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Simple trigger/hammer mechanism

neksmerj

Plastic
Joined
Dec 6, 2012
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Does anyone have an illustration of a trigger/hammer arrangement up such that if the hammer is half cocked, the trigger is locked, and only when the hammer is fully cocked, the trigger will release the hammer.

Ken
 
Does anyone have an illustration of a trigger/hammer arrangement up such that if the hammer is half cocked, the trigger is locked, and only when the hammer is fully cocked, the trigger will release the hammer.

Ken

Google "Siler lock" and you will see sites with photos of both sides of these locks (flint and percussion cap) meant for muzzle loaders. This will give an idea of how it works. The tumbler, the part the hammer attaches to, has a deep half-cock notch and a shallower notch at full cock. Half-cock notches CAN be broken by excess force so they are not a perfect safety solution. Many of the antiques I have looked at had the notches broken.

Edit: This site has an explanation with illustrations.

The Flintlock Mechanism - How Flintlock Guns Work | HowStuffWorks
 
Research rolling block actions. Its all dirt simple angles on the half cock notch on the hammer. If you can't find photos I can draw you a sketch and send a photo.

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Half cock notches are not a perfect solution to the safety problem. Improper manipulation of the trigger can have the sear sitting on the edge instead of in the notch and the gun can fire with a trigger squeeze or another movement of the trigger.
 
Half cock notches are not a perfect solution to the safety problem. Improper manipulation of the trigger can have the sear sitting on the edge instead of in the notch and the gun can fire with a trigger squeeze or another movement of the trigger.
Can you elaborate on "improper manipulation of the trigger?"

No mechanical safety is perfect, the safety is between the shooters ears...

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There are at least two ways a half cock notch can fail to perform the safety function. The first is to be squeezing the trigger when trying to engage the half cock; this can cause the top of the sear to sit on the bottom of the notch and work as a simple firing notch. It is clearly an operator error since one should not touch the trigger when trying to engage the half cock notch.

The other is to squeeze the trigger so hard when it IS in the notch that you break the notch, resulting in a fire which is intended since you are squeezing so hard. But you probably won't realize that the notch is broken and will use it as a safety even though it no longer is. This is also an operator error although one could also classify it as a design error in that the notch was not strong enough to resist damage from this kind of predictable mishandling error.
 
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