Polishing a T/C Percussion Lock

[jjarrell]

I'd like to decrease my lock time and maybe help with accuracy without investing in a new lock assembly. Has anyone polished the internal lock parts of a T/C lock and gotten good results. Is it worth the time? Also is there anything I should watch for that would ruin the lock? I don't plan on going nuts with a dremel or anything like that. Just cleaning up and polishing rough surfaces. Thought I would draw on the knowledge here before I started it. Any input is welcome.

[johnson1942]

you dont want to take metal off when you polish the touching rubbing parts. use at least a 1500 grit emery paper wrapped tight over a small flat file.if you can get a higher grit use that.

[johnson1942]

you dont want to take metal off when you polish the touching rubbing parts. use at least a 1500 grit emery paper wrapped tight over a small flat file.if you can get a higher grit use that. 

[koger]

I polished the plate where the tumbler rubs against it, and where the sear does also, and lubed them with dry graphite, will be faster than a grease on the contacting parts. Follow Johnsons 1942 advice on the grit paper to use. If you want really fast lock time, buy a L&R replacement, with V type mainspring, I have one and this will cut lock time by about half!! Requires minor inletting, no biggie. Hammer barely clears the nipple on full cock!

[Sasquatch-1]

2000 to 3000 grit available at auto parts store.


you dont want to take metal off when you polish the touching rubbing parts. use at least a 1500 grit emery paper wrapped tight over a small flat file.if you can get a higher grit use that.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I polished the plate where the tumbler rubs against it, and where the sear does also, and lubed them with dry graphite, will be faster than a grease on the contacting parts. Follow Johnsons 1942 advice on the grit paper to use. If you want really fast lock time, buy a L&R replacement, with V type mainspring, I have one and this will cut lock time by about half!! Requires minor inletting, no biggie. Hammer barely clears the nipple on full cock!

All this is good advice. You can see them on https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/795/1 although some of the are out of stock.

There is one place where you can use a coarser abrasive. The earliest designers of vehicles would be amazed that we put the brakes close to the hub, when we would get so much more braking effect by putting them on the rim. If the tumbler rubs on the plate or bridle at some distance from the pivot, you can reduce something until only the minimum of metal needed to prevent sideways float, close to the pivot, is in contact. I would work on the tumbler on the plate side, but on the bridle on the bridle side.

But you can only do this if the tumbler bearings are a good fit in their holes. If they aren't, the tumbler will probably just tilt and keep doing the same thing. You can find small, thin wall steel tubing, possibly stainless, to bush them. Also make sure the spring is bearing unevenly, and not pressing the tumbler sideways. Even if it doesn't make it contact the plate, skewed contact in its bearing holes may increase friction.

When you use the very fine papers people have recommended, they ought to be used wet or they will clog very quickly, even on steel. WD40 won't evaporate as quickly as water.