Missfire

[Dustan]

I am new to traditional muzzleloading and I ran into a problem this morning, nice deer, easy shot and SNAP no smoke, it was extremely damp out this morning. I would like to know the best way of keeping my powder from drawing moisture, I already load it and keep it in the pick up so the temperature change does'nt cause the powder to become damp. Should I cover the nipple with something? Any help would be greatly appreciated, I did kill a doe at 147 yds. open sight.

[papellet]

Do you snap a cap or two before you load it to make sure the channel is clear. My initial prepping the gun is to run a swab of denatured acohol down the barrel, stuff the end of the barrel with a cleaning patch with enough hanging out so you can remove it if you have to. I then fire a cap and if the patch blows out I know it is going to fire. On a side note, I have not had a misfire since switching to cci magnum caps.

[spitpatch]

They make small automotive vacuum line caps that fit well over exposed nipples. For hunting in damp conditions, I wipe a very small amount of petroleum jelly around the cap to waterproof. One thing you will find true....everyone has a different method. To prep my gun, I load half the amount powder in a clean dry gun and touch it off-no ball. It kinda' woofs......swab, and load.

[Rustyinfla]

You can also use the old fashioned method of sealing the cap on the nipple. After the rifle is loaded, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction drop a few drops of melted candle wax onto the cap/nipple. Be careful when doing this not to get the burning candle too close to the cap so you don't heat the cap.

   You can also install a device if allowed in your state called a "Flame n' Go." The "Flame n' Go" replaces your nipple and comes in two pieces. When installed you unscrew the top portion and insert a cartridge primmer. Then you screw the top back on. This create a totally sealed unit and a very hot ignition.

        Rusty <><

[Birddog6]

Most likely it was not the dampness that did it, you probably had some oil trapped in the drum or patent breech, whichever it has.  If you have a cleanout screw, remove that prior to loading & take a pipe cleaner & swab the drum well prior to loading. If it has a patent breech & snail then remove nipple & clean with a pipe cleaner & clean nipple best you can.  Clean the patent breech with a small caliber jag & patch.

After this I usually snap a couple of caps prior to loading & hold the barrel at a leaf & if the leaf moves the channel is clear.  I can tell from the sound of it if it is clear however I have done this thousands of times.  Has kinda a hollow tube sound when it is right & when not it sounds muted & you quickly learn the correct tone it makes.

You can also do this the same way on a flintlock, cleaning the vent & then flashing the pan. Drys up any oil residue that may be left in there. Wipe the pan, frizzen & flint, then load the rifle & clean out the vent channel with a vent pick , charge the pan & you are good to go.

 :wink:

[slayer]

Anyone have a link for the Fame N Go? Sounds interesting. Jack.

[Birddog6]

You can also use the old fashioned method of sealing the cap on the nipple. After the rifle is loaded, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction drop a few drops of melted candle wax onto the cap/nipple. Be careful when doing this not to get the burning candle too close to the cap so you don't heat the cap.  

You have got to be joking........    

What say we  DO NOT  have an accidental discharge or tell anyone anything that will lead them to one.........

1:  Ya don't use flame around BP..................   PERIOD  .

2:  The thought of putting something melting or having a lit candle close to a cap or BP or a ML loaded with BP makes me cringe.....  and it should You also....

3:  I find it quite hard to beleive that the old fashioned method you discribe as ever done, well, I know........there is always a "Darwin Candidate" somewhere.......  But I will still state it would NOT be a safe practice regardless ..............  


  I suggest the  "Old Fashioned Way" would be put a lil bear grease or lard, or any kind of grease around the cap, NOT hot candle wax...........

   I hunted for years in the snow & rain & foul weather, never had to seal my caps ..... just kept my hand over the lock or the flap of my coat over the lock........  Just keep the flap of your coat over the lock & the muzzle pointed down all the time.......  it will go off........

 :grin:

[lakota]

I've had good luck with putting either a piece of saran wrap or a plastic sandwich baggie over the nipple and lowering the hammer to seal out moisture, and as was said above keeping the muzzle pointed down to avoid any rain/snow etc. from running down the bore.

Scott.

[lostid]

I think all the posters here need to go look at Dustans' posts!
 The One about T/C nipples,,and how he has one cross threaded???

 Uhm? Dustan? Follow roundballs advise!! USE THE T/C WARRENTY and the contact he provided!! :eek:  :eek:

 THERE IS NO OVERSIZE NIPPLE FOR A T/C TO FIX THE NIPPLE BREECH THREADS! YOU DO NOT NEED MAXIMUM LOADS! :cry:  :cry:

[spitpatch]

Dustan.....I will second the Birddog6's advice......open flame around BP and/or caps is NEVER a good idea. Bear grease, Coon renderings, Possum fat, Crisco, Petro Jelly, Peanut Butter, Duct Tape, Sandwich Baggie, Boogers.......Anything but heat or flame! We all hope that your common sense has already ruled that option out.

