Need Info on N.Ashmore Lock Plate

[Clsinclair]

A person recently gave me a Kentucky Long Rifle at a Trail Ultra Run that I put on (two years ago he gave me a trapdoor). I broke it down to clean it and noticed that the mainspring was missing on the lock plate. The lock plate has N. Ashmore on it. Does anyone know where to get a mainspring for a N. Ashmore lock plate? The musket is percussion and the barrel is 42" and appears to be a 45 cal bore. Is octagon in shape. Wood is Tiger Maple.

[Matt Woodburn]

Re: Need Info on N.Ashmore Lock Plate

Claude,

I've seen some locks marked as such and I remember hearing one person say they thought it was an English lock. Since it's an original piece, you'll likely need a little bit of gunsmith work to get one to fit. I'd try Bill Osborne with Lodgewood. I've had him do work for me and it's always is correct when I get it.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Need Info on N.Ashmore Lock Plate

Hallo!

Is it an original "Ashmore" lock, or is (more likely methinks), the Ashmore repro like Dixie Gun Works used to sell. (I think I still have a left-handed one in the basement somewhere slated for an original altered percussion rifle restoration I never finished...)

???

Curt

[Clsinclair]

Re: Need Info on N.Ashmore Lock Plate

Thanks Matt.

Curt, Not a reproduction as the owner said that his gg grandfather owned the Trapdoor and the Long Rifle and that it was handed down to him. He told me that he has no interest in guns and that is why he gave them to me. I have Google "N.Ashmore Lockplate" and not much pops up except of a few auction items. I know that there is a R. Ashmore on some lockplates but I think they are British Guns.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Need Info on N.Ashmore Lock Plate

Hallo!

Thanks!

"N. Ashmore" throws me... ; (

Sorry, I don't know much about Richard Ashmore other than he was a British gunmaker circa 1827-1850. He/they also were famous for "R. Ashmore Warranted" locks which appear on American made rifles and pistols as well.
IIRC, correctly, they were imported and sold as commercial locks for local gunmakers who were "gun stockers" or "gun smiths" rather than true gunmakers. Meaning, rather than go through the labor of hand-making the barrel and lock, a gun stockere could commercially buy a ready-made barrel and lock and just 'assemble" a gun by compiling pieces/parts kinda/sorta like a "kit."

I want to say "N Ashmore" is a pirated American copy of the English R. Ashmore Warranted, but that is a wild unsupported thought.

Also IIRC, this is the age or pre-interchangeable parts, and I would strongly suspect that even "mass produced" for export, your lock is going to have a hand-made and slightly unique set of parts all following a pattern or form but being made by hand not allowing a mainspring or part from another to fit. Sometimes in doing restorations, one has to have lock in hand, and trial-and-error their way through a part seller's box of parts...

: (

Or paying some "bigger bucks" and having a mainspring custom hand forged. I can't remember his name at the momnet, Bobby something, maybe Smith... from Arkansas maybe, back in the 1990's made several main spring and frizzen springs for me and some pards.

Curt

[Clsinclair]

Re: Need Info on N.Ashmore Lock Plate

Talked to David at Lodgewood and he said that they could fit a mainspring in the lock. Thanks for all your help.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Need Info on N.Ashmore Lock Plate

Mr Sinclair,

I highly recommend chatting with Roy Stroh in North Georgia. He is an impeccable craftsman that can custom make a couple of mainsprings for you. Two springs are always better than one.

www.roystroh.com