Locktime
"Lock-time"
is defined as the "time interval between sear release and the
firing-pin striking the primer". This is seldom mentioned in
the discussion of today's muzzleloading firearms, but it really
should be. Some guns are far, far easier to hit with than others--
and the trigger and lockwork arrangement is often the reason. Fighting
a trigger is just no fun.
Those familiar
with the writings of Ross Seyfried will recognize the statement
that, to the shooter, a firearm has only two
active parts: the sights and the trigger. Our interest in
sighting systems and optics is obvious; our attention to triggers
less prominent. Triggers are regularly overlooked. Yet, some guns
are clearly finding their targets better than others, but seem no
more accurate. The reason, I believe, is both locktime and effective
locktime.
This morning,
I shot two pesky neighborhood rabbits (thousands remain)
that enjoy eating my stuff with a Beeman 5mm R-9 air rifle at 35
and 37 yards respectively. It is easy, at least now, to hit with
that Beeman, as the FTS pellets went though the eye sockets of both
bunnies. It wasn't always so. Though the R-9 has what I feel is
a good trigger, firing the trigger only starts the process
of getting a pellet out the muzzle. Only after learning to hold
on target, actually over-hold on target beyond what is instinctive,
did spring air rifle shooting become easy-- ignoring the powerplant
vibration as you do so. It is the same with a flintlock. It is easy
to become distracted with initial pan flash, and think that somehow
your ball is on its way to its mark. It hasn't moved yet, and the
same "over-hold" approach will allow you to shoot far,
far better. To me, shooting a flinter is just like handling an air
rifle on steroids-- the approach is the same. That is the "effective"
locktime I'm referring to. The move to inline muzzleloaders has
cut effective locktime down considerably. Actual locktime and good
triggers remain largely overlooked, however, as far as muzzleloaders
are concerned.
One of the
most accurate hunting handguns I've ever owned is my Ruger SuperRedhawk
.44 Mag. From the factory, the trigger was something I had to consciously
fight. Though no hammer gun has excellent locktime, a Wolff spring
kit made all the difference in the world to me. What was a 3"
100 yard gun now groups inside 1-1/2" thanks to that spring
kit. Other handguns I've owned have been worked over by pistolsmith
Jack Weigand, with similar results. Same way with my clays guns--
a touch of magic by Allen Timney of Ceritos, California, and it
is more birds with a lot less work.
Muzzleloading
is still in the Dark Ages when it comes to triggers and locktime;
at least that is my impression. We fight groups and sabots, but
sometimes overlook the obvious when it comes to being able to place
a bullet. It could not be more obvious that
a good trigger is a requisite to accuracy without the headache,
yet most of us pay scant attention to triggers and locktime.
We seem content enough when our muzzleloaders just go bang.
Two of the
most horrific examples of ungodly triggers in recent memory are
those found on the CVA Optima and even more recently, the Traditions
Pursuit. Like air conditioning and power steering, once you have
a quality trigger and fast locktime-- it is really hard to go back.
Those that can hit anything with those guns as supplied have my
admiration, or at least my condolences-- you are likely a far better
shot than you think you are. When I shoot guns like these, it could
not be more obvious to me that the manufacturer either knows nothing
about hunting and shooting accurately-- or, worse yet . . . they
just don't care.
The old Mauser
98 military action has been criticized for having a slow locktime,
actually a service rifle design choice. Back in 1932, Winchester
released their "Speedlock" feature on their Model 54.
The older 54 had a locktime similar to the Mauser, with a ½
inch firing pin travel and weak spring. The Speedlock reduced that
to about a ¼ inch of firing pin travel, and the spring was
replaced with a stronger, 23 pound spring. This Speedlock feature
was carried over to the Winchester Model 70. A heavier spring can
work wonders, as in the case of my Ruger .44 Redhawk. Those who
want more currently have it available for a number of rifles, as
High-Power Champion David Tubb (and others) have released
titanium firing pins with half the weight of factory pins, and Wolff
spring kit sets to match.
While poor
locktime can be addressed to some degree on the bench, it is far
more problematic in offhand and field shooting as it allows more
time for the muzzle to move after the trigger releases the sear.
Nothing much good can happen after your trigger is pulled before
your bullet exits. More recently, Dvorak Instruments' "Triggerscan"
instrumentation has been used to more closely define and improve
triggers. Triggerscan was used in the development of the Savage
Accu-Trigger, perhaps the most notable example of the present day.
The 1903A3
has a locktime of somewhere around 6.5 milliseconds, contingent
on mainspring. The Remington long action has a locktime of 3.0 milliseconds,
the Remington short action 2.6 milliseconds. Though Remington has
failed at their muzzleloading attempt, and along with Ruger-- is
now out of the muzzleloading business due to popular demand, these
locktimes are mentioned for comparison's sake. According to Dick
Metcalf (who also uses Triggerscan), even with the far lighter
hammer weight of most pistols compared to rifles, anything nearing
a 5.0 millisecond locktime is exceedingly good. You just won't find
any factory hammer type muzzleloaders that can compete with the
6 to 7 millisecond locktime of even the classic 1903A3; the weight
of the hammer and the long throw both prohibit it.
The short throw
of Knight Disc rifles are notably better than average in this area,
as is the very short-throw Austin & Halleck 420. The leader,
by a huge amount, is the Savage 10ML-II AccuTrigger with a conservatively
stated locktime of 1.60 milliseconds.
To
put this in terms that are more vivid, let me phrase it this way:
a bullet fired out of a Savage 10ML-II is out of the gun, and at
least TEN YARDS downrange before any muzzleloading hammergun's bullet
so much as touches its primer.
