Interesting percussion rifle.

[Metalshaper]

Not sure who made the lock, but know that 'style' was offered in Kit form< Back in the day >. My Bud Pat had found one, with a steel plate, that he was working on . I just make my own

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

foreground lock is my take on an outside mainspring.. the one laying in the background is a Medberry style.

 

[Philip Lebow]

I have a Dale Storey side lock. .54 cal. It was a good rifle until a fat guy fell on the rack it was in at the range. He broke the stock in two. The trigger and guard were lost somehow. The stock was repaired by Turnbull. Was light maple, now dark walnut to cover the repairs. I am now trying to get a new trigger and guard onto the rifle. I spoke to Dale and he advised me what he could from memory. Rifle is one of his earliest. Will have to do some interesting 'smithing to get it back together.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have a Tingly that has a mule ear lock with a half cock. My nephew shoots a mule ear rifle that his dad made the lock for. They have a very fast ignition since the flash from the cap goes straight into the powder charge. Most people don't know it but the first "detinator " locks were side slappers. The drum and nipple was used to convert locks from flint to percusion. Back in the day parts were made years ahead of actual use. And many locks and barrels intended to be flints were made using the drum and nipple.

 

[Squatch84]

Old thread but I have a Lyman Trade rifle that I mated a pioneer arms mule ear lock to.

 

[Stantheman86]

I love seeing interesting guns "out in the wild "

 

[hanshi]

I like underhammer rifles but just can't get comfortable with those mule ears.

 

[Muddly]

Prime flash directly into the charge!? Sounds like an...
<(;

 

[tallPercshooter]

So I guess the "tumbler" rotates horizontally instead of vertically as in normal percussion lock. Trying to picture how the sear works. Like to see a close-up of the innards.

 

[Steve Wagner]

Navy Arms had Pedersoli build a hawken mule ear 25 or 30 years ago. Had one - a tack driver but the metal used in the barrel came from fiats and was extremely soft and super prone to rusting no matter how much you tried to prevent it.

Interesting. I bought a used Fiat in the late 70's.[Yes, what was I thinking ?] While visiting friends of my brother in Germany in 78, one of our hosts asked me what I drove in the states. When I told him a Fiat, he replied that the Germans say that Fiats rust in the pictures. It was a real POS and, in trying to sell it I discovered it was a 'coyote trap' as well. I had to chew my arm off to escape it. It depreciated in the pictures too. Fast! Only fast thing about it. Ugliest car I've ever owned. Friends don't let friends drive them or shoot rifles made from Fiats. Period. Sorry, back to Mule Ears. SW

 

[oldramrod]

My brother in law had a side slaper which he foolish had loaded in his basement, he bumped it against the door frame when he got it out of the closet to go deer hunting. It fired and the ball went up through the house and out the roof. I have a Tingly shotgun that has a side slapper lock that does have a half cock!

 

[Colonial Boy]

Anymore photos ? Very interesting looking.

Posted in error, but, my sentiments too.

Now, in defence of Fiats; the Fiat 1100 of the 1950s used rubber universal joints and they were the exact size for the jack shaft between the engine and gearbox on my 1926 ALVIS Super Sport roadster, so they weren’t completely useless.

 

[ETipp]

Strange looking outfits indeed.

 

[Crow#21957]

My buddy has two of those mule ear locks. He wants me to build him a gun with one and maybe me one too.