Converting a Lyman flintlock to a Chamber's Siler lock?

[Canuck Bob]

I'm looking to research putting a Chambers Siler flintlock on a Deerstalker. Has anyone done this or researched it? I have my heart set on a Chambers LH Siler lock if it fits.

The gun is a LH 54 flintlock but handedness doesn't matter for comparison. I tried Chambers but he had no experience with the conversion. He did recommend getting the Track catalogue and comparing their full scale drawings. Track has no catalogues in stock.

I'm hoping someone has two guns to compare lock plate, sear arm location, and the bolster thickness.

[RU shooter]

Doubt very highly it would work the Lyman has a big rounded tail the siler is narrow and pointed . You could fill the factory inlet wit new wood and reinlet a new lock may involve working the trigger location too .L&R sell a lock that at least looks like the Lyman may want to take a look at those

[bedbugbilly]

I'm guessing that wha RU points out is going to be the issue. Have you taken a look to see what L & R has to offer as far as an upgrade lock? Not sure if they make it in LH but take a look and see - it would be basically a drop in. TOW shows their upgrade locks bu again, not sure if they are available in LH but a call to L & R would give you the answer. I like Siler locks - I have used both the large and small on custom rifles that I built but I doubt if the lock panel on your rifle would work for fitting a Siler. If you have a Siler handy, placing the lock plate on your rifle's lock panel would let you know - if you don't have one handy, try downloading a photo of one - possibly from off of Track of the Wolf and print it off and cut it out to use to check how the lock site is on your lock panel with the pan/touch hole correctly positioned. The next issue may be that if the size of the lock will work, with the pan/touch hole liked up - will the sear fall in the correct location for the trigger to function.

[waksupi]

i would just start from scratch and build a gun. The Chambers lock will cost as much as your Deerstalker is worth.

[KCSO]

No it won't fit at all. Unless you fill in the lock inlet and start over. I hate to say it but a chambers lock on a deerstalker is like gold plating turnip. I do have a nice curly maple stock blank if you want to start over from scratch.

[Good Cheer]

My Deerhunter always goes bang with the factory lock. I'm happy with it.
http://i.imgur.com/3clMdJa.jpg (https://imgur.com/3clMdJa)

[Canuck Bob]

I appreciate everyone's good advice. I would build but a kit would cost upward of $1500 CAD when currency exchange, taxes, and shipping in Canada is concerned.

If gold fell from the sky I would build a North West Trade Gun kit. It represents amazing relevance to Canadian history and western development.

Edit: further research suggests it won't work. The pan, sear bar, and rectangular lock plate can be rigged it looks like. The Lyman lock bolt won't work due to lock interference. Time to become a Lyman lock mechanic and keep an eye out for falling gold, lol.

[RU shooter]

What's going on with the factory lock ? Not reliable or ?

[indian joe]

I appreciate everyone's good advice. I would build but a kit would cost upward of $1500 CAD when currency exchange, taxes, and shipping in Canada is concerned.

If gold fell from the sky I would build a North West Trade Gun kit. It represents amazing relevance to Canadian history and western development.

Edit: further research suggests it won't work. The pan, sear bar, and rectangular lock plate can be rigged it looks like. The Lyman lock bolt won't work due to lock interference. Time to become a Lyman lock mechanic and keep an eye out for falling gold, lol.

L & R makes a drop in lock replacement for the lyman flinter - email them for details - listed $185 US - 2018price. Its a good lock - stirrup mainspring, roller frizzen, water proof pan, all the goodies ...................
If you need Left Hand ?? need to check that, most they do some they dont .......................................
OR spend some time tuning the Lyman, most of them are copies of proper functional originals - harden the frizzen, tidy things up mechanically, springs etc

[rfd]

what joe just typed, get the L&R rpL05 lock. it will not be a perfect drop-in fit, but darned close to it. i've done that to at least 2 or 3 investarms flinters (rebranded as lyman, cabelas, DGW, etc).

https://lr-rpl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73:lymaninvestarmscabelas-lcok&catid=36:cva-small&Itemid=62

https://lr-rpl.com/images/Locks/05%20rpl.jpg

[Canuck Bob]

The lock works but is a poor sparker. The geometry seems off. First I have to shim the flint with an extra leather pad and set it bevel down so it will hit the frizzen on the bottom quarter. The flint is set near the frizzen at half cock. When dropped it does not point at the centre of the pan as often recommended. It points behind the pan. The top jaw lock screw is drilled a little off so the top jaw floats without any contact on the cock to keep it aligned.

