Lock falling from full cock to half cock

[rcbloom2]

Press the trigger, the lock falls from full cock to half cock? What is wrong? Know anyone who repairs these issues? TIA Ron in Las Vegas

[Keith Williams]

Ron, well...the first question would be what type of gun are you talking about...a Civil War musket / carbine / revolver reproduction? There's a lot of problematic areas within these imports...so you need to specify a little better. It could be a warped lock plate, wrong designed sear spring, tumbler issues, binding, and main spring which are not aligned or working together as a proper inline unit...to name a few.

Keith A. Williams
15th. Reg VA Vol Cav

[Maillemaker]

On the Reproduction M1842, this can be caused by loose bridle screws. You have to be careful tightening the screw that serves as the axle for the sear or it will bind up the sear.

[Jim Brady Knap's Battery]

Worn sear and/or full cock notch angle causing the sear to be pushed out of the full cock from the main spring pressure. When the tumbler moves the nose of the sear is not clear of the half cock notch and can catch half cock or break the sear and/or the half cock notch.

[rcbloom2]

Thanks Keith. It is an 1802 Brown Bess musket. I have to take it apart to really see what is going on and if I need a new tumbler and sear. Ron

Ron, well...the first question would be what type of gun are you talking about...a Civil War musket / carbine / revolver reproduction? There's a lot of problematic areas within these imports...so you need to specify a little better. It could be a warped lock plate, wrong designed sear spring, tumbler issues, binding, and main spring which are not aligned or working together as a proper inline unit...to name a few.

Keith A. Williams
15th. Reg VA Vol Cav

[rcbloom2]

Thanks Steve. All of the screws are tight. I am going to disassemble the lock today and take a look at the full cock notch and the sear. Ron.

On the Reproduction M1842, this can be caused by loose bridle screws. You have to be careful tightening the screw that serves as the axle for the sear or it will bind up the sear.

[Harry Gaul]

It is probably the tumbler. Italian repro are notorious for soft lock parts. Tighten up the lock as you would normally expect and hope for the best. If the firearm is still not working properly, take a swiss file and add SLOWLY (a few strokes at a time) to the full cock notch, reassemble and try again. If the problem still exists, start reducing the half cock notch. You must keep the half cock notch for safety purposes. The design of the tumbler is for the full cock notch to be slightly beyond the half cock notch. When you pull the trigger, the tumble falls forward and the sear passes the half cock notch. What is happening now is that the sear is NOT passing the half cock notch. When you have the lock working properly, you should reharden the lock parts so that this problem does not occur for a long, long, long time.

If you have access to the internet, look up an article from the Northwest Region of the NSSA. A former skirmisher wrote an article that will help you. The author is a guy by the name of Charles France. This article is used by most of us to lighten the trigger pull and make the lock part work as it should.

Good luck,

Harry in pa.
Forney's
03626v

[Muley Gil]

It is probably the tumbler. Italian repro are notorious for soft lock parts. Tighten up the lock as you would normally expect and hope for the best. If the firearm is still not working properly, take a swiss file and add SLOWLY (a few strokes at a time) to the full cock notch, reassemble and try again. If the problem still exists, start reducing the half cock notch. You must keep the half cock notch for safety purposes. The design of the tumbler is for the full cock notch to be slightly beyond the half cock notch. When you pull the trigger, the tumble falls forward and the sear passes the half cock notch. What is happening now is that the sear is NOT passing the half cock notch. When you have the lock working properly, you should reharden the lock parts so that this problem does not occur for a long, long, long time.

If you have access to the internet, look up an article from the Northwest Region of the NSSA. A former skirmisher wrote an article that will help you. The author is a guy by the name of Charles France. This article is used by most of us to lighten the trigger pull and make the lock part work as it should.

Good luck,

Harry in pa.
Forney's
03626v

Harry, if he doesn't have access to the internet, he probably can't read your message.

Gil, commander-general of the Intelligent Donkey Brigade

[Keith Williams]

That would be Dave France Ron, being a non-member you should be able to find old Skirmish Line Magazines online. Dave's article as well as Jo Davenport, and Jim Leinicke writings should help you out.

Good Luck.

Keith A. Williams
15th. Reg VA Vol Cav

[Harry Gaul]

I may have a printed copy of the Dave France article laying around in my pile of papers.

Send me a PM and you can send me your address and I would be happy to mail it to you.

Harry in Pa.
Forney's
03626v