Exploring T/C Hawken ignition problems

[Charles/NM]

I am bothered by the number of posts I have read on various forums about problems shooters are having with T/C Hawken rifle ignition.  As I have reported many times I have never had this problem with my Hawken nor have friends who have the same vintage (1977) rifles.  These are nice rifles and I hate to see owners disappointed with them.
The way I see it is if there is clean powder at the bottom of the chamber, a functioning primer on the nipple and a clear path to the powder - the rifle HAS to fire.  
I can imagine thre things that would cause ignition problems:
1. The barrel has been scrubbed or brushed between firings and the bottom of the chamber is full of burned powder residue impeding primer fire to fresh powder.
2. The channel from the primer to the chamber is plugged or too small.
3. Powder is wet.
Older T/C muzzle loaders are different from later manufacture.  The old stocks are more elegant in their shape, brass furniture is more delicate in shape, the rear sight is different and the barrels are different.  I guess you could say that in minor ways they are two different rifles.  The only slow fire I ever had was when I brushed the barrel bore after shooting around 20 shots of Pyrodex.  I attribute the slow ignition to burned residue between the fresh charge and the nipple.  Stopped brushing and it didn't happen ever again.
I measured the diameter of the hole from the nipple to the chamber. I replaced the slotted cleanout screw with a SS hex set screw years ago.  The thread is 8-32.  The hole from the nipple to the chamber is a #29 drill - 0.136" diameter - notice that is larger than an 1/8" drill.  The #29 drill is the correct tap drill size for a 8-32 cleanout screw.  I would be interested in the nipple to chamber hole drill size in readers newer rifles.
I use only Pyrodex RS and whatever #11 nipples I can find.  I recently changed to a T/C Hot Shot nipple and found no difference in my rifle's performance.
Charles/NM

[mamaflinter]

Charles you don't mention whether the people who are having the problem with ignition in their Hawkens are using flintlock or caplock rifles. One more thing that could cause misfire/hangfire is not making sure all the oil is out of the breech before loading and therefore contaminating their powder charge.

It's really simple to make sure a rifle will fire. All they have to do upon loading (BEFORE CAPPING OR PRIMING) is remove either the touch hole liner or nipple and make sure there is powder visible underneath. If not add some. If so, replace touch hole liner/nipple and cap/prime and fire. If you take care with your rifle you will get reliable consistent ignition.

Another thing is that if the rifles in question are flintlocks and the owners are using some of the subs that would account for some if not all the misfires/hangfires. Flintlocks are much touchier what they are loaded with and sub powders are harder to ignite than real black powder. Even Triple 7 is known to give misfires/hangfires in flintlocks and should be used with caution in them.

[Charles/NM]

Most I've heard of have been percussion.  
You're right, I did forget to mention shooting a couple of caps before loading the first time in a shooting session.  I always point the muzzle toward the ground to see dirt or grass blown by the cap.
Charles/NM

[TOGO]

Charles,

     A couple years ago I was has ignition problems with my Hawken, come to find, some how my hammer had become bent enough so it wouldn't hit dead center on the cap, easy fix.

[hornhunter]

I've owned a TC Hawken since the 70s. I had my problems at first, but always it turned out to be self inflicted. Moisture, not cleaning properly where my failures. No matter what the weather the barrel is taped. Plastic over the nipple. Held down with a rubberband. The gun never comes in the house. Locked in the truck or garage. When removing the cap at the end of the day the plastic is put back over the nipple. Then the hammer is let forward to give pressure on the nipple so no moisture can enter.  
 9 buck, 1 doe, 1 bull moose and no problems All taken in Maine and New Hampshire with the cold/wet conditions.