I have a question about the 1873 style action. I only have a cheap German copy in .22 that I use for Restricted Firearm Safety Course. We get into discussions about the "half #### safety" about which the official line is that "the presence of a half #### notch does not necessarily provide an additional safety". On the pistol that I have, there is a first "safety notch" which raises the hammer away from the firing pin but doesn't allow the cylinder to rotate freely, but the next click does. (Yes, I know the original has a spur on the hammer firing pin unlike this one which has a separate firing pin that I have removed). Do original 1873 actions have that notch as well, or just the half #### notch? I have always been conflicted about this because for example, on an original Winchester 1894 the half #### safety is the ONLY safety, other than the pin safety that the lever must depress before the trigger will trip the hammer. My opinion is that if a firearm has a half #### notch, it should be utilized as a safety, but verified that it actually works, and like any other safety, not depended upon as foolproof.
He cut the tie strap!
... JP.
