Leather Hammer Stalls

[Joel/Calgary]

Just one more modern gadget.

Actually, hammer stalls were a "period" gadget. I've read various references to their use, at least by the British military.

Regards,
Joel

 

[BigDogg]

I don't use them because the thickness of the leather would keep my flint too far away from the frizzen at half cock, on my guns. And mine spark best with the flint about a playing card's thickness from the frizzen. I don't think a deer would wait for me to adjust my flint every time I took a hammerstall off. :idunno:

 

[roundball]

...AND stall WILL stop a gun from firing....I've heard,,,,,,,,,, :wink:

Amen...learned that first hand
:wink:

 

[roundball]

"...leather stalls are anything but silly..."

Just catching up on the thread...saw the predictable comments you're referring to and you're right, of course they're not silly...

It's a classic case of human nature where some people get so set in their ways they adopt tunnel vision...and when anybody else on the planet does anything different outside their tunnel, their belief systems become threatened and they get uncomfortable, so they go on the attack...classic human nature.
People don't realize when they make ridiculous unfounded comments that their entire credibility goes right out the window...everything they say from that point on is just automatically dismissed / rejected as it has no value.

Hammer Stalls have been around for a few hundred years, and there's no reason to believe they won't continue to be for as long as Flintlocks are around...

:thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

I don't use them because the thickness of the leather would keep my flint too far away from the frizzen at half cock, on my guns. And mine spark best with the flint about a playing card's thickness from the frizzen.
I don't think a deer would wait for me to adjust my flint every time I took a hammerstall off. :idunno:

Of course not...nobody does that as that's not how they're used.
They're use is no different than a modern centerfire rifle...when you put a shell in the chamber and close the bolt on a Remington 700 for example, you always want the safety on because the rilfe cocked itself when the bolt was closed.

No different with a Flintlock...put a Hammer Stall on the frizzen, go to full cock, prime the pan, close the frizzen...you're now in the same condition as the loaded/cocked/safetied Remington 700...

 

[roundball]

Just one more modern gadget.

Actually, hammer stalls were a "period" gadget. I've read various references to their use, at least by the British military.
Regards,
Joel

Exactly...of course they're not a "modern gadget".
Furthermore, their name alone..."Hammer Stall"...comes from at least as far back as when the c o c k was called a hammer

 

[lakota]

To clarify my previous the circumstances that occured that led to my pulling the ball on a charged rifle:

I forgot to wipe the oil out of the bore so the gun fouled pretty quick on the 5th shot I poured my charge and could only get the ball about a 1/3rd of the way down a 42" barrel. I didnt have a mallet to fully seat it so my only option was to pull the ball without prime in the pan I might add. The hammer stall added another level of safety to the operation. Even with the hammer fully down and the frizzen in the open position it was nice to have the stall there to help prevent any unlikeley stray sparks from finding their way into the vent and igniting the main charge. Looking back perhaps I should have removed the lock completley before pulling the ball.

 

[tg]

"I don't use them because the thickness of the leather would keep my flint too far away from the frizzen at half cock,'

You can fashion one out of thin brass shim stock that will allow the flint to be very close to the stall yet still be clear and not force the frizzen open, just fold and crimp as needed, a practice piece/pattern made of construction paper is a good idea when making one up.I would have to question the "modern" comment made but often the source can clarify why such comments are made about items

 

[Mike Brooks]

Just one more modern gadget.

Actually, hammer stalls were a "period" gadget. I've read various references to their use, at least by the British military.
Regards,
Joel

Exactly...of course they're not a "modern gadget".
Furthermore, their name alone..."Hammer Stall"...comes from at least as far back as when the c o c k was called a hammer

So i can regain some of my supposed credibility.... :wink:
What we call the frizzen today was called a hammer back in the day. Also, just because I diagree with you doesn't mean I loose credibility nor did I "attack" you by disagreeing with you. :youcrazy:
I'll stand by my silly comment.

