Lock tuning and testing, ideas?

[Commodore Swab]

Ive been working on a standard that I can use to measure the locks I tune to and here is what Ive come up with, perhaps some people have some better ideas or improvements.

The primary problem I have been addressing is that of getting reliable ignition in the pan. Often you can spark a lock again and again but when it comes to igniting the pan is is less than reliable. I have been taking 20 shots in a row without cleaning anything, devide it by the number of trigger pulls and get a percantage that way. I.e. 20 shots but it clicked once 20/21 = .9523 =95%, anything less than 90% I fail, if I have to reprime the pan I also fail it.

This should insure that any gun I have tuned can be taken to a line, a dozen shots or so can be fired rapidly without worrying about misfires or at the very least recocking and firing again. Then retired and cleaned making it ready for the next shoot.

[Commodore Swab]

After doing testing my tuned india piece passed with a 95% as did the original (untouched by myself) lock I have. My pendersoli harpers ferry (unmodified and still in excellent condition) failed with a 33% rating and required repriming cleaning the pan 3 times for a total of 4 fails (1 in percantage and 1 for each time I had to clean). Another piece (also italian made) that I'm working on I have managed to increase to 74% with 1 reprime and a slight knapping (2 fails). This one started out about where my harpers is now, I wont be returning it until it passes.

Many if not all of the guns with provide a perfectly good spark if the flint is sharp and the frizzen is properly hardened, what my testing is proving is that they do not hold up for prolonged firing.

Next test will by a snaphaunce made and tuned by the Rifle Shoppe . . .

[Stynky Tudor]

Great testing scheme.

But one of the things I've found to make a difference is the humidity of location.

For instance during PiP/FTPI in Florida and firing aboard ship, is less reliable than when firing in California were I've literally fired non-stop with very few misfires, going through a pound and a half of 3F powder in a day.

Are all your tests being done at the same time? Or is this more general and less scientific?

[Commodore Swab]

Tests are typically done on the boat in the keys so the humidity does factor in.

[Stynky Tudor]

On a boat, in the Keys. . . I don't like you anymore.

[Commodore Swab]

You mean I was once liked, I feel so special. The tests are controled as much as possible, the number of shots without cleaning is more to determine if there are any reliability problems. Most guns with a new sharp flint will fire 5-10 in a row without a problem but after that the flint has usually worn down and would need another knapping or even replacing.

My pendersoli now passes and to get it to pass I ended up building a new frizzen, cutting the cock rewelding it back together as well as working over all the springs. It would fire ok but with the strong frizzen spring and angle the flint would hit it the flint would be dull in no time at all. Now she throws pleanty of spark and the flint will retain its edge much much longer.

I gave the snaphaunce piece from the rifle shoppe the test and while I did not need to knap the flint its results were less than promising at 20/57 or 37 misfires to get 20 shots.

[Stynky Tudor]

Haha - Before Cascabel and I did all the work/rework on my pistol, I was only able to fire 2 or 3 times before it would misfire. It had similar problems, cock angle, an overpowered main spring - though the frizzen needed to be hardened, my flints would shatter to nothing just after firing a few times. It got frustrating real quick.