At last ... a blunderbuss with a bronze barrel

[Philip]

Originally Posted by fernando

Rick, much obliged for the kind words .
... And, no sir; you don't need an extra movement to disengage the safety device. The hammer 'round' foot is designed in a way that, while having an insertion to hold the safety device in half cock position, is also built in a manner that pushes it off, when you roll it around and up to full cock position.
... If i make myself understood.


.

Obrigado, Nando. I examined my locks again, and what you say has opened my eyes to what I had wondered about but didn't understand at first. There is a subtle bit of mechanical engineering that enables the effect that you describe. The três parafusos lock A and the fecho meio à portuguesa e meio à franzesa B in the images previous have the cock base shaped with a little projecting "tongue" below the safety engagement notch -- As the cock is pulled back fully to arm the mechanism, the rotating base makes this tongue push the brake out of the way, allowing the cock to travel its full arc to contact the frizzen. Ingenious!

What we have here is what mechanics call a "cam", and there is prior application in the case of wheellocks, whereby a cam turned by the rotating wheel spindle pushes the pan-cover activating arm forward on its pivot to open the pan and expose the priming powder.

I am now a lot more enthusiastic about the Portuguese brake than i was before now. Whether this will grow into Daehnhardtian exuberance depends on whether I can get used to the idea of using two hands to activate a safety mechanism, as opposed to the convenience of half-cock.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Philip

... I am now a lot more enthusiastic about the Portuguese brake than i was before now...

Adding to that, the fact that the disengagement is mechanically (self) operated and does not depend on gravity odds like in the dog lock ... am i right ?

Originally Posted by Philip

... Whether this will grow into Daehnhardtian exuberance depends on whether I can get used to the idea of using two hands to activate a safety mechanism, as opposed to the convenience of half-cock.

If i get your point ... can't you do that with two fingers (thumb & index) of the same hand ?

[rickystl]

I've never actually held a Portuguese lock to study. So this information is most helpful. I was completely unaware of the "cam" action of pushing the safety catch forward while positioning the hammer in the firing position. The catch/brake would not have to move forward very much. This safety is a much more interesting feature than I originally imagined. And very clever.

Philip: Thanks for the photos of the three locks. I was drooling on my keyboard when I first viewed them. They look to be in wonderful condition. And really shows the variety/combinations of Portuguese lock making. And thanks for the informative descriptions. So interesting.

From a shooter's perspective: When I shoot my replica 17th Century English musket, with a Jacobian style transition lock, engaging the safety is very simple. After firing, I simply lower the musket to my waist. Then, while pulling the hammer back with my thumb at the same time pulling upwards on the dog catch with my two smaller fingers till it engages the notch in the hammer. You can do it without looking after you get use to it. Still, it's not as convenient as the second notch on the tumbler for the reason that Philip explains.
I can't visualize the safety on the Portuguese locks being any more difficult. Just pulling the hammer back and at the same time using the index finger to pull the catch backward. Just a different method accomplishing the same thing.

Rick