Author Topic: Lock with no half-cock position  (Read 654 times)

Offline marko

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 24
Lock with no half-cock position
« on: October 25, 2022, 03:36:49 PM »
A berks County rifle I recently acquired has an unsigned lock with no half-cock position. It appears to me to be the original for this rifle (which I think is an Angstadt). I am trying to identify and date this rifle and lock and would appreciate any comments or observations. The rifle is the subject of a separate post here: https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=73860.0






Offline Bob Roller

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9361
Re: Lock with no half-cock position
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2022, 04:05:13 PM »
A flintlock with no first position (half cocked)is not common. Maybe a botched repair job from long ago.
I noticed the sear is at a very acute angle and may be a replacement.This was never a top of the line lock and
few American made long rifles had them.Adequate,yes but nothing more.
Bob Roller
« Last Edit: October 25, 2022, 09:03:03 PM by Bob Roller »

Offline 120RIR

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 372
Re: Lock with no half-cock position
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2022, 04:05:51 PM »
Nice rifle...congrats!  The obvious question I presume you'll get, so it might as well be from me, is whether or not the half-cock position has merely been sheared off at some time in the distant past.  Take a close look as that's probably the case.  I wouldn't think a lock of that period, even a cheap commercial lock (not that that's necessarily what we have here) would have been made without one.

Offline marko

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 24
Re: Lock with no half-cock position
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2022, 04:14:36 PM »
It does seem to be a rudimentary lock, which I attributed to it perhaps being American made. I don’t think the single position is a result of a faulty repair as there is only one notch on the tumbler. I’ll need to look again at the sear angle… the angle may be a result of the way I photographed it. Thanks for your comments. Have you ever seen similar engravings on a lock?

Offline rich pierce

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 18940
Re: Lock with no half-cock position
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2022, 04:51:20 PM »
First time I’ve seen this on a flintlock. Cheap percussion locks often had no half cock notch when mated to set triggers later on.
Andover, Vermont