One wonders if a gun of this design when purchased in person from Signor Girandoni,he would have gone to great lengths to explain the dangers of trying to decocok the gun and would have emphatically advised against attempting to.
Of course,by the time Lewis and Clark had their example in the far flung colonies of 18th century America any advice from the maker would not have accompanied the gun.
They learned by trial and nearly fatal error!