Hammer gets stuck on the half cock: diagnosis?

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CS

CS

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Hello friends! I have attached a picture + video of the (india made) lock of a brass blunderbuss I have. The problem I encounter is that pressing the trigger from full cock does not elicit the full action of the hammer, but rather, gets stuck on the half-cock notch.

Was wondering if someone can diagnose the problem and how I might fix it? Is it a problem of the mainspring? or the sear spring? or is the half cock notch too deep and should be filed down?

Many thanks in advance! :)
 

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The edge of the half cock notch needs to be a shorter distance from the center of the tumbler than is the distance from the edge of the full cock notch. From here it looks like the half cock notch to needs to be filed back to allow the sear nose to slip by when the trigger is pulled. It looks like the half cock notch is plenty deep enough to file some off.

Edit: After I typed this I see that my half kock got edited too!
 
CS said:
Hello friends! I have attached a picture + video of the (india made) lock of a brass blunderbuss I have. The problem I encounter is that pressing the trigger from full **** does not elicit the full action of the hammer, but rather, gets stuck on the half-**** notch.

Was wondering if someone can diagnose the problem and how I might fix it? Is it a problem of the mainspring? or the sear spring? or is the half **** notch too deep and should be filed down?

Many thanks in advance! :)
Click to expand...
You have to love new the ‘auto-censor’ feature…..

Usually, the trigger will hold the sear bar up long enough for the sear to pass under halfcock notch on this type of lock (as opposed to one with a fly intended for use with a set trigger). If you hold the sear bar up and depress the sear spring does the sear clear the halfcock notch? How about with the sear spring removed?

Another thing to consider. If that sear continues to catch that notch it is only a matter of time before either the tumble notch or sear become damaged.
 
Is your sear spring missing/broken? Are your bridal screws over tightened? A fly in the tumbler would allow the sear to over ride the half cock notch. Does this lock have a fly , is it missing? Is this lock a very inexpensive one , not having a fly in the tumbler?? Back in the 1970's , some early factory import locks depended on a very strong trigger pull to allow the sear nose to pass over the half cock notch. Some early 1973 era Belgian made Dixie Gun Works rifles . used a nasty strong single set triggers to allow a flyless lock sear to pass the half cock notch simply employing very strong springs. In the very early 1970's , I built a scratch parts plains rifle using these crude parts. The gun fired most of the time , but w/o a fly in the tumbler , it wasn't reliable like a modern lock would be.......oldwoodchas.....:dunno:
 
CS. What's an "auto sensor"? I'm old and don't know that term , unless it's referring to one of many electronics devises?
 
An auto censor changes kock to ****. It thinks we're talking dirty so it changes it but if I spell cock with a k it fools it.

More to the point, if the notches in the tumbler are correct a single trigger gun doesn't need a fly in the tumbler. The trigger finger will hold the sear out of the way unless the trigger pull is really light.
 
When shooting a lot of guns from over seas without a fly, follow up/through when the trigger is pulled, it needs to be held until the gun fires, that way the sear does not catch in the halfcock notch. See what I did there.:)
 
Last edited:
The Crisco Kid said:
An auto censor changes kock to ****. It thinks we're talking dirty so it changes it but if I spell **** with a k it fools it.

More to the point, if the notches in the tumbler are correct a single trigger gun doesn't need a fly in the tumbler. The trigger finger will hold the sear out of the way unless the trigger pull is really light.
Click to expand...
I tried to contact Merrywhether to stop the e gajet putting xxxx in stead of Cock as in Male rooster While ' bitch 'as in female dog you can understand but cocks as xxxx is too silly Same to some extent with Bullock dagger in luie of Bollock daggers .what next xxxxbarrings ! .Might get Cashiered but Ile risk it
Rudyards view
 
First ... I like this forum but , come on ! .... the " auto sensor " setting is really ignorant for blocking " c0ck " on a muzzleloading site . I'm talking about a part of the lock not my weiner !! LOL !! Oh well ... Yeah , on North Star locks , among other cheap locks , ive had problems with the sear getting caught on the half c0ck edge ...ive had to deepen the half c0ck position on the tumbler and take JUST a hair of metal off the tip of the half c0ck tip on the tumbler son the sear will get by that spot with out getting caught and stopping . Not cool ... I sure wish the old N. Star locks had a fly ...When the sear gets caught on that tip its hard on both parts ....plus , worrying about that happening and jerking the triggered for the lock to work properly ....well , you've lost all your potential for an accurate shot !! Ya gotta fix it ....
 
