1777 Charleville tumbler

[GregLaROCHE]

I have an original 1777 Charleville. It was made in 1815, so it didn’t see any wartime service and is in good condition. What to note about it is how strong the springs are. No one with experience with these guns have ever experienced springs as strong.

I have installed a shim on the tumbler to make the trigger pull shorter and crisper. The tumbler has three notches. Full cock, half cock(safety) and a third notch that is to stop the hammer. The problem is the sear doesn’t engage in the last notch. The hammer continues forward and contacts the side plate, damaging it.

I did file a little on the sear, but don’t think the problem was caused by me, because there were already marks on the side plate from the hammer hitting it.

Could the problem be geometry of the sear, that keeps it from engaging? Or maybe the overly strong spring that causes the tumbler to move too fast for the sear to in gage it?

Thanks for all thoughts and advice.

[waksupi]

When fired, the sear should not engage any notches in the tumbler. The cock should rest on the lock plate.

[GregLaROCHE]

When fired, the sear should not engage any notches in the tumbler. The cock should rest on the lock plate.

I wish mine were that simple, but there are three notches and when not stopping in the notch, it is eating a hole in the plate.

[Geezer in NH]

Think of the damage to the sear when it goes in that notch instead of hitting the plate. THen it will be a bigger problem.

The plate is supposed to stop the hammer fall not a notch. Fix the plate is easier than the sear IMHO