Author Topic: Half Cock  (Read 1547 times)

Offline iloco

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Half Cock
« on: May 19, 2022, 08:17:00 PM »
I bought a percussion Hawken Pistol which the half cock is gone on it.  What is best way to go about getting this fixed.
 Not sure who made the lock but seller thinks it was TOW.  They no longer have the Hawken pistol listed.   
iloco

Offline DavidC

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2022, 08:19:25 PM »
Gone how? Remove the lock and show us a few pictures of the internals.  It sounds like a part of the tumbler is broken or the wear has some oddity. Can't know without more information.

Offline iloco

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2022, 09:56:56 PM »
I took the pistol to a friend and he said there was nothing wrong with the lock.  The safty or what I call half cock is working but not staying above the nipple like I am use to.  Sorry guys all will work out ok. Should have seen my friend before making the post.
iloco

Offline bob in the woods

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2022, 11:00:21 PM »
If it is not staying above the nipple, you need to check if there is still a gap when there is a cap installed on the nipple. You don't want any contact whatsoever.

Offline Pukka Bundook

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2022, 04:36:23 PM »
A sear with a bit longer nose might be the easiest fix.

Offline iloco

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2022, 04:39:45 PM »
If it is not staying above the nipple, you need to check if there is still a gap when there is a cap installed on the nipple. You don't want any contact whatsoever.
Yes there is a gap so the hammer does not rest on the nipple.
iloco

Offline iloco

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2022, 04:41:55 PM »
A sear with a bit longer nose might be the easiest fix.
I live near Dale Johnson so might get him to look at the lock and add a longer sear if that is whats needed.
iloco

Offline iloco

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2022, 12:04:39 AM »

This is on half cock which is not enough room to place a cap on nipple.




« Last Edit: May 21, 2022, 12:08:03 AM by iloco »
iloco

Offline BruceH

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2022, 12:33:59 AM »
Another option is to get a nipple with a shorter cone on it.  Measure yours and go to Track of the Wolf.  They list cone lengths on theirs.

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2022, 02:10:19 AM »
Maybe a longer sear will work unless the current one times the lock to zero over travel.
"Half"cock is not a firm safety as is thought of on modern guns and in a  muzzle loader
it can be easily defeated with a hard pull on the trigger.
Bob Roller

Offline Van

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2022, 05:45:55 AM »
   I wonder if someone put on a replacement hammer that is a bad fit.  I have two Dixie Tennessee Mountain Percussion Locks bought a few years apart but look identical.  If you swap the hammers, you get one that looks kind of like yours on half cock with little room to cap and the other has too much space and barely hits the nipple when fired.  On close exam they have a slightly different placement and angle of the square hammer mounting hole compared to each other. I think that is why the hammers are not compatible with each other and only work right on the original lock.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2022, 06:24:33 AM by Van »

Offline Gaeckle

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2022, 01:55:44 PM »
Is this an L&R lock?

Offline iloco

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2022, 02:49:29 PM »
Is this an L&R lock?
I am not sure what type of lock it is.  The person I got the pistol from seemed ti think it came from TOW.

Can anyone tell what type of lock it is by the inner workings to the lock.  I might find a repair klit it I knew who made the lock.
Proably a long shot since its not marked.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2022, 04:07:28 PM by iloco »
iloco

Offline Gaeckle

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2022, 04:45:46 PM »
It looks like an L&R, take a better picture of the interior, use the flash mode on your camera. I've run into this issue before

Offline kutter

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2022, 05:23:29 PM »
Some sort of a trigger adj screw there,,set trigger,,or just a take up adjustment.
Maybe the sear was 'adjusted' as well trying to get a better trigger pull at some time in the past and has ended up a bit shorter than it should be.

Maybe with that trigger adj screw in place, the sear nose needed to be shortened for it to drop into place at FullCock.
Now you have the hammer sitting too far forward as a result.

Offline iloco

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2022, 05:46:24 PM »
Lets see if this is a better picture.  Its on full cock in this picture.
If its a L & R lock TOW has a repair kit for it.




Click on picture to see it better and larger.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2022, 05:57:21 PM by iloco »
iloco

Offline Gaeckle

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2022, 05:56:09 PM »
I will be at the Log Cabin today and will use these pictures for comparison

Offline iloco

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #17 on: May 21, 2022, 09:34:31 PM »
I think I found who makes the lock.  Under the main spring there is a zero with a Capital D in it.
 I went to Davis home site and looked at their locks and found a Hawken Pistol Lock which looks like the one I have.
 They have all the internal parts for the lock.
Can some one tell me the parts I need to order to rebuild the lock.  I am pretty sure I don't need the large main spring.
Guys I really appreciate all your help that has given it to me.
iloco

Offline Daryl

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #18 on: May 21, 2022, 10:10:24 PM »
Likely, just the tumbler, unless it is identical in EVERY way (angles, etc) to the one you already have.
When down on the nipple, the cock's nose should be well over & in front of the fence. This is a simple
design feature that protects your eyeballs from cap fragments.
 

« Last Edit: May 21, 2022, 10:13:48 PM by Daryl »
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Gaeckle

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Re: Half Cock
« Reply #19 on: May 21, 2022, 11:55:46 PM »
I think I found who makes the lock.  Under the main spring there is a zero with a Capital D in it.
 I went to Davis home site and looked at their locks and found a Hawken Pistol Lock which looks like the one I have.
 They have all the internal parts for the lock.
Can some one tell me the parts I need to order to rebuild the lock.  I am pretty sure I don't need the large main spring.
Guys I really appreciate all your help that has given it to me.

You're correct, it's a Davis. I initially thought it was an L&R and I also thought it was on a rifle. The easiest solution is a shorter nipple. Buying all the internals , if available, will not make any difference. At first I thought that the hammer had been replaced (still thinking L&R), but after reading your post, it is easily seen that it's not a replaced hammer.