any way to calculate locktime improvement?

[flintlocke]

OK, you math heads, just as an example, let's say I reduce my striker weight from 900 grains to say,,,600 grains. 33 percent weight loss, same spring, I wonder what percentage my locktime is shortened. Having done that on several Mausers and Mannlichers I would say that it is noticeable but perhaps that is wishful thinking? Did an internet search for a formula, but it takes a rocket scientist and a TI calculator.

[lefty o]

lightening up the mauser firing components definately makes a noticeable difference, but even though it gets much quicker it is still so slow compared to a modern action that imo its not worth worrying about the actual time.

[reed1911]

You'll need a lot more data to calculate the actual lock time, but that is less the issue than the shooter's response. IAW, the perceived trigger pull and break time is more important than the true lock time. You will see much more in accuracy gains with a smooth light trigger over a long gritty one even if both have the exact same true lock time.

[country gent]

On the older bolt actions and others it wasn't just the weight of the parts but also the distance they traveled. Some of the newer benchrest actions firing pins are only traveling .060 or less now.

[3006guns]

Hatcher's Notebook (you DO have a copy, right?) illustrated how the U.S. Army calculated lock times for various rifles. It consisted of a paper disc, rotating at high speed with an ink stylus on the striker. When the striker fell it made a mark on the disc. This mark was compared to the mark left by a standard striker/spring and since the rpm of the disc was known, math was used to calculate the difference.

That's a pretty rough description of the process, but if you can lay your hands on a copy of the book take the time to read that section. Kind of interesting.

[John Boy]

Mauser actions based on the original '98 design have rather slow lock times of about 4 to 5 ms. Their long firing pin travel and weaker firing pin spring is the reason why