Brakes - am I expecting too much

[my67c20]

Technically, the front brakes should not lock up or you would loose that ability to steer.

Did you bench bleed the master cylinder in a vise?
Is the booster working?
Are your caliper pistons and wheel cylinders retracting? If they are not, fluid still returns to the master cylinder and each time you press the brakes those areas need to fill back up before your going to get a pedal.

Fluids by nature do not compress, its the mechanical linkage ratios that transmit leg to stopping power