So just how many lock systems are there for muzzleloaders? Two? Three?
How about Seventeen?
LOCK TYPES AND IGNITION SYSTEMS
CANNON LOCK:
The first muzzle loaders were fired by simply shoving a slow match (fuse), hot coal, or red hot wire into a powder-filled flash hole (vent into the main chamber). The earliest surviving example is the "TANNENBURGER BUCHSE", dated prior to 1399. This is a simple tapered iron tube, formed at the breech end into a socket to accept a "PIKE-POLE" stock which was held under the shooter's arm (known as a "HAND-CANNON" OR "PETRONEL").
MATCH LOCK:
The match lock replaced the cannon lock around 1400. the earliest authenticated record of a match lock was the year 1411. By 1471 the match arm was an S-shape called a "SERPENTINE". It was moved into contact with the powder by a spring or linkage when a trigger was pressed. This was the first use of a finger-actuated trigger. In 1475, the lock was improved to move the match away from the shooter's eye. This lock contained a lock plate, springs, levers, and sear. This was the first use of a "sear" and is the first true "lock". Match lock "revolver type" repeating arms were made in Germany at about this time.
WHEEL LOCK:
The wheel lock in 1517 was introduced, but really never did replace the match lock. Johann Kiefuss is given credit for the wheel lock at either Vienna or Nuremburg. This lock uses a roughened wheel spun against a piece of iron pyrite (later replaced by flint) to throw sparks into the priming powder. The pyrite was held in the jaws of a "cock" (similar to the flint lock). The cock was held in two positions, clear of the wheel or against the wheel. The wheel was rotated using a "spanner" wrench which wound a chain onto its shaft. This placed tension on a heavy leaf spring. A sear engaged the wheel to hold it in place. For safety, the wheel lock had a very heavy trigger pull. This led to the development of the "set" trigger which reduces the amount of trigger pull but not the pressure on the sear.
SNAPHANCE LOCK:
The "snapping lock" (known as snaphance) replaced the wheel lock and the match lock around 1525. The pivoted cock was spring-powered and held flint in the jaws. The flint struck downward across a hardened "steel", spring-loaded, movable anvil throwing sparks into the primer powder. It was cheaper and more reliable than the wheel lock which made it more suitable for military use.
FLINT LOCK:
The flint lock (prior to 1615) was more of an evolution of the snaphance. The pan cover and anvil were combined into the "frizzen" or "batterie". As the flint struck the frizzen, the frizzen's pan cover was cammed open allowing the sparks to fall into the priming powder. The flint lock was slow in catching on and was not widely used until after 1640. British used the flint lock from 1690 until 1840 and the French until 1842 (Charleville musket).
PERCUSSION IGNITION LOCKS:
THE CAP LOCK:
The cap lock is by far the most popular type of muzzle loading gun today. This ignition system has evolved through the centuries from placing a burning fuse into a "TOUCH-HOLE".
The ultimate in muzzle loading arms ignition came with the percussion lock. Little mechanical change was involved, but rather modifying existing flint locks to use percussion caps. This involved replacing the cock, frizzen, and pan with a hammer, bolster, and nipple. The percussion lock evolved into smaller and better looking styles.
In 1807 a reasonably safe and reliable percussion system was developed. By the early 1820's, the percussion cap was patented and being manufactured. The percussion cap is most commonly thought of today when speaking of percussion ignition, but was preceded by other forms.
SCENT BOTTLE LOCK:
Developed by Alexander John Forsythe in 1806-1807, a magazine device that placed small fulminate charges next to the touch-hole. The fulminate was struck by the hammer which ignited the main charge. The magazine resembled the small lady's perfume bottles of the era, thus the name.
PATCH LOCK:
The patch lock used small discs or cakes sealed between waterproof paper placed over a short nipple. These discs were far superior to the "scent bottle" in reliability and being waterproof.
LAWRENCE DISC PRIMER:
The patch lock primer was developed in metallic discs.
