Parts for a caplock Lock??

[RBak]

I thought I would post this here since there seems to be a considerable bit of knowledge about Muzzle Loaders in general on this forum.

I need some help.
A friend of mine has a Parker Hale .451 Whitworth, with the long MVA scope he recently had installed.
He bought this gun from Dixie Gun Works about three years ago....a really accurate, super nice, albeit very spendy Muzzle Loader.

On this past Fathers Day he broke a part within the lock (bridle) and now he is totally out of commission.

Of course he called DGW, and everyone else he could think of trying to find parts for that lock, but it has all been to no avail.
He was told at ToTW that the Enfield by East India would drop right in, so he ordered one, got it a few days later and it won't work....he called ToTW, sent it back, got another one, and it won't work either.

Although he bought the gun from DGW they have no clue where he might get parts and suggested he call "Zander's"....Zander's won't even talk to anyone that is not a distributor and has told him as much on two different occasions.

All the typical go-to places say they can't help him, and don't know who to recommend... ie, Chambers, Dick at Pecatonica, and a lot more than I can even think of right now.
Even got in touch with Peter Dyson & Son in England, and although he has a few "accessory" parts he doesn't know where to get gun parts.

Right now we are up against a rock and a hard place, as far as our shooting goes.

Does anyone have any idea where he may get a replacement lock, or parts for the old lock?
If I am not mistaken, and God knows I could be at this point, but I do believe that the P.H.Volunteer and the P.H.Whitworth use the same, or very near the same, lock.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Russ Baker aka "RBak"

[pietro]

[broke a part within the lock (bridle)]

Since the lock's obviously been removed/inspected, and the bridle presumeably not tossed, any decent machinist or gunsmith ought to be able to make a copy.

Failing that, a tracing of the lockplate outline will result in a pattern - useful in procuring an entire new lock.

.

[northmn]

If its the bridle it should be repairable. Unusual piece to break as usually the tumbler breaks a piece off or the sear breaks off, or a spring. A bridle could be brazed if nothing else. Somethimes these repair pieces that dont' quite fit can be modified. Have had to do that a couple of times.

Northmn

[RBak]

Ooops!..... I have to correct the information I posted earlier today...

Thanks to northmn, as soon as I read his post I knew I had screwed up.

In my first post I said it was the "bridle" that was broken.... it is not the bridle but the small protrusion or "tit" on the end of the tumbler.

Absolutely no clue as to why I may have said bridle....... Heck! I just don't know.

Thanks.

Russ

[Marvin S]

Maybe remove and drill/ream the rest of the "tit" and install a new one of drill rod.

[webfoot10]

Hi RBak, Give Track of the Wolf a call. I think that they can help you out. As they
have Locks and the parts for them, and a locksmith that can install them.
Hope this helps. webfoot10

[northmn]

Ideally if you could find a tumbletr that is a close fit a little modification could be used. I have even welded up some parts using an acetylene gas torch and spring rod as a filler. You would have to re temper the part. I don not pursue gunsmithing services but you might also contact either Waksupi or FL-Flinter.

Northmn

[nicholst55]

Russ: shoot me a PM, and I'll put you in touch with a lock maker who MAY be able to help.

[Southron Sanders]

First of all, that tumbler should STILL BE UNDER WARRANTY. Since Navy Arms/Gibbs Rifle Company (located in Martinsburg, West Virginia) OWNS Parker-Hale, I would give Gibbs a call about getting a replacement part for FREE.

If that dosen't work, have your friend Google up Lodgewood Manufacturing. They carry a complete line of Enfield replacement parts. (Yep, you guessed it, The P-H Whitworth uses Enfield parts!) Also Google up S & S Firearms located in the Bronx. (Not the "S & S Firearms" shop located elsewhere.) They carry Enfield parts.

Also Goggle up VTI Replica Gun Parts company, located in Connecticut. EVen if there on line catalog dosen't list a spare Enfield tumbler, they often have parts in their warehouse not listed in their on-line catalog-so give them a call.

[RBak]

I want to thank everyone for their input, and I do apologize for not getting back here sooner.

While I was busy looking, my friend was also looking, and we think it will, in all probability, be Gibbs Rifle Company he ends up getting the part from....we are not looking for a freebie, just the right part.

Once again I want to thank everybody that responded.

Welding and / or re-manufacturing is still not of the question, if all else fails. However, he was already turned down, early on, at several machine shops and one Welding outfit even told him the project was to small, and to intricate for them to even mess with....oh well! It's their business, and if they are to busy to mess with something that small, at a fair price, the economy must be a lot better off than what I've been told.
Eventually it will all come together.

Russ

[waksupi]

I heard today from a friend, there is a company here in the states, that specialize in, and only carry replacement parts for import firearms. Hopefully, he will remember to bring their number to the shoot tomorrow, and I will post it here.

[RBak]

UPDATE!

After many hours of searching, a source for such parts has finally been found.

EURO ARMS
Winchester, VA 22601
540-662-1863
POC: Mrs. Judy Clark

Judy does business the old fashioned way....she sends you the part(s) if they fit, you send her the money, if not, send the parts back....a very refreshing concept in this world of today.
She has parts for the Whitworth, and the Volunteer, plus most parts for the Enfield. Since most Enfields have been made to such varying specifications by different manufacturers a bit of "tinkering" may be required to get them to fit just right.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Respectfully, Russ