Guys , I am getting frequent misfires in my 54 cal. TC Hawken Flintlock. I am certain that the touch hole is open and I use FFG in the barrel and FFFFG in the pan.
I am wondering about the amount of pan powder to use. I am using approx. 2/3 or 3/4 full. Is it better to have the pan half full or completely full?
Also, when I clean the ML for the evening , I always run a good patch with Bore Butter and leave it that way untill I load up for the next day's hunt. Should I run a dry patch before loading?
What brands of black powder do you recommend? Goex, Hodgon, etc?
The pan powder ignites but I am not getting the barrel charge to ignite. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Dave[/code]
Based on what you've said, and you're using good reliable powder like Goex, fire is simply not getting to the main charge or something is killing the main charge just inside the vent.
One common cause of killing a powder charge just inside the vent is using a wiping patch between shots that is too wet...when compressed into the bore by a cleaning jag, excess liquid is squeezed out of the patch and runs all the way down into the bottom of the patent breech, stopping just inside the vent, and killing the powder charge when it's poured downbore.
The other common cause of your symptoms is that fouling buildup is allowed to accumulate down inside the patent breech, ultimately beginning to block the fire channel from the vent to the main charge.
If you're not aware of it, the breechplug that screws onto the back of a TC barrel has a patent breech design...meaning that there is a tapered cone shaped tunnel drilled down from the rear of the barrel and curves around to the vent location...your bore butter isn't clogging up the vent because it can't get down there...the jag stops on top of the threads where the breechplug is screwed into the barrel...the only thing that will clog up the fire channel in the patent breech is fouling buildup that is not cleaned out after every shooting session.
Since a cleaning jag cannot get down in there because it stops on top of the breechplug, a good inch above the vent, there is nothing that pulls the fouling residue out of that tapered cone unless you also take a regular rife cleaning rod to the range with you, with a small .25/.30cal brush on it, and use the brush to hold a patch and periodically slide it all the way down into the patent breech to pull out fouling residue during a long range session.
And the most efficient and sure-fire (pun intended) way to ensure the patent breech is kept 100% clean and clear of fouling build up in general, is to remove the hooked breech barrel and submerge it in a bucket of steaming hot water to soak, then pump flush it vigorously after every shooting session...then dry and lube the bore & patent breech accordingly.
If everything you wrote in your post is correct, and doing these things plus using the improved vent liner don't fix it, you should consider sending it back to TC to troubleshoot/repair at no charge under their lifetime warranty...Sent it to TC Service Manager Tim Pancurak.
