Under a franchise arrangement, a person or company purchases the ability to run a local business under a larger company's brand. Depending on the franchise arrangement, the local party may have to meet certain standards established by the larger company and purchase products from the larger company as well.
Half-cock is when the position of the hammer is partially but not completely cocked.
We now commonly use 'go off at half-cock' or, in America, 'go off half-cocked', to mean 'speak or act impulsively and without proper preparation'. This clearly alludes to the sudden discharge of a firearm. Despite that, the first figurative use of the phrase had a completely different meaning.