I did find my liner is too small. I'm going to open it to 1/16", it looks like a strong 1/32 now. The 6mm liner is coned and located fine.

I'll contact L&R regarding LH RPL locks.

The plan is to shoot the rifle now that the range is open until winter. Then try my hand at tuning the lock. One nice thing, parts are available.

[indian joe]

The lock works but is a poor sparker. The geometry seems off. First I have to shim the flint with an extra leather pad and set it bevel down so it will hit the frizzen on the bottom quarter. The flint is set near the frizzen at half cock. When dropped it does not point at the centre of the pan as often recommended. It points behind the pan. The top jaw lock screw is drilled a little off so the top jaw floats without any contact on the cock to keep it aligned.

I did find my liner is too small. I'm going to open it to 1/16", it looks like a strong 1/32 now. The 6mm liner is coned and located fine.

I'll contact L&R regarding LH RPL locks.

The plan is to shoot the rifle now that the range is open until winter. Then try my hand at tuning the lock. One nice thing, parts are available.

post a couple of pictures ??

try a longer flint and pad it forward in the jaws so it strikes the frizzen higher (2/3 the way to the top or even a tad more) that will bring the tip of the flint forward to the pan and rise the strike height also

[RU shooter]

Had that same issue with my Dixie lock , needed a long flint bevel down to use just half of the frizen face , easy fix was to just heat and bend the cock upwards sorta unbending the bends to make it taller . Super easy to do . But with the other issue sounds like a new cock is a better solution .

[Canuck Bob]

I'll work on the lock. To be safe I'll wait until L&R gets back to me. I was hesitant to use their lock because of some negative reviews. It now appears they had some problems years ago. Current positive experiences here and elsewhere are encouraging.

[indian joe]

I'll work on the lock. To be safe I'll wait until L&R gets back to me. I was hesitant to use their lock because of some negative reviews. It now appears they had some problems years ago. Current positive experiences here and elsewhere are encouraging.

Lots of L & R locks downunder only problem was some of them had crummy mainsprings (cast? and they broke) lock geometry was good and they good sparkers.

[Canuck Bob]

Thanks I J. L&R got back to me. They now produce a RPL 05LH for Lyman lefties. They quoted $185 + SH. That would be $300 CAD landed here tax in. I have a use for the Lyman lock so this is a possibility.

[indian joe]

Thanks I J. L&R got back to me. They now produce a RPL 05LH for Lyman lefties. They quoted $185 + SH. That would be $300 CAD landed here tax in. I have a use for the Lyman lock so this is a possibility.

yeah Bob that exchange rate is tough on us colonials......I just go U$ times two now -- those boys south of you have it pretty good when it comes to buyin stuff - would we swap places ? ...................maybe not right now eh!

[The Old Man]

I have a "GPR" flintlock that not only had a super lousy lock that felt like it was lubed using sand, but didn't like to spark very well either. To add insult to injury, the barrel was involved in that recall, and it was a shooter too! The "relpacement" barrel was pure junk, but here's the way I handled it.

Number one, was replacing the lock with an L&R lock, which sparked everytime, but the re-inletting could be a bit of a hassle if you're not too handy. While I was doing the work, I shifted the locks position so the flash hole liner opening was "split" by the top of the spot where the frizzen and pan meet. It made ignition about as fast as a caplock.

The replacement barrel was horrible, rough, and I simply hated it, so I sent the flinter down to Troy at Stonewall Creek outfitters in Virginia, and had a Rice barrel put on. I now have a tack driving 54 cal flinter that goes bang every time.

[Canuck Bob]

T O M sorry to hear of your grief but happy for your outcome. Bob