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Lock Panels?

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jamesthomas

70 Cal.
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So how far away should your lock panels be from the end of the Lock? I have a L&R Bailes Lock on my .40 caliber poor boy kit. I'm thinking about 3/8ths of an inch from the front an rear of the lock should be about the right size. Also I'm thinking about getting a sheet of steel from Hobby Lobby an making a quarter moon for the side plate with a cat or wolfs head in the middle of the moon, just to have a little personal stuff on my rifle.
 
Whatever looks good. The shape and size at the tail of the lock is more difficult to arrive at...but isn't really that difficult. Look at some pics of LRs that have similar shaped locks for some ideas......Fred
 
From an ergonomic point of view, your trigger finger, thumb, and the web in between the two should not overlap the sharp corners formed by the panels. You should be able to lay your trigger finger around the wrist, and the lock panel kind of guides the finger into the trigger guard, without any part of the lock panel touching your hand. If your finger or part of your hand rides over the sharp corner, you know you need to trim it up some. When you get the shape of the panel to fit your fingers and hand, you can shape the end so that it all flows together to an aesthetic point (or what ever finial you choose).

In other words, shape to fit, then shape to look nice. Bill
 
And what Fred said about the tail of the lock is important. It sets up the whole architecture for everything behind the lock. Or is it the architecture sets up the lock shape? Tricky stuff, this gun building :grin: . Bill
 

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