Strength of Brass Lock plate

[RonRC]

I have a flintlock pistol with a brass lock plate. Is a brass lock plate more fragile than steel? Do I need to be more cautious with my loads? Is this lock plate a non-issue?

Thanks,
Ron

 

[Zonie]

Beautiful lockplate and pistol. :thumbsup:

As you know, brass is softer than steel so it is more easily damaged from things that scratch it or put it under stress.
For instance, the screw threads will strip out more easily than if it was made from steel.

I don't know what feature is serving as a stop for the cock (hammer) but all flintlocks have something that stops the forward motion of the cock.

Many flintlocks with steel plates have a shoulder on the cock and this shoulder stops against the top surface of the lockplate.
Others rely on a projection on their tumbler which will stop against the internal steel bridle that covers the tumbler.

If your lock uses the top of the lockplate to stop the falling cock, I would expect to see some severe damage to the plate.
If it is using some other method where a steel part is bumping against another steel part to stop the cock then there shouldn't be a problem.

There are a few types of brass which have very good strength properties but they are not very common so it is rather unlikely your lock plate is made from them.
Also, with the exception of things like beryllium-copper, even the strong brasses and bronzes are still rather soft.

Now, on the positive side of things, except for the thing that stops the forward motion of the hammer, there is very little brass in the lock that is highly stressed.
The blast and recoil from shooting the gun should not have any effect on the life of the lockplate at all.

Although the lockplate does reinforce the stock wood when the gun fires, brass is so much stronger than wood that the wood around the plate is still the weakest part.

Shoot it and enjoy!

 

[RonRC]

Thank you for your analysis and write-up! Very, very helpful and educational.
Good news: There is a projection on the tumbler that stops against the internal steel bridle that covers the tumbler, as per your description.
Here are a few other photos of the pistol:

I feel fortunate that there are fine artists and craftsmen that can build such nice firearms.

Ron

 

[Toomuch51]

Very handsome piece, make some smoke and enjoy.
:thumbsup:

 

[azmntman]

:thumbsup: hands down nicest wood stocked pistol I EVER SAW!

 

[RonRC]

The complements about the firearm are a testament to just how fortunate I was when I found it. It was love at first sight! My collection of historic battle rifles has diminished as they are sold off to support my muzzleloader, black powder addiction.
Ron

 

[coloradoclyde]

Cool!.... :thumbsup:

 

[dcriner]

I wonder if the tiger stripes are hand-painted or stained rather than the natural maple? I'm slightly suspicious.

 

[RonRC]

Very interesting take, dcriner.
I have the pistol in hand, another striped maple pistol and an very fine striped maple rifle nearby.

I must begin by saying that I have no knowledge about wood characteristics. In other words, I am clueless.
Next: I am biased because I want it to be natural striped maple. But, I want to know whether it is or not.

Looking through a hand lens, I see that some wood grain has continuity from one stripe, through the light colored area, and into the next stripe. I wouldn't expect that to be the case if it was painted on.

However, there is a strong delineation of horizontal grain in the stripes that I don't see in the other firearms. Signs of brush marks? Such delineation is present in the pistol in question, but not all over the gun.

I took the lock and side plate off to see the natural grain. Burnt powder stains cover both naked areas so I can't tell.

The fellow who built the pistol has a rifle and some tomahawks offered for sale on another muzzleloader maker site. The staining technique seems similar on the rifle for sale, with the contrast between the stripes and the light areas very similar to that on the pistol. The same can be said for one of the tomahawks.

And that's all I have for tonight.
Ron

 

[Zonie]

The easiest way to determine if it is natural curl or some sort of stain or ink is to take it outside into the sunlight.

Point the muzzle down a bit towards the ground and aimed toward the direction of the sun.

Now, alternately change the aim point down towards the ground and back up to horizontal while looking at the stripes.

If it is real curl, the curls will change their appearance with their intensity going from very sharp and pronounced to almost invisible like they faded out.

If it is stain or ink the curls appearance will be the same regardless of which direction the gun is pointed.

If you have a problem figuring out what I'm talking about, take your other gun with the curly maple stock out and try it.

(This will also work indoors but because the light is often reflecting off of other walls, the effect isn't as noticeable.)

 

[RonRC]

I performed the Zonie test on the pistol striping. Thank you! It took several iterations to catch on. Finally, I could see the stripes change from dark to light at certain angles.

I will have someone at the muzzleloader club I joined double check my results. It is so easy to fall prey to expectations, wishfull thinking and preconceived notions.
Ron