Rob M. said:
First ... I like this forum but , come on ! .... the " auto sensor " setting is really ignorant for blocking " c0ck " on a muzzleloading site . I'm talking about a part of the lock not my weiner !! LOL !! Oh well ... Yeah , on North Star locks , among other cheap locks , ive had problems with the sear getting caught on the half c0ck edge ...ive had to deepen the half c0ck position on the tumbler and take JUST a hair of metal off the tip of the half c0ck tip on the tumbler son the sear will get by that spot with out getting caught and stopping . Not cool ... I sure wish the old N. Star locks had a fly ...When the sear gets caught on that tip its hard on both parts ....plus , worrying about that happening and jerking the triggered for the lock to work properly ....well , you've lost all your potential for an accurate shot !! Ya gotta fix it ....
Click to expand...
While US makers do almost always have a fly or detent the N' Star or any trade gun and the majority of sporting & military guns did not have a fly nor should they need one .Historcally many so fitted got the offending fly removed.as it caused accidents .
Rudyard what's been around this stuff .
 
Rudyard said:
While US makers do almost always have a fly or detent the N' Star or any trade gun and the majority of sporting & military guns did not have a fly nor should they need one .Historcally many so fitted got the offending fly removed.as it caused accidents .
Rudyard what's been around this stuff .
Click to expand...
REALLY !! ?! Very interesting ! Could you tell me more ? Much more ! I dont know anything about Muzzleloaders but they look SO neato ! An offending fly ! Thank you so much for telling me all this great information ...Accident causing flies !! Sounds horrible ! WOW ! ... Plz tell me more ! Thank you !
 
How about a hammer getting hooked on some brush and being pulled back off of the full kock notch and then the fly stops the sear from being stopped by the half kock notch so the gun fires when the brush lets go of the hammer? I know it has happened!
 
The Crisco Kid said:
The edge of the half **** notch needs to be a shorter distance from the center of the tumbler than is the distance from the edge of the full **** notch. From here it looks like the half **** notch to needs to be filed back to allow the sear nose to slip by when the trigger is pulled. It looks like the half **** notch is plenty deep enough to file some off.

Edit: After I typed this I see that my half kock got edited too!
Click to expand...
Yes sir, I tried playing it in slow motion but, ehh. I did notice that the half-rooster notch pull the sear up hard when it got there telling me, as you said, it needs to be filed down a bit to clear the sear coming off the full rooster notch.
Question.... When in the full rooster position, how much trigger travel do you have when you lower the hammer? I'm also wondering if the sear is traveling up far enough to clear the half rooster.
 
John Stark said:
Yes sir, I tried playing it in slow motion but, ehh. I did notice that the half-rooster notch pull the sear up hard when it got there telling me, as you said, it needs to be filed down a bit to clear the sear coming off the full rooster notch.
Question.... When in the full rooster position, how much trigger travel do you have when you lower the hammer? I'm also wondering if the sear is traveling up far enough to clear the half rooster.
Click to expand...
To clarify your question:d o you mean to ask how much trigger travel I get when the trigger is pulled at full-rooster?
to answer your question: I do not get much trigger travel from full-rooster.

What is meant by "if the sear is traveling up far enough"?

Many thanks! :)
 
Just as a n aside. an Australian f0rum that I used to visit before being banned, would automatically change ‘weapons’ to ‘rifles.
The joke was to type something along the lines of
“The Roman legions which invaded Britain had very practical weapons . . .’’ which got changed to ‘’, , ,very practical rifles . . .’’
 
CS said:
To clarify your question:d o you mean to ask how much trigger travel I get when the trigger is pulled at full-rooster?
to answer your question: I do not get much trigger travel from full-rooster.

What is meant by "if the sear is traveling up far enough"?

Many thanks! :)
Click to expand...
It's hard for me to express exactly what I'm trying to get at. I KNOW what I'm looking for in the movement but putting it into words....ehh, not so much.
When in the H/C position, you have to pull the hammer back a tad before you can pull the trigger....how far does the trigger travel after it clears the H/C notch? You should have about 1/2 inch +/- travel at the "tip" of the trigger. If the sear is only moving just enough to clear the F/C position, it could be a compound problem. The H/C definitely needs filing down a bit as the geometry doesn't look right. If the rear of the sear isn't moving up enough, in conjunction with the H/C needing to be filed down, you could end up filing too much off the tumbeler in order to make it work......in which case you'd just have to cut a deeper recess for the H/C position.

I think I made sense? If not, my apologies.
 

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