Pedersoli Smoothbore Pistol

[P.Altland]

Is anyone making a heavier mainspring for these? I?ve switched to a musket cap nipple, but occasionally it will set the hammer back to half cock when firing. I?ve filled and drilled the flash hole size smaller to match the Uncle Mike?s dimensions but still does it.

[Harry Gaul]

If the pistol is falling back into the half cock notch, it is probably not the mainspring. The most likely candidate is the full cock notch is NOT beyond the half cock notch. The tumbler is probably soft as well. The idea is as the trigger is pulled the sear moves out of the full cock notch, and the nose of the sear slides past the half cock notch as the tumbler falls forward or rotates in a counterclockwise motion. The hammer falls, and the pistol goes bang, and everybody is happy. The fix is to reduce and recut the half cock notch so that when you pull the trigger the nose of the sear will slide past the half cock notch. A common mistake to lighten the trigger pull is to reduce the full cock notch. Wrong. There is a post by Dave France, former skirmisher, from the Midwest who has written a 4 or 5 page detail description on how to lighten a trigger pull. Google Dave France from the Northwest Territory of the NSSA and something will pop up. Remember to pass inspection, the pistol needs to be in the half cock position and lift and three pound weight. Additionally, on the full cock position, the pistol must not trip at less than two pounds. See you on the line.


Good Luck,

Harry in Pa.
Forney's
03626v

[P.Altland]

Harry, I think you mis-understand. The hammer is sometimes resetting to half-cock when I fire the gun. This only started when I switched from the #10 pistol cap nipple to the musket cap nipple, which is faster for team shooting. My first thought was an oversized vent hole allowing chamber pressure back through the nipple. I filled and drilled to a smaller size to match that of Uncle Mike?s nipples that I use on all of my long guns. Still does it. The problem then must be related to recoil. Either way, a heavier main spring would solve it.
If the pistol is falling back into the half cock notch, it is probably not the mainspring. The most likely candidate is the full cock notch is NOT beyond the half cock notch. The tumbler is probably soft as well. The idea is as the trigger is pulled the sear moves out of the full cock notch, and the nose of the sear slides past the half cock notch as the tumbler falls forward or rotates in a counterclockwise motion. The hammer falls, and the pistol goes bang, and everybody is happy. The fix is to reduce and recut the half cock notch so that when you pull the trigger the nose of the sear will slide past the half cock notch. A common mistake to lighten the trigger pull is to reduce the full cock notch. Wrong. There is a post by Dave France, former skirmisher, from the Midwest who has written a 4 or 5 page detail description on how to lighten a trigger pull. Google Dave France from the Northwest Territory of the NSSA and something will pop up. Remember to pass inspection, the pistol needs to be in the half cock position and lift and three pound weight. Additionally, on the full cock position, the pistol must not trip at less than two pounds. See you on the line.


Good Luck,

Harry in Pa.
Forney's
03626v

[Harry Gaul]

Sorry, I misread the post. I need the smell of BP and rain in my nostrils to get back into the swing of things. The Fall Nationals is coming up. I will be at the top of my game by then.

Harry in Pa.
03626v

[Bob Gorsky 10483]

PM sent
Bob Gorsky

[FirinFlatTop]

If you find a remedy, please share with the rest of us,, i am having the same problem.

I have tried 2 other mainsprings, I can get almost a match in before it starts again.

Thanks RC