Hammer for muzzle loader rifle

A muzzle-loading firearm comprising:

• a stock;
• a barrel fastened to said stock, said barrel having a chamber end and a muzzle end wherein said chamber end has a firing hole;
• a nipple affixed to said stock and having a bore in a plug which is aligned with said firing hole;
• a pivot connector rotatably mounted to said stock wherein said pivot connector may be rotated to an engaged position or a fired position;
• a hammer pivot affixed to said pivot connector;
• a hammer head having a generally elongated body and a first and a second end at respective ends of said body, and having a first central axis defined by an imaginary line extending along said body and aligned with both said first and said second ends, wherein said first end is secured to said hammer pivot and said second end contacts said nipple when said pivot connector is in said fired position;
• a lever arm having a generally elongated body and a pivot end and a thumb grip end at respective ends of said body, and having a second central axis defined by an imaginary line extending along said body and aligned with both said pivot end and said thumb grip end wherein said pivot end is secured to said hammer pivot and said thumb grip end provides leverage for rotating said hammer pivot between said fired position and said engaged position, whereby said first central axis and said second central axis intersect at said pivot connector;
• a trigger for releasing said pivot connector from said engaged position to rotate said hammer head to strike said nipple.