Author Topic: Mule Ear Lock ID (Read 3187 times)

BruceH · « **on:** June 20, 2020, 01:30:05 AM »

Is there a chance anyone recognizes the builder of these Mule Ear locks. I just got them today - two right and one left. They appear to be very well built and the design/function is very nice. They are unused and all the parts appear to be pretty much all machined. The engraving is custom and not by a machine. They all have a quarter cock, half cock and full cock. Thanks in advance.

Bruce

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2020, 05:13:35 PM »

Can't help you on the ID, as what I know about these can be written inside a match cover with a grease pencil - but do have a question:
Is that brass insert where the hammer hits the cap very common? It looks useful, but useful for "what" is the main part of the question.
They really do look high end, and I would think that they are the product of a "deluxe" lock maker in England. Is there any type of safety other than the 1/4 cock step on the tumbler?
Thanks in advance for any answers.

Rolf · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2020, 06:16:10 PM »

Beautiful Locks. I'm abit confused how the sear is tripped. This sear moves inn the horisonal plane. A normal trigger moves in the vertical plane. How dos the trigger tripp the sear?

Best regards
Rolf

Scota4570 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2020, 06:44:50 PM »

The trigger pivot would have to be under the tang?

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2020, 06:58:43 PM »

To trip this sear, the striking trigger needs to be filed so that it strikes the sear arm and moves it rearward rather than upward, as in a conventional lock. That isn't hard to do.

BruceH · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2020, 07:04:47 PM »

Quote from: Craig Wilcox on June 20, 2020, 05:13:35 PM

Can't help you on the ID, as what I know about these can be written inside a match cover with a grease pencil - but do have a question:
Is that brass insert where the hammer hits the cap very common? It looks useful, but useful for "what" is the main part of the question.
They really do look high end, and I would think that they are the product of a "deluxe" lock maker in England. Is there any type of safety other than the 1/4 cock step on the tumbler?
Thanks in advance for any answers.

Craig, my guess is the brass is for looks only. It does show the level of expertise the builder had. I doubt anyone in England built this lock as it was pretty much an American lock. The two steps you can see on the tumbler are the quarter cock and the half cock. They are the only safeties. I am not sure why there is a quarter cock, so maybe someone else can chime in and give a reason.

BruceH · « **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2020, 07:13:05 PM »

Rolf, Scot and Taylor answered your question. You pin your trigger high and to the rear of the upper trigger plate. When you pull the trigger, it more or less comes nearly straight back tripping the sear. This system can make for a very nice trigger pull/sear release.

There have been trigger assemblies made that the main trigger moved another bar in a manner that caused it to go to the rear tripping the sear. I believe the Navy Arms Country Boy with a Mule Ear lock has this system. I think MetalShaper has a diagram of that system somewhere here on the site.

My plan is to use a single trigger with a high (under tang) pivot pin location.

Majorjoel · « **Reply #7 on:** June 20, 2020, 07:23:11 PM »

About the most well known maker of custom mule ear locks would be Dale Storey. He is mentioned in the Black Powder Handbook written by Sam Fadala.

I believe he usually signed his locks but not sure.

Daryl · « **Reply #8 on:** June 20, 2020, 08:37:04 PM »

A right and left, if the same size, sounds like a COOL SxS rifle to me.

BruceH · « **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2020, 08:49:25 PM »

Quote from: Majorjoel on June 20, 2020, 07:23:11 PM

About the most well known maker of custom mule ear locks would be Dale Storey. He is mentioned in the Black Powder Handbook written by Sam Fadala.

I believe he usually signed his locks but not sure.

Joel, Storey locks have a coil spring internal for the main spring and he did have a numerical ID if I recall correctly.

BruceH · « **Reply #10 on:** June 20, 2020, 08:56:57 PM »

Quote from: Daryl on June 20, 2020, 08:37:04 PM

A right and left, if the same size, sounds like a COOL SxS rifle to me.