MAYNARD TAPE PRIMER:
The Lawrence disc primer was made into long strips with multiple spots of fulminate. The tape primer system can still be seen in use today in the toy cap guns using rolls of caps.
PILL LOCK:
The fulminate was rolled into round pellets and coated with wax, varnish, or foil to waterproof them. The pellet was placed in a close-fitting depression next to the touch-hole. This was the first application which made the true revolver action possible by sealing the fulminate into the notch with wax or pine tar.
TUBE LOCK:
Joseph Manton (1816) developed a better form of pellet. The fulminate was placed loosely inside a short, soft-metal (copper) tube, closed and waterproofed at the ends. The tube was approximately 1" long and 1/16" in diameter and placed in a notch next to the touchhole. The hammer struck the tube in the middle.
PERCUSSION CAP LOCK:
The percussion cap as we still use today was patented in France in 1819 by Prelate. In the U.S., Joshua Shaw was granted a patent in 1822.
SIDE LOCK:
The main spring was in front of the hammer.
BACK-ACTION LOCK:
The main spring was behind the hammer.
BOX LOCK:
First used in flint locks but was more common in percussion locks. The hammer was placed inside the lock plate. This was less likely to snag on brush or clothing. Most often used on small pistols and the hammer was placed "in-line" on the centerline of the bore.
UNDER-HAMMER LOCK:
The nipple was placed under the barrel directly into the bore. The hammer was conventional, but upward striking. The hammer spring doubled as a trigger guard. This eliminated the costly lock plate, sear, tumbler, stirrup, bolster, etc. It also had the advantages of protecting the nipple and cap from rain and snow, cap fragments were directed away from the shooter's face, and nothing was interfering with the sight picture.
MULE-EAR LOCK:
The "mule-ear" lock was a side mounted nipple and hammer. This lock was probably more complicated than the side lock, but better protected the nipple and cap. The nipple was screwed directly into the barrel.
PRIMER LOCK:
The modern center fire primer is much more reliable and uniform than the percussion cap. So some modern muzzle loader shooters have replaced the nipple with an adapter to use center fire primers.
How about Seventeen?
LOCK TYPES AND IGNITION SYSTEMS
CANNON LOCK:
The first muzzle loaders were fired by simply shoving a slow match (fuse), hot coal, or red hot wire into a powder-filled flash hole (vent into the main chamber). The earliest surviving example is the "TANNENBURGER BUCHSE", dated prior to 1399. This is a simple tapered iron tube, formed at the breech end into a socket to accept a "PIKE-POLE" stock which was held under the shooter's arm (known as a "HAND-CANNON" OR "PETRONEL").
MATCH LOCK:
The match lock replaced the cannon lock around 1400. the earliest authenticated record of a match lock was the year 1411. By 1471 the match arm was an S-shape called a "SERPENTINE". It was moved into contact with the powder by a spring or linkage when a trigger was pressed. This was the first use of a finger-actuated trigger. In 1475, the lock was improved to move the match away from the shooter's eye. This lock contained a lock plate, springs, levers, and sear. This was the first use of a "sear" and is the first true "lock". Match lock "revolver type" repeating arms were made in Germany at about this time.
WHEEL LOCK:
The wheel lock in 1517 was introduced, but really never did replace the match lock. Johann Kiefuss is given credit for the wheel lock at either Vienna or Nuremburg. This lock uses a roughened wheel spun against a piece of iron pyrite (later replaced by flint) to throw sparks into the priming powder. The pyrite was held in the jaws of a "cock" (similar to the flint lock). The cock was held in two positions, clear of the wheel or against the wheel. The wheel was rotated using a "spanner" wrench which wound a chain onto its shaft. This placed tension on a heavy leaf spring. A sear engaged the wheel to hold it in place. For safety, the wheel lock had a very heavy trigger pull. This led to the development of the "set" trigger which reduces the amount of trigger pull but not the pressure on the sear.
