NO "KICKING IT UP A NOTCH"

[flashpoint]

My .45 T/C Seneca does not have a half cock notch. I full cock it to place the cap, then pull the set trigger, then pulling the hammer slightly back with my thumb, I pull the front trigger and carefully lower the hammer back down to the nipple. Once it's all the way down, I take my thumb off the hammer. The hammer then just stays there about 3/16" above the cap/nipple. When cocking the hammer there is no "click" to let me know I am at the half cock position. Is this typical of T/Cs? Thanks.

 

[SDSmlf]

I pull the front trigger and carefully lower the hammer back down to the nipple. Once it's all the way down, I take my thumb off the hammer. The hammer then just stays there about 3/16" above the cap/nipple.

I must be misreading something. You say you lower the hammer all the way down, then it is about 3/16” above the cap/nipple? If it’s all the way down, the hammer would be resting on the cap/nipple, not 3/16” above. Maybe a photograph or two would explain what you are experiencing. Sounds like the hammer may be at half cock, and not all the way down.

 

[tenngun]

It should have one. My TC senaca did.
Remove the lock and check to see if soothing is blocking it. I would first look at the fly

 

[leadhoarder]

My renegade does that. I have to let the hammer down faster to get it down all the way. If I ride it down slowly it catches just above the nipple. If I ride it down quickly it goes down all the way. I assumed that was normal.

 

[bubba.50]

Some TC’s didn’t have very much travel to get to half-cock. Barely clear the nipple. Not even enough room to put a cap on.

 

[Stubert]

My Cabellas from the 80's is the same, hammer is just barely off the cap at 1/2 cock. Never gave it any thought.

 

[Boomerang]

My GPR is the same way until I modified the fly to pop out of the way a little sooner so the sear would catch the half cock notch a little farther back.

 

[dlidster]

My Seneca does have a half-cock but, like yours, it's just a little bit above the nipple. So, I'm going to suggest yours does have a half-cock after all. When the hammer is in this position it cannot be released by the trigger -- just as a half-cock should behave.

As has been mentioned, this position is not high enough to cap or remove a fired cap. So I, too, have to have the Seneca hammer at full-cock to cap it. I don't like it, but I have to live with it.

 

[flashpoint]

My renegade does that. I have to let the hammer down faster to get it down all the way. If I ride it down slowly it catches just above the nipple. If I ride it down quickly it goes down all the way. I assumed that was normal.

That's exactly right, same as mine. Yeah, I also thought it was normal, I wonder if that position where it rests just above the nipple is the "Half Cock" position?

 

[flashpoint]

My Seneca does have a half-cock but, like yours, it's just a little bit above the nipple. So, I'm going to suggest yours does have a half-cock after all. When the hammer is in this position it cannot be released by the trigger -- just as a half-cock should behave.

As has been mentioned, this position is not high enough to cap or remove a fired cap. So I, too, have to have the Seneca hammer at full-cock to cap it. I don't like it, but I have to live with it.

Actually when I got the gun, my gunsmith took the lock apart and showed me that there was no half cock notch. However, thinking that maybe he missed something, I posted it on here to see if anyone else had the same thing. Thanks

 

[flashpoint]

My Seneca does have a half-cock but, like yours, it's just a little bit above the nipple. So, I'm going to suggest yours does have a half-cock after all. When the hammer is in this position it cannot be released by the trigger -- just as a half-cock should behave.

As has been mentioned, this position is not high enough to cap or remove a fired cap. So I, too, have to have the Seneca hammer at full-cock to cap it. I don't like it, but I have to live with it.

Exactly right.

 

[flashpoint]

My GPR is the same way until I modified the fly to pop out of the way a little sooner so the sear would catch the half cock notch a little farther back.

That's a good idea Boom, I m

I must be misreading something. You say you lower the hammer all the way down, then it is about 3/16” above the cap/nipple? If it’s all the way down, the hammer would be resting on the cap/nipple, not 3/16” above. Maybe a photograph or two would explain what you are experiencing. Sounds like the hammer may be at half cock, and not all the way down.

THanks SD. What I really meant was that it really didn't go all the way down, it just went to about 3/16" above the cap. I always feel a little unnerved with the hammer that close to the cap.

 

[flashpoint]

Some TC’s didn’t have very much travel to get to half-cock. Barely clear the nipple. Not even enough room to put a cap on.

That's it.

 

[SDSmlf]

Actually when I got the gun, my gunsmith took the lock apart and showed me that there was no half cock notch. However, thinking that maybe he missed something, I posted it on here to see if anyone else had the same thing. Thanks

Does not sound like your gunsmith is familiar with traditional guns. Working a lock like a Seneca’s while it’s removed from the stock there are three distinct hammer positions.

You have to be careful lowering the hammer to half cock after placing the cap on the nipple. On opening day of deer season my old man used to say all the predawn shots were kids (and adults) with cold fingers slipping while lowering the hammer on their lever action guns after putting a round in the chamber. Always figured they needed a change of shorts.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Some TC’s didn’t have very much travel to get to half-cock. Barely clear the nipple. Not even enough room to put a cap on.

All 4 of my TC rifles were that way. The half cock notch was barely above the nipple.

 

[Dale Lilly]

My TC Hawken is the same. There is no way to cap it without going to full cock … care is required. Polecat

 

[flashpoint]

Does not sound like your gunsmith is familiar with traditional guns. Working a lock like a Seneca’s while it’s removed from the stock there are three distinct hammer positions.

You have to be careful lowering the hammer to half cock after placing the cap on the nipple. On opening day of deer season my old man used to say all the predawn shots were kids (and adults) with cold fingers slipping while lowering the hammer on their lever action guns after putting a round in the chamber. Always figured they needed a change of shorts.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have one out of my 5 rifles that has a half cock that is just above the nipple. It also has a hammer that is slightly different in shape. If I switch that hammer with a different one it cocks higher. TC made different shaped hammers at one time or another.

 

[Mwal]

My T/C half cock is barley above nipple as well.

 

[SDSmlf]

Don’t really see how a hammer being too close to the nipple at half cock to put a cap on the nipple is a problem. If one is not capable or unsure of lowering a hammer from full to half cock, not sure I would want them to go from half to full cock.....