[Swamp Yankee]

First off, I hope you're not talking about  the Renegade with the crossed threaded nipple. Are we? If not Traditions makes [ are you ready for this?] muzzle loading rain gear. it includes cap guards and a muzzle mit, they both look like little condoms. I have seen them at the Sportsmans Guide stock # wx2-69237...........Jim

[fffffg]

terrific info, im into flints now but all this is good stuff..  my input is its just too darn bad the percussion guns got away from direct holes into the breach.. i have a 10 ga shotgun with an angled hammer and angeled nipple going directly into the breach..  almost never had ignition failure.. military muskets were also made this way, i think, but dont know for sure..  i shot up to a can of powder a day while practicing for competition and almost never, never ,   had ignition problems..  i belive its that damn elboe coausing all the trouble..  the makers want to make same gun flint or pecussion for more versitlity/ more profit, but if i wanted a percussion gun it would be built with no elboe..   dave.

[crow_feather]

Dustan,

I trust that you do not travel or have a BP rifle loaded in your truck with a cap on the nipple.  If the nipple is not plugged with a piece of leather etc. then the charge will get wet.  If the rifle is left with the barrel pointed up, the barrel can collect moisture and the resulting water drops will roll down the barrel to the patch, soak through the patch and get the charge wet.

Put a piece of leather on the nipple and let the hammer down on it.  Place the rifle with the barrel down.

I found that it was better to bring the rifle inside for the night rather than leave it in wet humid air.

With all of the suggestions, you should find something that works.  Just don't drive around with a cap on the nipple of a loaded rifle

C F

[El Hombre]

Hello,
This may be slightly off topic, but I often hear people recommend snaping a couple caps to "dry" the drum & channel out before loading. I used to follow this advice, but then was finding that often paper & debris from the caps (CCI) was actually clogging the channel up! I assume since there is no back pressure from a powder charge, this allows the cap material to remain in the flame channel. I now just remove the nipple & clean the channel with a pipe cleaner at the end of each day.
Has anyone else noticed this?

[captchee]

well since im new to this forum im late on this topic. I would also back up birddog6 on the candle  idea . Way back when the cap were not anywhere near as  moister resistant as they are today .
 yes I have read of wax but mostly soft wax  or grease . Not hot dripping wax from a candle.
 Remember even a flintlock can go off without powder in the pan just by dropping the cock.  I have had it happen , all it takes is one small spark and that round is heading down range and there isnÂ’t any calling her back  once shes out the door .

 Now  for the cross threaded nipple . There are many ,,, many different sizes and threads,  metric and US out there and if you donÂ’t know what your buying screwing up the threads can be easily done  even by the with experience LMAO “speaking from experience here lol“. My advice to you is take it to a competent smith and have it re threaded for the next size nipple . Then   have him or you engrave the size on the bottom of the barrel .
OR send the rifle off to TC and have them fix it , its under warrantee and TC has one of the best around

 Now back to your cap issue . What cap brand are you using . Some are more resistant then others . CCI  find to be at time one of the least so .
 Now if your cap went off but the charge didnÂ’t . eather your main charge was fouled or your flash channel is filled with crud .
As to the higher loads . Many folks shoot these  so its not un common . However I myself do not .  
 I have found that 80 grains of 2F Goex  will take down cow elk  within 75 yards without blinking . Place your shot and you will get complete pass through  
 I have taken bull with the same charge but  because of where I live and hunt I want the hardest hitting  chunk of lead I can get  so when im hunting bull elk in the rut . I use a 436 grain ,hollow base  conical in front of 110 grains of 2 F . thatÂ’s the heaviest load I use .
 Rest of the time ist 80 grains of 2 F and PRB only

[Slamfire]

Must be a couple of safety engineers or tort defense atty's readin' this post. Drippin' candle wax won't even burn yore skin. Jest ask the girls at the hot wax parlor.  :-D
However, the inventor of the power belt bullets also invented a gadget that both seals and safes yore caps. Ametal cap covers the nipple, so you can lower the hammer without dischargin' the rifle.  It is spring loaded so when the hammer is cocked the spring uncovers the cap so the hammer'll stike it.  

[captchee]

its not the wax .nor the fire on the end of the candle. nor is it the rifle that the wax is being dripped on .
 nope none of the above  worries me .
 however the person ,who ever it may be , you ,me , him over there or  this guy here . someone who  cant seem to get the wax where he wants it  so he gets closer and close  and then finds out to late he was to close .

 while its true that  some  genes need to be taken from the gene pool  this way will  could most likely lead to the wrong genes being removed .
 common since  maybe something to think about here