How about a Mule Ear Build?

[BruceH]

Here is a Mule Ear .40 caliber 36" octagon to round barrel build I just finished.  Nice piece of maple w/ an L&R Lock and Davis #4 triggers.  The new owner will pick it up tomorrow.  Kind of hate to see this one go.  Nice and light, shoulders well and the trigger came out just right.  Now you rock slinging builders be nice - I build those also.

[mountainman70]

Nicely done and a great piece of wood. I thing the side slappers are cool. I have never built one,yet, but know those that have. Just sumpin different

[Scota4570]

I like them.  Because the bottom of the nipple is resting on the main charge the reliability is excellent and the lock time is fast.

[Chowmi]

That's gorgeous!  What a great piece of wood, and well finished.  I really like it.

Norm

[Daryl]

That is a NICE rifle.

[BruceH]

Thanks for the compliments.

[B.Habermehl]

Cool gun, I have one in mind for a purely purposed hunting rifle. .58 cal half stocked. With peep sights. Easily converted back to flint. Why, because my vision is in decline due to cataracts. Call it a Pa Regs. cheater. It will keep me in the woods until the eye Dr. and insurance says my eyes are bad enough to fix. BJH

[greybeard]

Not all that hard to make.  Bob

[BruceH]

Not all that hard to make.  Bob

Bob, that looks like some nice work.  I don't think it was easy to make though.  You did some serious thinking there.

[Scota4570]

The superposed mule ear??  Any drawings of or internal photos available?  I think it would be fun to make one.

[Metalshaper]

Two of my locks, the 'parts' drawing I made after measuring a Navy arms Poor Boy lock and the pic of my Miss Muley..

Bruce, where did you find that lock?? I've seen them on guns and a friend traded into a kit of one.. But I've never been able to locate one myself?
Not a big deal, cuz I can build em', but think they are a nice representation!

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

[Metalshaper]

couple different views of some Muley's

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

[Metalshaper]

Bruce,

 My apologies.. forgot to mention... That rifle is a BEAUTY!!!!

Respects Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

[Scota4570]

Here is one I made.  The sear spring us under the mainspring.  The lever operates a cam the positively lifts the hammer for a safety position.  The sear arm moves forward to fire, so the trigger must me made to do that.  A good feature is that it is very flat and allows for minimal stock wood removal.  The ramrod can go way back in the stock and allows for a much longer rod than normal. 

[BruceH]

Thanks for the compliments.  The new owner does like the rifle.  I am now building one for myself.

Thanks for the pictures of the different locks also.  I had thought of obtaining one of the Navy Arms or Dale Storey locks and bringing it back to life, but I never see them in the circles I travel.

Jonathan, that is the L&R Mule Ear on this pictured rifle.  It is the only one that I can find presently and I have built quite a few rifles with one of them.

[Metalshaper]

Scota,

 That's a neat lil lock.. and the lifting safety lever is a nice feature!!

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

[Leatherbark]

I like them.  Because the bottom of the nipple is resting on the main charge the reliability is excellent and the lock time is fast.

  My friend was buying an L&R mule ear lock at Friendship a few years back.  We ran into a famous lock builder there and was discussing the Mule ear lock.  It was recommended by that famous guy that the proper way to install the nipple on a Mule ear rifle was to drill into the barrel and stop short of drilling into the bore and face the hole off flat and tap the hole then drill the remaining barrel with another flash hole that the nipple will face up against. That way the force of the charge is not hammering against the nipple because there is still some meat left with a little hole in it.  I guess it would keep the nipple from ever being a projectile if the threads got worn. I think that was what he was telling us.

Bob

[BruceH]

Bob, that makes sense - but there is one slight issue.  The thread journal on most nipples is just long enough that it reaches (or nearly does) the interior of the barrel.  You may get away with doing that with a 7/8" octagon - but just barely and I am not sure that remaining meat would be useful.  I am thinking you would need to use at least a 15/16" barrel or larger to see the benefit.

[Daryl]

The bore diameter AND outside dimensions would need to be taken into consideration.
A swamped barrel, although not likely to be found on a side slapper rifle, would be best.

[Scota4570]

Good in theory but not practical.  Even if you were able to make a square bottom hole you could not make the nipple seal against the bottom of the hole.  Any space at the bottom of the nipple is the same area as drilling your thread pilot hold right into the bore.  The same area and same pressure is the same force on the nipple. 

This is how the Colt 1911 ace conversion cycles the pistol made for 45 auto.  There is a sliding chamber with a space in front of it.  The 22 has insufficient area to cycle the pistol.    By increasing the area the gas works against you can mimic the 45 auto cartridge.  It's call the Bish or Blish principle.  So, I contend that all nipples have similar force exerted on them regardless of how the breech is configured. 

[Daryl]

Seems to me, the smaller the area, the less the actual pressure exerted as an actual %age of the whole PSI.
If the area being effected was 1 square inch, the pressure would be X pounds per square inch on that surface.
If 1/2 square inch, the psi is being exerted would be 1/2. No?

[Scota4570]

Say there is a 1/4" diameter space under the nipple. The thrust on the will be the same as if it were punched through to the bore.  That is how we normally do it, with a drum or a breech plug.  You cannot make the nipple seat against an internal flat shoulder with a pin hole communicating the flash, not easily anyway.  Say you have a 1/8" fire channel and a gap under the nipple.  Given sufficient pressure dwell time, the area under the nipple will receive full pressure and full area to press on.  It is no different than drilling through to the bore. 

Or maybe I am full of it.  IF someone really knows please educate me. 

Additional thought added later:  How is a nipple different than a flint vent line in this respect?  We don't worry about  flint liners blowing out, why is a nipple an issue.  Both are fully exposed to the main charge. 

[okawbow]

I’ve built a couple of mule ear rifles. The nipples should be long enough to reach the bore, even on heavy barrels. Care should be taken to cut perfect threads for a tight fit. I wouldn't use a skinny barrel on a mule ear gun. However, the hammer, i believe would help keep the nipple from shooting straight out with a lot of force.

[rich pierce]

I agree with Okabow. I have a heavy mule ear chunk gun with a 1.5” thick barrel. The nipple has a crazy long threaded section and the face of the nipple is right against the bore. Works good for the first 5 or 6 shots then I get misfires despite wiping wet then dry between shots. Like many on the shooting line I’ve started popping a primer on the cleaned bore before loading powder. Kinda rankles me though.

[Metalshaper]

Scota,

 do you have a straight on side shot of your lock?? I really like your work, and would like to borrow some of your features.. if I may?
I have a safety lever idea in mind, but mine would swing 'up' to block the hammer.. different strokes as they say!

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan