Upon cleaning the lock of a recently obtained smoothbore 1851 Cadet I discovered that the hammer screw was held in place with loctite or some other material. The tumbler is stripped clean, not even a sign of threads. Otherwise, the tumbler notches are in great shape. Can it be tapped for a larger hammer screw that will still appear correct for a Cadet musket? I just hate to throw it into a parts box, never to see the light of day again.
Thanks for any input or ideas.
Jack Conway
69th NY
A lot depends on the amount of metal present. I have used a larger screw or bolt and then turned the head done to the proper size. The shank can also be turned down and then threaded.
Gil Davis Tercenio
# 3020V
34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry
Great, great grandson of Cpl Elijah S Davis, Co I, 6th Alabama Inf CSA
Call Harry
Lou Lou Lou Ruggiero
Tammany Regt-42nd NYVI
Words of advice. Be very careful on your thread size. I you thin the walls of the tumbler to much the hammer blow will break the tumbler shank off. Good luck my friend.
N-SSA Member since 1974
I would drill and tap it to the next larger size, install a grade 2 bolt with Loctite, finish it flat and then redrill and tap to the correct size.
Not sure but I think I heard the original threads are sufficiently different that you could have a hard time matching them.
Bob Anderson
Ordnance Sergeant
Company C, 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry
Small Arms Committee
"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
- John Wayne in "The Shootist", 1976
Moderator
I would see about replacing the entire lock with the reproduction that is being used in the repro 1851 Cadets. As I recall, the internal parts are from L&R and easily replaced if needed. I would really hate to have to replace any original 1851 Cadet lock parts, beginning with the main spring!
Give a call, I would like to give it a look. I do have some Cadet parts.
Charlie Hahn
410-208-4736
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