SOLD Unique One Of A Kind (Mule's Ear, Side Hammer, Striker?) .50 Cal READ entire description please.

[Frontstuffer070]

I bought this Rifle from an auction house. I have no idea who made it or what it would even be called. I have never seen a lock like it before. It is more of a Striker than a Mule's ear type lock. The hammer / Striker moves forward to hit the cap. To operate the lock you pull back on the cocking lever, cap the nipple then you push the cocking lever forward and to the right. At this point its cocked and ready to fire. This lock doesn't set the cap off reliably maybe 75% of the time it will ignite the cap on the first strike. The rest of the time it takes a second strike. I believe it needs a stronger spring to make it 100%. I have done some research on the spring, it takes a Walther TPH Hammer spring. The Rifle has a T/C Hawken .50 Cal Barrel, but looks like a custom breech plug and drum. The bore is in good shape. I am moving on to other projects and interests. So I'm merely seeking to recover the money spent on it. It is an interesting piece to say the least and someone spent A LOT of time on it.
$225.00 shipped to the LOWER 48 States that allow these to be sent directly to you without an FFL.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

Sold Pending funds

 

[embrr2]

I like that trigger guard

 

[cynthialee]

that is one interesting rifle
never seen one like it before

what's holding the barrel in place?

 

[Frontstuffer070]

I had never seen one like it either. So I had to bid on it. The barrel has a hooked breech. The hook attaches to the tang, then there is a single pin holding the barrel to the forearm.

 

[Gtrubicon]

Whoever built that was very talented.

 

[nit wit]

That was a deal!
Nit Wit

 

[RMFnLA]

Is that an inlay in the cheek piece or did they just take advantage of a natural feature of the grain?

Either way, very creative, and excellent workmanship!

 

[Jappo]

A nice shootable conversation piece. That's what I like.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

LD

 

[Eterry]

I bought this Rifle from an auction house. I have no idea who made it or what it would even be called. I have never seen a lock like it before. It is more of a Striker than a Mule's ear type lock. The hammer / Striker moves forward to hit the cap. To operate the lock you pull back on the cocking lever, cap the nipple then you push the cocking lever forward and to the right. At this point its cocked and ready to fire. This lock doesn't set the cap off reliably maybe 75% of the time it will ignite the cap on the first strike. The rest of the time it takes a second strike. I believe it needs a stronger spring to make it 100%. I have done some research on the spring, it takes a Walther TPH Hammer spring. The Rifle has a T/C Hawken .50 Cal Barrel, but looks like a custom breech plug and drum. The bore is in good shape. I am moving on to other projects and interests. So I'm merely seeking to recover the money spent on it. It is an interesting piece to say the least and someone spent A LOT of time on it.
$225.00 shipped to the LOWER 48 States that allow these to be sent directly to you without an FFL.

I would really like to see detailed pics of the inside of the lock...pretty please?

 

[Frontstuffer070]

Is that an inlay in the cheek piece or did they just take advantage of a natural feature of the grain?

Either way, very creative, and excellent workmanship!

It's just the natural grain structure of the wood. I forgot to post a pic of the butt of the stock. There is no butt plate just checkering of the wood. I'll post up a pic.

I would really like to see detailed pics of the inside of the lock...pretty please?

Absolutely, I'll go get you a few pics. You are gonna be blown away by how simple it is.

 

[Eterry]

It's just the natural grain structure of the wood. I forgot to post a pic of the butt of the stock. There is no butt plate just checkering of the wood. I'll post up a pic.

Absolutely, I'll go get you a few pics. You are gonna be blown away by how simple it is.

If the sale falls through I'm your huckleberry.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

Lock at rest, Striker against the nipple.

Striker pulled back by the cocking piece, so you can now cap the nipple. Striker is in the sear notch, but it will not fire in this position.

This is the lug on the locking plate that you will engage the cocking piece on. This puts tension on the spring.

To get to this position you push the cocking piece forward and to the right, It engages on that lug. This is the firing position.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

Such a cool piece. I would love to know who built this thing.

 

[Eterry]

Lock at rest, Striker against the nipple.

Striker pulled back by the cocking piece, so you can now cap the nipple. Striker is in the sear notch, but it will not fire in this position.

This is the lug on the locking plate that you will engage the cocking piece on. This puts tension on the spring.

To get to this position you push the cocking piece forward and to the right, It engages on that lug. This is the firing position.

Simply Amazing!! I need to build one... one day.

 

[RMFnLA]

Classic British style for high-end guns.

Nice!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Lock at rest, Striker against the nipple.

Striker pulled back by the cocking piece, so you can now cap the nipple. Striker is in the sear notch, but it will not fire in this position.

This is the lug on the locking plate that you will engage the cocking piece on. This puts tension on the spring.

To get to this position you push the cocking piece forward and to the right, It engages on that lug. This is the firing position.

I wonder if a few adjustments were made to the hammer/striker, such as more exterior metal and a more robust guide rod and stop plus a bit more on the cocking lever..., to allow for more mass in the hammer/striker part and thus more mass to strike the cap, if that wouldn't solve the 25% failure rate?

LD

 

[buzzard]

It's a very nice rifle and I don't have any thing like that in my collection yet but I will very soon.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

I wonder if a few adjustments were made to the hammer/striker, such as more exterior metal and a more robust guide rod and stop plus a bit more on the cocking lever..., to allow for more mass in the hammer/striker part and thus more mass to strike the cap, if that wouldn't solve the 25% failure rate?

LD

I think you are spot on Dave. I thought the same thing a little more mass in the striker would make all the difference.