole to work reliably. So I really like this lock a lot. I also found that L&R are great people to work with. So if you have in more problems, don't hesitate to contact them.