Thompson Center Double Set Tigger Causing Ignition Issues

[Splitear]

The other night at our 4-H program one of our TC Hawkens started acting up, as it was not igniting the cap when the trigger was pulled. I checked to make sure there wasn’t a cap stick in the hammer before swapping it out.

I took it home to clean the lock, thinking that it was maybe gummed up a bit and not hitting with enough force. I pulled the ball (still in from the program) and took the gun apart. The lock looked okay, but I still cleaned and lubricated it. Cleaned the barrel and put it back together.

This morning I test fired it and noticed that when I set the treat trigger and squeezed the front trigger, the hammer was not even getting to the cap/nipple. However, I thought for science sake I would try firing it by using only the front trigger (not set). Lo and behold, the hammer dropped and struck the cap soundly.

Does anyone have any idea of what might be going on here? I’m going to take it apart and work on it soon, but would like some guidance if anyone has any.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

take it apart and eliminate causes...

 

[Mrdix]

Make sure the fly is not malfunctioning

 

[TechMoron]

Tighten the bridle-plate screws.

 

[necchi]

Does anyone have any idea of what might be going on here?

Freind @TechMoron nailed it. It's a common problem with T/C's,, If those screws on the inside of the lock holding the bridle plate come just a tiny bit loose, the fly will "tip" and stop that hammer from striking the nipple.
It looks like it falls all the way, but it does get stopped just thousands from making the strike.
A 1/8th turn is too loose,, they have to be snug.

 

[necchi]

Does anyone have any idea of what might be going on here?

did you find the problem?

 

[Splitear]

did you find the problem?

I haven’t had a chance to work on it yet, I’m out of town at the moment.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Make sure the fly is not malfunctioning

Or did not come out and get lost during cleaning.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Its that dang pesky screws inside the lock, one is loose. Tighten is up and your good but it will likely loosen back up. I use a bit of silicon on threads to keep tight but will allow it to be taken back apart if ever needed.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Not to belabor the issue, but I would agree it is a problem with the fly in the tumbler of your lock. It may be missing, immobilized by gummed-up crud, or some screws may be loose enough that it has shifted slightly out of position. I think one or the other of the first two possibilities would be most likely.

If you do find that screws are spontaneously loosening, Loc-Tite will help. Old-timers would put a drop of linseed oil on the threads before turning in the screw. The linseed oil forms a gummy gel as it dries, which serves the same purpose as today’s Loc-Tite. I have also used beeswax. Hold the screw with a pin vise and warm it up over an alcohol lamp. When it is reasonably hot, roll the threaded shank on a cake of beeswax, then install the screw. The wax hardens and helps hold the screw in place, but leaves it easy to turn out when needed.

Anyway, that fly is a tiny but essential part which is easily lost or overlooked when disassembling a lock.

Good luck!

Notchy Bob