RE: Weekend near tragedy
All I can tell you is how I work my double triggers. Next time cock the hammer all the way back. Then cap the nipple. Now the back trigger or rear trigger is the set trigger. Pull that all the way back and you will hear or feel it set. Now the rifle is fully cocked and the triggers are on. You touch the front trigger that rifle is going to fire.
If you want to cock the rifle with out making any noise, here is how mine works Pull the front trigger back. Now cock the hammer all the way back while holding the front trigger. When you believe you have the hammer fully cocked, release the front trigger and gently ease the hammer forward. It should catch in the full cock. Now if you pull the back trigger you have engaged the hair trigger of the rifle. You are ready to fire.
The only time I use the half cock feature of the rifle is to cap the nipple sometimes, or when stalking around the woods.