I am just starting in the gun building stuff and will be starting with a 1/2 stock hawken. My reason is that I have several and feel if I get in a bind I can take one of my guns apart and see how it works. I do have a question, looking at the lock and trigger can anyone tell me how they interact together, they are single parts but somehow they mate together, do you just put one on and then the other and they kind of mate up or is there something I have to be careful of. Thanks for your help.[/color]
Just starting
- Thread starter navaho
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Hope you didn't mind if I deleted your double post of this thread in the Precussion section and moving the other post to the Builders Bench Forum. 
To answer your question, these guns are rather simple. The trigger, whether it is a simple single trigger, or a set trigger are not directly connected to the lock.
If you look at the inside surface of your lock, towards the rear, there is a bar sticking out. This bar is part of the sear which keeps the tumbler in the half cock or full cocked position.
If the lock is cocked, and this projecting bar is pushed upward, it will release the tumbler and hammer so they can rotate.
NOTE: Do not cock the lock and push up on this bar with your fingers anywhere close to the hammer (or cock). It will be released and will crush anything in it's path.
Now that I've got your attention, you can release the tumbler by pushing up on the sear release, but be dam sure nothing you value is in the way. It is best to have your thumb on the hammer (cock) so you can let it down gently.
When you build your gun, you will have to grind/file off the top surface of of the trigger (which hits this sear arm or bar).
Because the parts makers do not know where your sear arm will be, or where or how deeply you installed the trigger into the stock, they always leave excess material on the top of the trigger .
My method of installing and adjusting the trigger is to first install the lock. Then cut the mortice for the trigger plate and trigger.
With the lock installed, I install the trigger and to get a feel for how much material will have to be removed. I then file off a little of the vertical part of the trigger and try again.
I am finished when the trigger and trigger plate seat out in the stock and just a slight movement of the trigger will make contact with the locks sear arm.
If you remove too much material off of the trigger, you can always increase the depth of the trigger plate mortice just a tiny bit. That will reduce the trigger slop.
To answer your question, these guns are rather simple. The trigger, whether it is a simple single trigger, or a set trigger are not directly connected to the lock.
If you look at the inside surface of your lock, towards the rear, there is a bar sticking out. This bar is part of the sear which keeps the tumbler in the half cock or full cocked position.
If the lock is cocked, and this projecting bar is pushed upward, it will release the tumbler and hammer so they can rotate.
NOTE: Do not cock the lock and push up on this bar with your fingers anywhere close to the hammer (or cock). It will be released and will crush anything in it's path.
Now that I've got your attention, you can release the tumbler by pushing up on the sear release, but be dam sure nothing you value is in the way. It is best to have your thumb on the hammer (cock) so you can let it down gently.
When you build your gun, you will have to grind/file off the top surface of of the trigger (which hits this sear arm or bar).
Because the parts makers do not know where your sear arm will be, or where or how deeply you installed the trigger into the stock, they always leave excess material on the top of the trigger .
My method of installing and adjusting the trigger is to first install the lock. Then cut the mortice for the trigger plate and trigger.
With the lock installed, I install the trigger and to get a feel for how much material will have to be removed. I then file off a little of the vertical part of the trigger and try again.
I am finished when the trigger and trigger plate seat out in the stock and just a slight movement of the trigger will make contact with the locks sear arm.
If you remove too much material off of the trigger, you can always increase the depth of the trigger plate mortice just a tiny bit. That will reduce the trigger slop.
