Blunderbuss Help

[Feamyng]

Hello.
I got a traditions blunderbuss percussion cap kit. I'm having a little trouble with it, the hammer almost always drops as soon as it is cocked. I'm not sure why it doing that, I think it might be that the trigger might be touching the transfer bar(?)

Should I try to file the part of the trigger that touches the transfer bar down so it's shorter?

If I push the trigger forward as I cock it, it will operate as intended.

Also, I just discovered that it will drop from half cock?

[Darto]

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/

Above is best source for help.

They will probably ask for pictures to see what's wrong.


Another source (not as good):

https://www.americanlongrifles.org/forum/

[MajorSideburns]

A lot of times it's an issue with the stock and wood to metal fitment. I say this because you mentioned it is a self built kit. Chances are you have to work a bit more at the inletting for the metal parts. Take your time and look at it carefully. See if there is wood that needs to be relieved from the lock area, it might be impeding the full travel and range of motion of the hammer or the trigger. The first test you should perform is removing the lock from the stock and making sure the hammer can hold itself at full cock, so you can rule out a problem with your lock. If you have verified that the lock can hold the hammer at full cock outside the stock, you can narrow down the issue greatly. If your lock isn't able to hold the hammer at cock while removed from the stock then you are looking at an issue with sear and hammer engagement.

[sealocan]

It seems to me that most of those black powder kits that you have to put completely together are not just snap it together with ease. It seems like there's always a few parts that need filing, cutting and adjusting to make it actually work. So it's not you or just your gun.

I'd be checking out YouTube videos or as someone mentioned above a muzzle loading specific forum.

And I'm not sure this will help you but at the 26-minute mark of the classic gunsmiths of Williamsburg video link below talks about triggers/springs, and the whole video is how to build a rifle from scratch.

https://youtu.be/X_O1-chxAdk

I like these classic gun videos that'sI love these classic educational gunsmithing videos. They're almost relaxing.

[Wheellock]

Post a picture or two of the inside of the lock. If, as suggested above, you take the lock out and it functions well outside the stock, hold the lock over a candle to get it black, then put it in the stock and see where the black transfers to the wood. Carefully remove tiny bits until no black transfers off.

[Feamyng]

To resolve things:

The top of the trigger was in contact with the transfer bar(?). I ended up using a sharpie and file instead of a candle.
It will no longer drop from half cock now either.

Apparently, this is an issue that some other people have had with this kit. It was not mentioned in the instructions, though all the other fit and finishing was.

[MajorSideburns]

Glad you figured it out, let’s see some pics! What caliber is the bore?