 

[roundball]

To clarify my previous the circumstances that occured that led to my pulling the ball on a charged rifle:

Got it...sounded like you meant you were standing in front of a loaded, cocked, primed rifle totally dependent on a Hammer Stall.
IMO, removing the lock is more than you need to do...just need to 100% prevent any external ignition source from getting to the main charge in the breech.

I usd to flip open the frizzen, brush out the pan, and drape a rag across the breech/vent/pan.
But in moving the rifle around on the carpeted bench one time I realized the lock area had slid out from under the rag, so ever since then I keep a couple small strips of duct tape stuck inside my shooting box, and just seal the vent 100% with a piece of that...

 

[lakota]

I didnt even get to the pan charging phase on that loading. I never got past the "cussing" phase..

I dont know what it is with my rifle-I like to swab the bore out with alchol before the first shot. A lot of times I forget to and then this rifle fouls like crazy within 5 or 6 shots. If I forget the alchol then I usually wind up pulling a stuck ball at some point during that range session.

 

[tg]

"I'll stand by my silly comment."

I don't think you made a silly comment, I think you made a comment that you thought that an item used by some was "silly" which some seem to feel is the case here when using a cover based on an item from the past as a basic "safety" of sorts, I think the dog catch on the English lock could have served the same purpose during its period of use, there justbwere not ant physical methods of a "safety" during the reign of the ML, personaly considering some of the folks out in the woods durimg ML Deer season I would like them all to use the stalls and fill their powder horns with Pepper, some may deem them "silly' but if people are thinking of safety then that is at least a well placed line of thought, as long as no kind /type of safety is relied upon 100% to the sacrifice of basic gun handeling procedure/a complete understanding of the gun, which is the most positive safety method there is IMHO

 

[BigDogg]

"I don't use them because the thickness of the leather would keep my flint too far away from the frizzen at half cock,'

You can fashion one out of thin brass shim stock that will allow the flint to be very close to the stall yet still be clear and not force the frizzen open, just fold and crimp as needed, a practice piece/pattern made of construction paper is a good idea when making one up.I would have to question the "modern" comment made but often the source can clarify why such comments are made about items

Thanks for the useful information tg. I never thought of using thin brass. Apparently, I was under the very wrong impression that hammerstalls were used in conjunction with half cock. I use a round toothpick to plug the vent when necessary.
:thumbsup:

 

[gizamo]

They are Cool Beans! :thumbsup:

 

[LRB]

Just IMHO, a hammer stall is just one more hanging thing to catch on stuff, and just one more thing to do before you can fire.

 

[Mike Brooks]

BTW, I have used them before. :shocked2: When made to at the few reenactments I attended. TRhey wouldn't ;let you put powder in your powder horn there either....too dangerous.... :youcrazy:
Some body tell me where they have seen documentation of period use of frizzen condoms, I'm not looking for a scuffle, just curious as I have never come across documentation for these.

 

[LRB]

I have seen references to the British army using them, but never civilians. I think your first post was correct as to civilian use. Silly, and detrimental of use to a hunter or scout that might need instant response to a situation. As far as moving in brush with a group today, then maybe of good use, if not a valid requirement.

 

[FishDFly]

It appears the survey is conclusive.

Taps are in order to another useless survey and discussion which is going no where.

Good night.

RDE

 

[bob4st]

...ok, maybe a useless survey... however, more importantly, I'm confident many have learned a great deal about their use for safety from the examples and experiences reported by MattPA, Roundball, etc...

 

[roundball]

...ok, maybe a useless survey... however, more importantly, I'm confident many have learned a great deal about their use for safety from the examples and experiences reported by MattPA, Roundball, etc...

You're wasting your time on that kind Bob...its always the same few who respond like that whenever somebody does something that wasn't their idea, and all they know to do is find fault.
:shake:
I feel sorry for anyone who's at a point in their life where the high point of the day is being a member of a Forum but instead of making pro-active positive contributions to the Forum, just sit around looking for threads to find fault with.
:grin: