Half cock

[tallPercshooter]

So I see a very nice modern-made custom Leman trade rifle. Builder says he removed the half-cock notch, "as were many originals." When I hunt, I load powder and patched ball, put hammer on half-cock, put cap on nipple. That's how I carry it, only need to cock to full cock to shoot. Without a half-cock notch in the tumbler, how do you carry a loaded rifle? 1. loaded but no cap, hammer down 2. capped, hammer down ( YIKES) or 3. capped. hammer at full cock (double YIKES) None of these seem ideal. What am I missing?

 

[Uncle Miltie]

I wouldn't carry a rifle without a halfcock notch, but many original rifles did not have them, mostly rifles that were used for match shooting.

 

[Urban Coyote]

"Builder says he removed the half cock notch"

Sounds like this gun builder has never heard of product liability, I'll bet if he ever gets sued he'll leave the half cock notch alone. Who is this guy, Alex Baldwin?

 

[TDM]

I would quickly move on to another selection. You don’t want that one.

 

[oldwood]

It's not worth the risk to remove the half cock notch. Bad idea!!!!!!!!

 

[Trapper Scott]

I don't think you're missing a thing. I wouldn't consider that particular rifle safe for anything other than match shooting maybe, and that's a big maybe. Have you considered replacing the sear and putting it back to the original, safe rifle condition?


Edit to correct my stating the part that can be replaced for the half cock. "One would have to replace the tumbler to restore the half cock notch." Thanks, Grenadier1758.

 

[Grenadier1758]

One would have to replace the tumbler to restore the half cock notch.

One of our members who grew up with rifles intended for over the log, table matches, or plank matches. Those rifles did not have a half cock notch. Because of the way they were used for shooting st targets, there no need for any notch in the tumbler other than full cock. The loaded rifle was carried to the target station, cocked, capped and fired. This type of rifle has no place in the hunting fields.

Such a rifled is carried with the hammer down on an uncapped nipple to the firing line. Then pulled to full cock to cap and immediately fire.

 

[Trapper Scott]

One would have to replace the tumbler to restore the half cock notch.

One of our members who grew up with rifles intended for over the log, table matches, or plank matches. Those rifles did not have a half cock notch. Because of the way they were used for shooting st targets, there no need for any notch in the tumbler other than full cock. The loaded rifle was carried to the target station, cocked, capped and fired. This type of rifle has no place in the hunting fields.

Such a rifled is carried with the hammer down on an uncapped nipple to the firing line. Then pulled to full cock to cap and immediately fire.

Thanks for clarifying the part to replace.

 

[BillRob]

I'm never really comfortable carrying a capped black powder gun on halfcock when I am hunting with others. It feels like a "safety-lite." I can't even imagine carrying one with no halfcock!

 

[tenngun]

If you place a cap on the nipple and lower the hammer down the cap will not go off. It takes a blow to set it off.
So, you could carry your gun a life time and never get it to go off by accident. And there were some guns made like this in the past however
I’m careful with my guns, but I’ve dropped them or had them fall over. I’ve caught the hammer on branches, and move not enough to cock, so clicked back in to the half cock
I’d invest in a new tumbler, NOT worth the risk

 

[bubba.50]

If it was a gun I wanted at a price I was willing to pay, I'd buy it and fix the damn lock.

 

[dave951]

No half cock- that's a match gun. I wouldn't even consider carrying it around loaded in the woods. Get a new tumbler with half cock notch if you want to hunt with it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

If you place a cap on the nipple and lower the hammer down the cap will not go off. It takes a blow to set it off.

When I first joined this forum I made a similar comment and was severely excoriated for it. I had learned from one of the most greatly admired old timers in the ml world and NMLRA that was a good, and safe way to carry a cap gun when hunting. Lowering the hammer down on the cap also protects it from rain. A rather strong, sharp blow to the hammer is required to set off the cap in that condition. I believe it is as safe, or safer to carry a cap rifle that way than at half cock. I carry a flint rifle at half cock when hunting and stay EXTREMELY cognizant of it every second I am in the woods. That is not a safe condition and the only safety is from the attention of the nut carrying it.

 

[flconch53]

I liked to carry with the hammer down. I just put a small PC of leather between the cock and the cap
Now I use a frizzen stall as I don't hunt with a Caprock much anymore

 

[user 53860]

I had the hammer down on a cap while squirrel hunting years ago and learned my lesson. Walking down a trail I tripped on a branch and while falling to the ground my knee hit the back of the hammer and the gun went off. Nothing hurt but my ego and a lesson learned. If it can go wrong it will even when you think you're doing it right.
For what it's worth.

 

[Tenmile]

I have 2 old rifles with no half cock. One has to have the trigger set before it will cock. The other will cock with the trigger set or unset. This may sound strange, but both are exellent guns, made strictly for target shooting , not hunting. You would never prime these rifles until you’re on the line. Curiously, both are 36 caliber.

 

[tallPercshooter]

This is a .54 Leman custom repro, seems like a hunting gun, not a target rifle. Thanks everyone.

 

[Old Oak]

Even with a half cock, while hunting I use a foam ear plug between capped nipple and hammer, just flick it off while cocking.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Even with a half cock, while hunting I use a foam ear plug between capped nipple and hammer, just flick it off while cocking.

That's a good idea.

 

[hanshi]

Most of my hunting was always with a flintlock. But flintlock or caplock I wouldn't own a rifle with no half cock. One of those in the hunting woods sounds scary to me.