Browning side plate and hammer

[Empty-K]

So I just finished browning my GPR. I did everything except the side plate and hammer and after looking at it for a full second, I realized those need to be browned too.  I am using plum brown so I have to heat the parts quite a bit.  My question is... Can I heat up and brown the side plate while the hammer spring and hammer mechanism components are still attached to the side plate?  The components all look metal but I don't want to mess it up.

[hotfxr]

I will take a shot at this since I just did it on my rifle. Please remember that this is just my opinion and I would wait until a few more folks (who have a lot more experience than I do) chime in before you start. If you are plum browning, it is not supposed to be all that hot. You should only be heating it up to pancake cooking warm, not hot enough to start metal glowing. First off, you really should remove the hammer so the metal behind it will get browned evenly. Secondly if unless you are super careful, and even being super careful, you will still wind up slopping the Plum Brown into the moving parts of the lock. And as browning is really controlled rust, that can reek havoc down the road. Locks don't like to function when the parts are rusty. Given that, I would take it completely apart and just brown the hammer and the plate only. My GPH, even though it is a flintlock and therefore superior to any caplock out there (that was for you Dogshirt), has a lock that is nicely browned, but nothing is browned on the inside. I would like to take credit for it but alas, it was done before arriving into my hands. Thirdly, this is the only lock on any muzzleloader of mine that has been colorized. All the others are flame blued to look like case hardened steel. If yours is already flame blued, I would consider leaving it that way. Contrary to my own adventures with locks, I would not recommend tearing one down unless you have a good grasp of what is involved. I cannot convey the sinking feeling when a spring takes off to be lost forever with a couple of screws disappearing in the opposite direction. Not to mention bending a part just barely and suddenly having a wall hanger instead of a hunting tool. So I guess to answer your question in a shorter manner, yes you can heat it up to browning temp, but there is a bit more to take into consideration before diving into that end of the pool. Hope this helps.

[Keb]

Take it apart. You will get a much better browning job.

[seniorsgt]

take it apart so you don't damage the spring tension plus you would have to take it apart to polish the back of the plate if any spatters

[Hawken50]

   I concur take it apart. Its not that big a task and you will have a more harmonious outcome.  Been lookin fer a place to use that word foe  week.   

[Empty-K]

Thanks ya'll! I took it apart and will be browning them tomorrow.  Had one small issue... A part in the lock assembly came out before I had a chance to see where it came from.  After looking at the smudgy assembly drawing on Lyman's website, I believe the piece is called the "fly" and I can only guess that it sorta floats/pivots in the "tumbler."  The part is just a small L shaped piece.  Anyone familiar with this?

[flintboomer]

I've done a couple, absolutely take it apart.
The "fly" is usually diamond shaped and has a little pin on the back side that drops into a little hole in the tumbler. It allows the set triggers to work by keeping the sear from dropping into the half cock notch.

Good luck mine came out nice.