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's hammer does not connect to the trigger component.
( ( ( A ( gun 's ) ) hammer ) ( ( ( does not ) ( connect ( to ( the ( trigger component ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT A) (NN gun) (POS 's)) (NN hammer)) (VP (VBZ does) (RB not) (VP (VB connect) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT the) (NN trigger) (NN component))))) (. .)))