[Freytown]

I just finished up a Lyman Great Plains kit. I am experiencing a problem that the frizzen will not completely kick open when struck by the flint. It seems that frizzen requires a lot of force to “flip” open. Any ideas what may be causing this problem?

Note: At half cock the flint is slightly space from the face of the frizzen. Thxs. FT

 

[Retiredusne8]

Spring may be week or lock could be hitting some wood when fired,use some chalk on the wood and see if anything is hitting when fired,Have you loosen the lock plate screw a little and shot it? Was the lock assembled when you got the kit?Does the hammer travel foward the whole way,when the frizzen is open and you let it down slow?Lyman uses a 3/4 x 3/4 flint and just a small gap between flint and frizzen.

 

[Ron pa]

Secure just the lock in a vice and try it. If it flips the frizzen it is either a wood or too tight a screw issue. A word of caution. Watch you Fingers, those Flints are sharp!!!

 

[PA-Joe]

There should be some back presure on the frizzen so that the hammer has to work a little. Hammer should move freely but there should be some resistence on the frizzen.

 

[long hunter]

With the frizzen closed lift the frizzen by hand when it gets to about 1/3 open it should spring the rest of the way on its own. If it does not do this it is not functioning properly. Check the frizzen bolt it may be over tightened. this should not be tight just snug. some good lube would not hurt.

The side of the frizzen may be dragging on the side flat of the barrel and may require some light stoneing to make it clear.

Just a few things to check.

 

[Freytown]

Have you loosen the lock plate screw a little and shot it? Was the lock assembled when you got the kit?Does the hammer travel foward the whole way,when the frizzen is open and you let it down slow?

Yes I loosened the lock plate screw. Yes, lock was assembled & hammer will travel all the way when frizzen is open.

Secure just the lock in a vice and try it. If it flips the frizzen it is either a wood or too tight a screw issue

Same problem when lock is out of the stock.

With the frizzen closed lift the frizzen by hand when it gets to about 1/3 open it should spring the rest of the way on its own. If it does not do this it is not functioning properly. Check the frizzen bolt it may be over tightened.

It has to be more than 1/3 open to spring open. I will back off on the frizzen bolt and see what happens.

Thxs everyone. FT

 

[long hunter]

Is the flint gouging the frizzen. Frizzen might be to soft.

Test the frizzen with a file. try to file the face of the frizzen if a file cuts the frizzen at all it is to soft, file should skate across and not even scratch.

 

[Freytown]

I got mine hands on a gun building manual written by Peter A. Alexander. Here is what he had to say.

“It is the angle of the toe in relation to the spring that determines the snap-open point. If you want it to open sooner, file a little off the front of the toe at the bottom. This will make the bearing point move father toward the back of the lock and vice versa. Work carefully here; after a few strokes of the file, reinstall the frizzen and try it.

Finally, round the toe so that you don’t have any corners or angles down there and polish it to 600-grit emery. Remove the spring and polish the top surface to 600-grit emery."

This procedure has work for me…yippe! Thanks everyone.

FT

 

[mountainman09]

you might want to take the frizzen off and lighty sand the sides down a little

 

[410-er]

I agree with Mountain.Try filing the frizzen where it hinges.Don't do too much.It's hardened and could take a little work.

 

[Freytown]

I did smooth off both sides of the frizzen hinge area but I still had the problem.

Once I removed a very small amount of material on the frizzen toe and polished it, the problem went away. There was some casting burrs on toe too which probably increased the friction on the spring making it harder to flip open.

Anyway...all is good now. Thxs. FT

 

[mountainman09]

thats what we are all here for

 

[410-er]