Broken/chipped out full cock notch

[NorthFork]

I recently purchased a new Pedersoli 10 gauge sxs from Dixie. After the sixth shot the left lock's full cock notch on the tumbler broke/chipped out. The hammer will not hold at all on full cock. I do have a replacement coming from Flintlocks Etc that I paid for ($51.95 shipped) and Pedersoli seems to be willing to ship one to me for free (they got back with me after I had bought one from Flintlocks Etc).

What causes the full cock notch, or for that matter the half cock notch, to chip out besides bad heat treat? I would like to avoid this happening again. Thanks.

edit- I should add that in roughly 33 years of muzzleloading, this is the first lock I've broken. So this could be a fluke.

 

[64Springer]

.

 

[NorthFork]

@64Springer

What does a 'period' mean?

 

[64Springer]

@64Springer

What does a 'period' mean?

It means I typed a reply outlining what I believe the problem to be.

But I deleted it.

I'll let the lock gurus address it.

Good luck with it.

 

[NorthFork]

OK

 

[smo]

Did you dry fire the gun any or did it break during shooting?

 

[NorthFork]

Did you dry fire the gun any or did it break during shooting?

Did not dry fire it. Broke during live fire shooting.

 

[EC121]

Likely a bad heat treat and/or bad full cock notch angle. You end up knapping the notch like a flint and it chips. When you get the new one, install the tumbler and before you install the mainspring hold the lock nose down and slowly push up on the sear bar. If the angle is right, the hammer shouldn't move back. It should just drop. If it moves back, you are fighting the mainspring. If it moves forward, it might release when jarred.

 

[windini]

Watching this thread. I bought a used Pedersoli 12g that did the same thing, but haven't had a chance to look into it yet.

 

[rich pierce]

Bad heat treat or casting flaw.

 

[Sam squanch]

They don’t have enough steel for the parts in question. They should make the lock parts a bit beefier, but that would raise the price.