I've noticed CVA/TRADITIONS kits have issues with lock tightening

[amateurhour]

So I've built one Traditions 50cal kentucky pistol and I'm putting together a flintlock CVA hawken. I was sent the stock and triggers and bought the lock and barrel from Deer Creek

On both, even though everything lines up and fits well, if I screw the lock in to the point where the lock washers are tight against the stock, the flintlock won't cock at all (it's so tight it will barely move) and on the percussion pistol if everything isn't a little loose the hammer wont line up with the nipple.

Is this a common thing or have I not sanded/fitted properly? What do I need to work on to make them line up and fit better, like where do I need to take away wood?

[half eye]

on the lock issues.....soot black the inside of the lock and relieve wood where contact points are (final inletting) ..as to the alignment issue one way is to heat the hammer (cock) neck to red then bend to align. There are other (some say better) to align the hammer/nipple but heat bending is as practical as any.
rich

[Eric Krewson]

You will find a place that is binding with the soot, go slow removing wood, just the tiny sooted places. It may take you awhile to get your lock to work but it will happen. I ran into the same thing on my first build.

I started out using a candle for soot, now I use and oil lamp, lots of soot with wick turned up.

[amateurhour]

Awesome! Thanks!

[JW_Halverson]

I stole a stick of cheap lipstick from the druggist's shop as pink inletting compound!

[JW_Halverson]

I stole a stick of cheap lipstick from the druggist's shop as pink inletting compound!

ALL RIGHT, FINE!  I bought it.  I thought I wouldn't sound so froofy if I said I stole it!!!

[Eric Krewson]

One more thing; DON'T USE A DREMEL TOOL!  They can get away from you and do a tremendous amount of unrepairable damage to your lock inlet and the surrounding area. Now, if you are very experienced with the dremel and have the right bit in it you can get away with using one, I do but I was once a serious power duck decoy carver and carved very fine detail with my Dremel and Fordom tools.

I use an 1/8" cylinder shaped diamond bit in my dremel when I relieve inlets. I use a skew chisel where I have room after cutting stop lines with the right sized gouge.

Here is one I did the other day, I used a dremel, forstner bit, skew chisel, riffler files, gouges and lots of soot. My lock wouldn't come close to going in the inlet and wouldn't cock after I got it in, it does now.

[ozarkokie]

I have built, and shot muzzleloader for 35 years. One thing I ran into when a hammer didn't aligh it was because the inletting was too deep and the lock plate was recessed instead of flush with the stock. You can shim it with paper or such but if you grease the lock you can put epoxy around the edges of the inlet and put the lock in place tightened to wher it aligns. Sort of same as glass bedding a barrel on a modern rifle.