Percussion Lock Muzzleloader

Percussion Lock Muzzleloader: Also known as a caplock, this was an innovation in 19th-century muzzleloader development.

• Fulminate of mercury began to replace gunpowder as a priming agent. This explosive, housed in a metal container known as a percussion cap, ignites the black powder when the hammer strikes the cap.
• The percussion lock is the predecessor of the modern rifle cartridge.