[Popeye]

An attempt at keeping one's powder dry?

An early attempt at a safety?

 

[Popeye]

I didn't say it was a good safety. It could be an attempt at keeping inadvertant spark from priming powder.

I also mentioned an attempt at keeping powder dry prior to mentioning a safety as dry powder was the first thing I considered.

 

[Popeye]

Whatever its intent it didn't catch on. This could be for any one of, or a combination of, many possible reasons. The fact that it was not widely accepted does make it relatively rare in number. This rarity does not necessarily make it valuable although it may have some value to collectors.

I am not speaking as an expert but as a thinking person with experience in firearms.