SNAPHANCE LOCK:
The "snapping lock" (known as snaphance) replaced the wheel lock and the match lock around 1525. The pivoted cock was spring-powered and held flint in the jaws. The flint struck downward across a hardened "steel", spring-loaded, movable anvil throwing sparks into the primer powder. It was cheaper and more reliable than the wheel lock which made it more suitable for military use.
FLINT LOCK:
The flint lock (prior to 1615) was more of an evolution of the snaphance. The pan cover and anvil were combined into the "frizzen" or "batterie". As the flint struck the frizzen, the frizzen's pan cover was cammed open allowing the sparks to fall into the priming powder. The flint lock was slow in catching on and was not widely used until after 1640. British used the flint lock from 1690 until 1840 and the French until 1842 (Charleville musket).
PERCUSSION IGNITION LOCKS:
THE CAP LOCK:
The cap lock is by far the most popular type of muzzle loading gun today. This ignition system has evolved through the centuries from placing a burning fuse into a "TOUCH-HOLE".
The ultimate in muzzle loading arms ignition came with the percussion lock. Little mechanical change was involved, but rather modifying existing flint locks to use percussion caps. This involved replacing the cock, frizzen, and pan with a hammer, bolster, and nipple. The percussion lock evolved into smaller and better looking styles.
In 1807 a reasonably safe and reliable percussion system was developed. By the early 1820's, the percussion cap was patented and being manufactured. The percussion cap is most commonly thought of today when speaking of percussion ignition, but was preceded by other forms.
SCENT BOTTLE LOCK:
Developed by Alexander John Forsythe in 1806-1807, a magazine device that placed small fulminate charges next to the touch-hole. The fulminate was struck by the hammer which ignited the main charge. The magazine resembled the small lady's perfume bottles of the era, thus the name.
PATCH LOCK:
The patch lock used small discs or cakes sealed between waterproof paper placed over a short nipple. These discs were far superior to the "scent bottle" in reliability and being waterproof.
LAWRENCE DISC PRIMER:
The patch lock primer was developed in metallic discs.
MAYNARD TAPE PRIMER:
The Lawrence disc primer was made into long strips with multiple spots of fulminate. The tape primer system can still be seen in use today in the toy cap guns using rolls of caps.
PILL LOCK:
The fulminate was rolled into round pellets and coated with wax, varnish, or foil to waterproof them. The pellet was placed in a close-fitting depression next to the touch-hole. This was the first application which made the true revolver action possible by sealing the fulminate into the notch with wax or pine tar.
TUBE LOCK:
Joseph Manton (1816) developed a better form of pellet. The fulminate was placed loosely inside a short, soft-metal (copper) tube, closed and waterproofed at the ends. The tube was approximately 1" long and 1/16" in diameter and placed in a notch next to the touchhole. The hammer struck the tube in the middle.
PERCUSSION CAP LOCK:
The percussion cap as we still use today was patented in France in 1819 by Prelate. In the U.S., Joshua Shaw was granted a patent in 1822.
SIDE LOCK:
The main spring was in front of the hammer.
BACK-ACTION LOCK:
The main spring was behind the hammer.
BOX LOCK:
First used in flint locks but was more common in percussion locks. The hammer was placed inside the lock plate. This was less likely to snag on brush or clothing. Most often used on small pistols and the hammer was placed "in-line" on the centerline of the bore.
UNDER-HAMMER LOCK:
The nipple was placed under the barrel directly into the bore. The hammer was conventional, but upward striking. The hammer spring doubled as a trigger guard. This eliminated the costly lock plate, sear, tumbler, stirrup, bolster, etc. It also had the advantages of protecting the nipple and cap from rain and snow, cap fragments were directed away from the shooter's face, and nothing was interfering with the sight picture.
MULE-EAR LOCK:
The "mule-ear" lock was a side mounted nipple and hammer. This lock was probably more complicated than the side lock, but better protected the nipple and cap. The nipple was screwed directly into the barrel.
PRIMER LOCK:
The modern center fire primer is much more reliable and uniform than the percussion cap. So some modern muzzle loader shooters have replaced the nipple with an adapter to use center fire primers.
