First range trip 54 Renegade and Round ball

[Redhat]

I posted last week about my 54 Renegade and today I gave it it's first work with round ball. I was shooting Hornady .530 with TC .015 patches and 70 gr of Pyrodex.

At 100 yds, best 3 shot group was 4". I also have some .018 patches. Should I continue to work up the powder load with the .015 patches of try the thicker patches next time?

Biggest problem was ignition. Used CCI #11 Magnum caps and sometimes the cap would not fire on the first try. I don't think they were down on the nipple far enough but I couldn't push them on any further.

Also had some that failed to ignite the powder charge all-together.  I am using the TC Hot Shot nipple, but so far it ain't so hot! Any advice is welcome.

[roundball]

4" group at 100yds is still pretty respectable with an open sighted muzzleloader...but .018" prelubed pillow ticking patches have always tightened up my groups a little, compared to .015" patches.

Also, two suggestions you might try:

1) Use Oxyoke prelubed wonderwads over powder...improves gas seal for shot to shot consistency;
2) Get some 8"x11.5" sheets of bright fluorescent colored paper and fold/cut them so the are a very large triangle...mount them on your target upside down so the point is pointing down and sits right at the center of the bullseye.  Then you'll have a far better precision aim point for use with open sites...just set the point on top of your front bead exactly the same every time...much more precise and will minimize the influence of things like eyesight and lack of precise aim points at long range targets with open sights...you'll know better exactly what the "load" itself is doing as far as group size goes.

[Redhat]

Thanks roundball,

I've talked to you about this gun before a few years back. I just recently was able to get to my mother's house and get it back.

The target I had was an orange bullseye. All I could do was align the round post of the front sight over the 8" bull. I would have preferred to start shooting at 50 yds but the range I was at only has 100 yds for rifle.

Any advice on my ignition problems?

[wgr]

 you might try and sand the nipple down abit . had the same probleb caps not seating good.i just chuck  it in my drill hold the sand paper on it till it were i t will allow the nipple to seat

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Up your charge. With my traditions flintlock, 3" group with 70 grains @ 100 yards is easy, but with 110 grains fffg blackpowder, it puts it right at 1 1/2"  3 shot group @ 100 yards. Also make sure you have enough lube on your patches.

[forest2]

Good for you Rehat, sounds like your doing well. Yes, work up 5 grain increments with the.015's then work up 5 grain increments with the .018's. Give the gun the benefit of a clean bore during each change and you will see the difference, you'll find it. it ain't gonna happen in one day.
 Now your biggest problem isn't that big, it's very common and many times overlooked by even the pro's!

Biggest problem was ignition. Used CCI #11 Magnum caps and sometimes the cap would not fire on the first try.

 That darn T/C coil spring lock! Lyman uses the same thing, and it's a part called the, "fly detent".

 The fly detent is in place to allow the lock sear to fall or skip past the half-cock safety cam when the set trigger is used. Single trigger, does not alleviate the fly. The lock is still the same.
Next thyme ya clean your gun, after the barrel is out, take the lock out. On the inside of that lock is a plate that has 3 screws, if any of those 3 screws are even the tiniest bit loose, or those little parts in there ain't been cleaned or lubed in a while, them lock parts will STOP the hammer just short of the nipple drop! because that "fly" will seeze or tip just that little bit.

If the hammer fall's,,the cap will snap. if the cap snaps, and there is no BOOM? then we have a different trouble,
 

[Redhat]

Forest2,

Problem #1: The hammer was striking the cap but the cap sometimes would not pop. I re-cocked and on the second strike the cap would pop and fire the rifle. It appeared the first strike drove the cap further down onto the nipple where the second strike caused it to fire. Maybe the nipple is a little too big or the hammer spring may be a little weak???

Problem #2: The cap would pop but the powder charge would not ingnite. I wait for about a minute, then unscrew the nipple, drizzle a few grains of powder in the nipple hole, install nipple, fire and gun goes off.

[Biff Mayhem]

Try these steps after inspecting the lock. Use Pyrodex P (pistol powder). It's the equivalent of FFF. Make sure you are flushing the powder channel with thrusts of  tap water every time you clean the barrel.  That will eliminate a fouling buildup. Try the Splitfire nipple - available at Cabelas.com. Lastly, use these caps. They are the best.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000622105209