go off half cocked Muzzleloaders, then as now, had a half cock, or safety position, for a gun's hammer that partially back-locked the trigger mechanism so that the weapon could not be fired.
( ( ( ( go off ) ( half ( cocked Muzzleloaders ) ) ) ( , ( ( then ( as now ) ) , ) ) ) ( ( ( had ( ( ( ( ( a ( half cock ) ) , ) or ) ( safety position ) ) , ) ) ( for ( ( ( a ( gun 's ) ) hammer ) ( that ( partially ( ( back-locked ( the ( trigger mechanism ) ) ) ( so ( that ( ( the weapon ) ( ( could not ) ( be fired ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (S (VP (VB go) (PRT (RP off)) (NP (PDT half) (JJ cocked) (NNP Muzzleloaders)))) (, ,) (RRC (ADVP (RB then)) (PP (IN as) (NP (RB now)))) (, ,)) (VP (VBD had) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ half) (NN cock)) (, ,) (CC or) (NP (NN safety) (NN position)) (, ,)) (PP (IN for) (NP (NP (NP (DT a) (NN gun) (POS 's)) (NN hammer)) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT that)) (S (ADVP (RB partially)) (VP (VBD back-locked) (NP (DT the) (NN trigger) (NN mechanism)) (SBAR (RB so) (IN that) (S (NP (DT the) (NN weapon)) (VP (MD could) (RB not) (VP (VB be) (VP (VBN fired)))))))))))) (. .)))
A gun has a hammer component which is linked to the trigger.
( ( A gun ) ( ( has ( ( a ( hammer component ) ) ( which ( is ( linked ( to ( the trigger ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (DT A) (NN gun)) (VP (VBZ has) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ hammer) (NN component)) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT which)) (S (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBN linked) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT the) (NN trigger))))))))) (. .)))