Daryl,
Unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to fire a pill lock.
From what I can gather it was actually a little earlier than either the tube lock or percussion cap. I suppose the percussion cap probably evolved from the pill - encapsulating the detonating compound in a robust, weather proof, copper package that made it more robust and much less likely to be detonated accidentally. I suppose this is why they are rare - they were just a transitional development which became obsolete pretty quickly. It is fascinating to be able to look back and see how things evolved from the remaining pieces.
I love the elegance of this particular mechanism - how many evenings did the gunsmith sit working the mechanism out by the light of a candle?
John
Last edited by Oldfarmer; 06/16/16 04:00 AM.
