Author Topic: Stalking safety for left-hand flintlock? (Read 1251 times)

Naphtali · « **on:** March 21, 2003, 07:45:51 AM »

Davide Pedersoli manufactures a high-quality flintlock with its Mortimer S.438 lock. The lock incorporates a horizontally sliding "stalking safety." http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/

But the lock is made only for right-hand use. I'm left-handed.

Does anyone fit a safety similar to this one to left-hand locks, such as L & R's Manton or Late English flintlocks?

Does anyone custom machine left-hand flintlocks of the late English style, with stalking safeties?

Please contact me directly.tlancek@fastmail.fm

mamaflinter · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2003, 02:28:53 AM »

I'm not meaning to sound mean by this question so please don't take it that way.

What would the difference be in shooting a right handed flintlock vs. shooting a double barreled flintlock? Either way you are going to have one lock near your face. This same holds true for righty shooters and double barrels. Their left side barrel would be closer to the face.

If you are set on shooting with this safety incorporated do so. Just make sure you invest in quality flints. I can tell you I have a friend who is a lefty who shoots with us periodically. When he shoots our rifles, he shoots them left handed and we are right handed. Now what I'm about to tell you is the reason WHY you need to invest in quality flints.

This happened when we were new to flintlocks, (pre-computer) and we were all learning by trial and error as there were no other flinters in the area to ask for help. Our friend Mark was shooting and a flint literally exploded and embedded flint particles into his right arm. Since changing flints, we've never even had a flint to break let alone explode. We use dura flints in all our rifles and our problems ended. The trick to duraflints is to keep them sharp.

Naphtali · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2003, 05:57:53 AM »

Mama, I appreciate your response. However, my problem to solve is not how to obtain a stalking safety on my rifle, but how to obtain a stalking safety on a left-hand lock for my rifle.

mamaflinter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2003, 02:58:56 PM »

Naphtali I don't know of anyone that would offer a lock like you are looking for.

Naphtali · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2003, 03:59:58 AM »

mamaflinter, so far I'm getting similar results. I need to find Stephen Alexander in, I believe, Geneseo, IL. I saw a photograph of a lock he made in a Muzzle Blasts from 2000.

Something that has been percolating is: Does a standard lock plate -- an L & R "Durs Egg" or "Late Manton", for instance -- have sufficient mass behind the cock to allow fitting of a mirror-imaged Mortimer safety assembly? The procedure would also require milling a slot in the tumbler. Dunno. I have neither drawings of Mortimer S.438, or either L & R flintlock, so I have no way of verifying either way.

peter nap · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2003, 11:54:23 AM »

Do you want Stephen Alexander or Peter Alexander? If it's Peter, he now lives in Ontario!

Naphtali · « **Reply #6 on:** April 01, 2003, 07:07:58 AM »

peter nap, who is Peter Alexander? How can he be of service?

peter nap · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2003, 09:17:45 AM »

He's one of the premier muzzleloader smiths in the country (until he went to Kanada :x ). He had a column in muzzleloader magazine since 1983 called the gunsmith of grenville county and is the author of the book by the same name.....I don't know if he can help! I can't imagine any good smith putting a stalking safety on a lock. I've seen them on a very few origional pistols but never on a rifle. That's why you have a half cock!

Anyway...I wasn't sure if you wanted Stephen or Peter!

Naphtali · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2003, 04:56:38 AM »

peter nap,

Quote

I've seen them on a very few origional pistols but never on a rifle. That's why you have a half cock!

You are misinformed.

peter nap · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2003, 05:48:41 AM »

Not misinformed...just based on the rifles I've seen.