No, but I am keenly interested :: I haven't built anything from "scratch". I need a pistol more than another rifle at the moment... but I was wondering about making a muley pistol in .45 perhaps. I don't know how that lock would fit on a pistol.
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
History of Mule Ear locks?
- Thread starter SavageArcher
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
No, but I am keenly interested :: I haven't built anything from "scratch". I need a pistol more than another rifle at the moment... but I was wondering about making a muley pistol in .45 perhaps. I don't know how that lock would fit on a pistol.
Metalshaper
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
- Messages
- 479
- Reaction score
- 132
GrayGhost,
There are no drawings other than the ones I made, while putting the thing together. I can say, with a lil embarassment, that it is a less than perfect design. :redface:
I designed it to use a coil spring, but I think a flat spring would have been better. If I had to be honest, it is actually a lil cluttered looking on the inside.. Still it works good and there is not many, that are back action.
I did included a half-cock postion and figured a way to put a fly on the assembly. I had thought to design a set trigger, but once I had the two piece camming trigger in.. I never needed it!
Here is the link to Laurie Fenton's old web page..
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/9080/mule.htm
and it includes his article on Making a Mule Ear Lock.. Laurie also helped me work out some problems, that I was having with my design. I borrowed his trigger design and condensed it some, making it fit into a smaller space. Fento and Tom Crooks, collaborated on a design, that allows a Muley to use a normal trigger assembly. His drawing on the web page, is a lil rough, but the idea is good and works real well.. An E-mail buddy of mine, built his Muley using this system..
If you want, send a PM with your e-mail addy,, and I'll forward pics of Greg's gun.. And I might try to draw the 'Improved' version of mine...
Respect Always
Metalshaper
There are no drawings other than the ones I made, while putting the thing together. I can say, with a lil embarassment, that it is a less than perfect design. :redface:
I designed it to use a coil spring, but I think a flat spring would have been better. If I had to be honest, it is actually a lil cluttered looking on the inside.. Still it works good and there is not many, that are back action.
I did included a half-cock postion and figured a way to put a fly on the assembly. I had thought to design a set trigger, but once I had the two piece camming trigger in.. I never needed it!
Here is the link to Laurie Fenton's old web page..
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/9080/mule.htm
and it includes his article on Making a Mule Ear Lock.. Laurie also helped me work out some problems, that I was having with my design. I borrowed his trigger design and condensed it some, making it fit into a smaller space. Fento and Tom Crooks, collaborated on a design, that allows a Muley to use a normal trigger assembly. His drawing on the web page, is a lil rough, but the idea is good and works real well.. An E-mail buddy of mine, built his Muley using this system..
If you want, send a PM with your e-mail addy,, and I'll forward pics of Greg's gun.. And I might try to draw the 'Improved' version of mine...
Respect Always
Metalshaper
Metalshaper
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
- Messages
- 479
- Reaction score
- 132
That should have read.. "Other than the 'rough' ones I made, while putting the thing together" I never really did have any true drawings,, of what it was supposed to look like ::
Metalshaper
I've seen an original for sale that appeared to be about 1840-1850ish. It may still be where I saw it about 10 years ago. If I get to Pensacola, I'll go see. My kids had 2 of them that were sold by Navy Arms as Boy's Rifles. They were accurate but the locks were pretty crappy. My oldest son still has his, but I'm afraid of it. You never know when it's going to go off.
Metalshaper
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
- Messages
- 479
- Reaction score
- 132
Swampman,
Maybe the lock just needs some TLC ?? The geometry on them is a lil' different and if its off by just a bit.. they can get really weird! But I think it would be OK after a lil' tuning?
The one we took apart and measured,,was very crisp and I wouldn't have hesitated to shoot it. I just wished the owner would have been redy to sell it.. cause I for one, would have been in the bidding!!
Might want to give it a look and see??
Respect Always
Metalshaper
Maybe the lock just needs some TLC ?? The geometry on them is a lil' different and if its off by just a bit.. they can get really weird! But I think it would be OK after a lil' tuning?
The one we took apart and measured,,was very crisp and I wouldn't have hesitated to shoot it. I just wished the owner would have been redy to sell it.. cause I for one, would have been in the bidding!!
Might want to give it a look and see??
Respect Always
Metalshaper
Metalshaper
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
- Messages
- 479
- Reaction score
- 132
Swampman,
look at the sear nose first! that would be my recomendation :hmm: . If that part wasn't hardened properly, it could have become worn and the edges of the sear somewhat rounded off. If this is so, all you'd have to do is restore the sear nose and reharden with possibly some Kasenite..
It would be the easiest of the fixes.. and take the least effort. and most of all, that might be all it needs?
Respect Always
Dagwood
look at the sear nose first! that would be my recomendation :hmm: . If that part wasn't hardened properly, it could have become worn and the edges of the sear somewhat rounded off. If this is so, all you'd have to do is restore the sear nose and reharden with possibly some Kasenite..
It would be the easiest of the fixes.. and take the least effort. and most of all, that might be all it needs?
Respect Always
Dagwood
Russianblood
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2005
- Messages
- 832
- Reaction score
- 2
I have a Navy Arms mule ear in .32 cal. It's an accurate little (and I do mean little) rifle.
Not sure just when it was invented but I ran across a double double mule ear. A double mule ear on each side of the breach, one for each of the four barrels.
I can just imagine the gun maker when the shooter came in and described what he wanted.
I can just imagine the gun maker when the shooter came in and described what he wanted.
I can't find the Navy Armes Mule Ear, Where and when was it made?
Similar threads
