.54 renegade

[Griz44Mag]

Depending on what was used to finish your stock, brake cleaner, carb cleaner & other aerosol cleaners can damage the finish. Best to take the barrel out of the stock first or provide some kind of protection for the wood.

Agreed.
I should have added that. All of my percussion guns are hooked breech, as the OP's gun is also.
Use brake cleaner intelligently - wide open area with good air flow too!

 

[flashpoint]

Depending on what was used to finish your stock, brake cleaner, carb cleaner & other aerosol cleaners can damage the finish. Best to take the barrel out of the stock first or provide some kind of protection for the wood.

Now that's a good idea.

 

[BadDaditood]

I gave up brake cleaner years ago...
got it in my eyes too many times!!

 

[Griz44Mag]

I gave up brake cleaner years ago...
got it in my eyes too many times!!

Did you forget to read the warning labels?????? LOL, IIRC - that is specifically mentioned in the instructions!

 

[Idaho Ron]

There are many reasons a rifle will hang fire. Most of it has already been covered but I will add my .02

When I load for the first time after cleaning I send a clean patch down the barrel. I fire a couple caps to purge any oils and it will show as a burnt patch.
When cleaning after a shot I do the same thing. I put a clean patch on the jag send it down and fire a couple caps. The caps will push any wet fouling to the patch and the patch will remove it. If just fired down the barrel the fouling can and will stick to the inside of the barrel. The next powder charge will attach its self to the wet fouling and you have a bad load.

When loading the gun turn the rifle on its side with the snail. After pouring the powder in tap the stock. This will make the gun vibrate and the powder will flow better into the snail and under the nipple.

If you are using a Sub powder because that is all you have available I would seriously look at Pyrodex P. The finer grains will flow better into the snail.
While I'm on the topic of Sub powders. Pyrodex P will ignite better with a nipple that has a flash hole of .034 a shot out nipple will be .038 so watch the size close.
Some nipples like the Track of the wolf hot shot comes to you at .026 that nipple is going to give you trouble with sub powders.

Finally I am adding a video that covers everything I have mentioned here except the nipple size. I know it is long but it covers a lot of info that has helped me.