English Market Gun Question

[VintageShooter]

I recently purchased an English market fowler, 12 ga. It is signed R. Hughes. R. Hughes was a Birmingham maker 1855 - 1858. I bought the gun because it had an unusually long barrel (48") and was in excellent condition. The lock is unusual. Instead of the standard three position (fired, safety, and full cock), it has four positions: fired, safety, and two cocked positions. I cannot tell any difference between the trigger pulls. Has anyone seen this before? Does anyone know why a lock would be designed like this?

Vintage Shooter

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Assuming this is a caplock....

My Scientific Wild Arsed Guess (SWAG) would be if for some reason the caps were known to sometimes take more force on impact depending on the cap making company, to cause the chemicals to combust. So, the shooter would test the caps, and find that caps from X maker needed the second cocked position to reliably shoot, it having more impact force that the first cocked position.

Any of you British folks know if me the Guessing Yank in this conversation is correct?

LD

 

[VintageShooter]

That was my guess as well. The other guess is that larger charges probably used in a gun with a 48" barrel may have required a more explosive cap.,

 

[Loyalist Dave]

That was my guess as well. The other guess is that larger charges probably used in a gun with a 48" barrel may have required a more explosive cap.,

Nah, the powder is the powder, regardless of barrel length. I think it's more like the gun has to perform, as the market hunter doesn't get paid if he doesn't bring in game birds, and more than a few. I think it was made at a time when different companies had different caps. You got what you could find, and since that might mean you had to use what was available, the solution was variable striking power from the locks.

LD