Daryl, another builder friend of mine suggested a side by side or an O/U would be great also. That is a little beyond what I want to tackle with these - but they are matching locks. I don't know if I have ever seen a left hand Mule Ear lock, but I have now and I am going to have to give it some serious thought before I decide which build to use it on. I am a righty, so it will end up with one of those left handed shooters who are always bugging me to build them something.

44-henry · « **Reply #11 on:** June 21, 2020, 06:40:49 AM »

Are you sure the inserts are brass? I have only seen that treatment in high end flintlock pan liners and it is usually gold.

BruceH · « **Reply #12 on:** June 21, 2020, 01:10:20 PM »

Quote from: 44-henry on June 21, 2020, 06:40:49 AM

Are you sure the inserts are brass? I have only seen that treatment in high end flintlock pan liners and it is usually gold.

No, not 100% sure. Looks like brass and is very well done.

Metalshaper · « **Reply #13 on:** June 22, 2020, 04:02:56 AM »

A lot of original style Mule ears were made with no half postion..

Part of the problem with the high pinned long trigger bar.. is depending on how the are made.. some have enough weight to cause a misfire if the butt of the stock is bumped or set down roughly. The inertia can cause enough rearward trigger motion. Some have gotten around it by adding a simple spring to help keep the long bar trigger forward..I'm not sure who made these locks, but am thinking they are not antiques? someone with a lot of skill and ability have made some nice examples of the Mule ear lock.

The Mule ear lock is true American design. none were made in other countries, until examples were carried over from the States. Primarily an eastern made gun/lock design. Jenk's had a patent for a mule ear lock issued in 1837 and his example that was used in the Civil war was a 1839 improvement of his design. His gun was only the third model of its type adopted by the US military.. the only one that was a side hammer/Muley and the only one who's main retaining element for the lock was the percussion cone..

this is a drawing I made from the measurements my bud and I got from working on a fellows Navy Arms "Poor boy" at the bottom of the page you can see the two piece camming trigger.sear trip. easily converts rearward motion into a rearward horizontal stroke. Years back, Laurie Fenton, from Woy Woy NSW
had an article printed that showed his method for making his version of the Mule ear lock. His design also utilized the camming sear trip and trigger. by adding a bellcrank mod.. the sear can be tripped by a normal trigger and if the lock is designed correctly it can even use a version of the normal set trigger to fire the firearm. the bell crank turns the <normal> vertical trigger swing into an inward/sideways motion that can trip a sear arm..

A fellow named Rick McGuckin is actually researching and writing a book detailing the History of the Mule Ear Lock.. Medberry, Billinghurst, Cooke and Greene are some of the names of the past builders who made Muleys in the Good Old Days.

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

Metalshaper · « **Reply #14 on:** June 22, 2020, 04:31:28 AM »

A Medberry, the lil Kit Muley I mistook for the L&R that Bruce posted.. and the EW Cook double, similar to Billinghurst's model

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

BruceH · « **Reply #15 on:** June 22, 2020, 01:45:30 PM »

Johnathan, thanks for the reply. Do you happen to have any photos of the inside of the Medberry and lil Kit locks? I would also be very interested in the trigger mechanism of the Medberry.

Metalshaper · « **Reply #16 on:** June 22, 2020, 05:01:58 PM »

believe these are Medberry?? I think I have the lil kit lock pictures at home. I had PT this morning, work today and my shop class tonight till 10pm
SO, I'll try to add it in tomorrow..

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #17 on:** June 22, 2020, 07:41:36 PM »

BruceH and MetalShaper, many thanks for the responses. Those are certainly well made, and beautiful to look at.

BruceH · « **Reply #18 on:** June 23, 2020, 12:43:19 AM »

I just wish we had more options. At least I have one left hander to build. I plan to use the other two for myself as I doubt I will come across anymore this nicely built.

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Author Topic: Mule Ear Lock ID (Read 3187 times)