What Happened to this Golcher Lock?

aehall10 · December 6, 2008, 12:06 AM

James Golcher made locks, I know, but I've never seen one quite like this. It appears to be a flintlock that someone did a home-conversion of some type to. The conversion appears to be quite old. A half-step toward percussion. Has anyone ever seen anything else like it?

Dave McC · December 6, 2008, 08:06 AM

I'm far from an expert here, but there were several designs for fulminate ignitions before people settled on the cap. Little pills of fulminate were one, another was a copper tube filled with fulminate. Betcha this was one of those.

HTH....

Chipperman · December 6, 2008, 01:02 PM

Was is the "flint" made of? Is it steel? Hard to tell from the photo.

aehall10 · December 6, 2008, 01:58 PM

You gents are very helpful, thank you.

The flint does appear to be steel. It is a gray metal, not easily bent. There is no spark when the trigger is pulled and the "flint" enters the hole.

Chipperman · December 6, 2008, 02:18 PM

Pop a handgun primer in that little pocket and I bet it will spark.

(Not actually suggesting you do this, by the way)

Jim Watson · December 6, 2008, 03:53 PM

Agree with Dave, it appears to be a conversion to pill lock. I have seen another picture of a conversion like that, with a striker held in the flint jaws instead of a new hammer. Don't recall if it were a pill lock, other pre-caplock, or cap, though.

December 6, 2008, 12:06 AM	#1
aehall10 Junior Member Join Date: December 5, 2008 Posts: 6	What Happened to this Golcher Lock? James Golcher made locks, I know, but I've never seen one quite like this. It appears to be a flintlock that someone did a home-conversion of some type to. The conversion appears to be quite old. A half-step toward percussion. Has anyone ever seen anything else like it?

December 6, 2008, 01:58 PM	#4
aehall10 Junior Member Join Date: December 5, 2008 Posts: 6	more You gents are very helpful, thank you. The flint does appear to be steel. It is a gray metal, not easily bent. There is no spark when the trigger is pulled and the "flint" enters the hole.

December 6, 2008, 08:06 AM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I'm far from an expert here, but there were several designs for fulminate ignitions before people settled on the cap. Little pills of fulminate were one, another was a copper tube filled with fulminate. Betcha this was one of those. HTH....

December 6, 2008, 01:02 PM	#3
Chipperman Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2000 Location: Live Free or Die, Baby! Posts: 1,550	Was is the "flint" made of? Is it steel? Hard to tell from the photo.

December 6, 2008, 02:18 PM	#5
Chipperman Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2000 Location: Live Free or Die, Baby! Posts: 1,550	Pop a handgun primer in that little pocket and I bet it will spark. (Not actually suggesting you do this, by the way)

December 6, 2008, 03:53 PM	#6
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	Agree with Dave, it appears to be a conversion to pill lock. I have seen another picture of a conversion like that, with a striker held in the flint jaws instead of a new hammer. Don't recall if it were a pill lock, other pre-caplock, or cap, though.