Hall Breech Loaders

[jharold587]

After working at the Gettysburg Visitor Center for two years it just dawned on me that the two examples of Hall breech loaders have a left hand lock, that is the lock and cap are placed so the weapon would be held on the left shoulder to put the ignition as far from the shooter's face as possible. Does any one know if Hall was a southpaw, or is it something in the design that makes that ignition necessary. I know it didnot become popular due to gas leaks and difficulty in precision fit of parts.

Chaplain J H Harker 4th OVI

 

[Jobe Holiday]

I do not follow your line of reasoning: The "lock" on a Hall breech loader is a block that is centrally mounted in the arm. When they were converted, or manufactured as percussion ignition, the cone is off-set to the right of center. Therefore, if you fired the arm from your left shoulder you would have the flash of ignition even closer to your face.
Respectfully submitted,
J.

 

[jharold587]

Thanks for the response J. That is what I thought too. I will try to get some photos and post them. I do not have any reference books with me. I'm going to a premier at the center tonight so will try to get some then.
J H Harker Chaolain 4th OVI

 

[johan_steele]

A picture is worth...

 

[major bill]

Would the percussion Halls be considered more or less obsolete by the start of the Civil War? I compiled a list of the arms held by the Michiagn Militia at the start of the Civil War and put the Halls in the same category as the converted model 1816s.

 

[johan_steele]

The Hall had a bad habit of leaking gas... badly. After some heavy use they also had a tendency to become muzzle loaders if a particular small part seized up. Then there was the issue if a particular spring lost about 1000th the breech would open upon pulling back the hammer. If well maintained and regularly cleaned it was a first rate arm though greatly eclipsed by the Sharps, Smith & Burnside. That said Hall carbines would serve until the end of the war in some CS Cav units.