Pre-inlet Lock or No?

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

What would you recommend for a beginner?

A stock with a pre-inlet lock? Or a stock with just the barrel & ramrod channels only?

The reason I ask, is after watching Belevue's videos on building a TOW Buck's County flinter - he indicates that it is easier to inlet the lock from scratch because he can position the lock according to the touch-hole location rather than trying to "adjust" the barrel channel to locate the touch-hole on the lock.

I've done Lyman GPR kits before. And when I look at the TOW kits the inlet lock mortises appear to make work easier. However, I've also done enough home remodeling to know that often starting from scratch is much easier than trying to fit things to existing patterns.

 

[Billnpatti]

If you buy a "kit", the various parts are designed to go together and fit properly. Compare that to buying a bunch of relatively unrelated parts from which you will build a gun. In the first case, it is best to have the lock and trigger already inlet because the stock will match up with the lock and barrel properly. In the latter case, it would be best not to have the lock and trigger pre-inlet because you do not know where the touch hole and lock will line up. They may not line up properly and you may be faced with re-locating the barrel. So, if you buy a "kit", go ahead and have the lock and trigger pre-inlet. They will line up properly with the touch hole because all of the parts of the kit are intended to fit together. Properly locating and inletting a lock and trigger are not a simple job and I would not recommend it for a first time builder.

 

[bigry]

I did all of the inletting on my builds. The first one was a little tricky and the second one was a lot easier. Just be careful not to remove too much wood like I did on my first one just a little at a time. If you decide to tackle it yourself keep your tools sharp. Good luck which ever way you go.

 

[Vaino]

Locating the touch hole on the side of the bbl is easy and so is bringing the bbl back to center the TH on the pan. A lot easier than fully inletting a lock. 90-95%% contact of the breech end of the bbl is sufficient.

Trigger location is dependent on lock sear bar location, so if they're inlet, everything should be OK.

If on the other hand you wish to "learn more", then buy a precarve w/ only the bbl and RR work done. You have the stock architecture determined which is very important and this is about as close to starting from a blank if further on down the road, you want to start w/ a blank...All depends.....Fred

 

[Pete G]

If this is your first build you might want to start with a pre-inlet lock. Just make sure that you get the barrel set in properly after that so that the touch hole is positioned correctly.

 

[mikemeteor]

I recommend you inlet the lock yourself.
Take your time, do a decent job, and you'll be glad you did it.

/mike

 

[kaintuck]

Learning curve!! :stir:
1.learning how to take a lock apart and re-assemble properly
2.positioning the lock so the angles and holes all line up.
3.letting in the lock to the wood with no gaps.
4.cuss jar full of cash for the wifie to spend on what she wants!! :rotf:

everyone has a starting point.....get them books out, watch youtube video's, then jump in!
:idunno:
marc n tomtom

 

[B.Habermehl]

As a gun builder I built a ton of guns in the last 25 years. Way back when, I used to do a good bit of work with pre shaped stocks. Every time I got blessed with one with the lock mortise inletted, it was a pain, due to alignment issues or other problems. I would by far, rather inlet the lock by my self thanks. I can inlet a lock from scratch faster than I can fit a lock to a so called pre inlet stock. And best of all not have to put up with the pattern makers mistakes, etc. BJH

 

[gwill]

I'm a relatively inexperienced builder and have done both. Inletting the lock myself was easier by far. I'll never go the pre-inlet route again. Take your time. Be patient. It'll work out ok.

 

[chuck-ia]

Just be prepared to spend about 40 hours inletting the lock. flinch

 

[galamb]

Do you feel capable enough to inlet the lock yourself?

I work from blanks - actually, back that up a little - I buy a 10/4 piece of "wood" from the specialty lumber dealer so I'm a little biased on what is the better way to go.

I don't like "kits" - too restrictive.

If you are building a flintlock and you go with a barrel and ramrod inlet - and choose to do the lock yourself - you have a little more leeway/room for error than a caplock (drum style) and a ton more leeway than a snail breech.

If the barrel is (only) breeched but the touch hole is not yet drilled, then you simply inlet your lock and unless you are way too far back (compared to the breech plug) you simply mark your touch hole placement (based on where your lock is inlet - so the "lock" dictates where the hole goes, not the other way around), drill it and you are good to go.

There is a little more precision geometry involved with a drum/cap system and a whole lot more with a snail (which is why a Hawken is not recommended for a first build (among some of the other challenges) - fitting a snail to the lock is tedious at best.

So depending on your level of inletting skill, your patience and ability to understand how it's all working together, you either can or shouldn't inlet the lock yourself.

So sorry, didn't give you a definitive answer, but that's about the best way I can answer what you asked.

 

[Keb]

I acquired a bunch of parts from a fella who was getting out of the business. I think there is enough parts to make 8 or 9 rifles. I started a pre-carved 98% ash stock Tenn rifle. It is far from being a desirable gun. It has a .40 cal x 7/8" x 42" straight barrel. The barrel channel is cut for a lollipop tang and small Siler lock. It is also cut for double set triggers and the trigger guard. I couldn't move the barrel back since it was cut for the lollipop tang and I couldn't move the lock so what I have is a touch hole that doesn't fall where it should. That's the main drawback with using a pre-carved stock and why most people with any experience avoid using them. If this doesn't scare you go ahead and use a pre-carved stock.

 

[Eric Krewson]

When I built my first rifle I had read all about the misaligned precarve lock/barrel problems and opted for a plank with the barrel inletted and ramrod hole drilled. Inletting the lock took a while because I was a complete novice but I enjoyed the process. Every time I look at my touch hole perfectly placed in relation to my pan I know I made the right decision.

This is gun #2, piece of cake after learning on gun #1.The lock plate is very tightly fit in the mortise, the shadow of the extra wood makes it look I like I have a huge gap around the top of the lock plate tail.

 

[JohnN]

I think the important word here is "beginner". If by that you mean you have never built a gun I would go with the pre-inlet lock. You can always adjust the barrel/touch hole location by moving the barrel back. I've only built about 7 longarms, all had pre inlet lock mortices and the barrel could be moved back in all of them. But if you are confident in your abilities go for it.