Original Sharps 1874 Single Trigger

[everetto]

Did Sharps ever offer a single set trigger on original 1874 rifles? I have not come across any myself until recently, sort of. It is not a set trigger, per se, the trigger won't move forward to do a set. The screw is just to the rear of the single trigger and not quite on the trigger centerline, it is slightly towards the lock plate. It sticks out about the same amount as a double set trigger adjustment screw. It definitely affects the hammer though, if I loosen the screw enough the hammer will barely stay on half cock (and will fall if I touch it). If I tighten the screw a bit the hammer behaves. I have not tried the hammer on full cock yet with various screw settings. I have never come across this screw on 1874 single triggers. If Sharps never offered this, what are the odds that a gunsmith may have done this "back in the day"? I have not removed the lockplate or triggerplate yet to see what is going on. Thanks for any info.

[everetto]

Correction to my post above - if I tighten the screw too much the hammer will almost fall from half cock, and it will fall if I touch it. Turning the screw out a bit makes half cock more secure. It feels like a spring tension set screw.

[Kirk]

That's a later gun smith move, I've seen one before. It's meant to be adjusted in the full cock mode, it actually adjusts the amount of sear engagement.
If you have it to light with out a fly it will break your sear in the half cock notch of the tumbler, as you have already found out when it won't stay in half cock when adjusted.

[everetto]

Thank you for the info Kirk. It is a rifle out of Cheyenne, 1879, with FREUND & BRO barrel stamp and Freund sights.