After shooting a dozen or so shots with my Traditions Hawken, the surrounding area around the drum, lock and barrel have a build up of "soot" . I'm sure to some degree this is normal but how much would be considered and issue ? Some of the soot is built up on the wood of the stock, is this of concern ? What are your thoughts on the matter ? -Thanks
Acceptable nipple blow back ?
- Thread starter kyron4
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just clean it up after every time you shoot
it is a shooting gun, not a wall hanger, wear and tear is to be expected
it is a shooting gun, not a wall hanger, wear and tear is to be expected
Justin.44
54 Cal.
Sounds like a normal amount to me, though I'd have to see pics to see if it's an excessive amount. When I go to clean my rifles, after removing the barrel, I wipe all those areas with a rag sprayed with a little moose milk (1:7 Ballistol and water mix). Then do the pumping of warm water and dish soap up and down the barrel and it all cleans up just fine.
All that cap flash has to go somewhere. It can't all go thru the tiny hole in the nipple. Sounds normal to me.
Dave
Dave
When the blowback sets the hammer back to half cock is when you should be concerned. That would take an enormous amount of erosion and enlargement of the nipple. I have seen people drill out the nipple to make the weapon more reliable and cause that much blowback..................Bob
If the cap residue bothers you, you could always get a "flash cup" to go on the drum. It will require cleaning also, but comes off with the nipple. The only problem is that sometimes the flash cup will interfere with the use of a capper.
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Agree with all of the above comments. Nothing to worry about, just be sure to clean it 
.
I might guess that different brands and maybe types (no11 vs musket) of caps may produce differing amounts of residue. But wether it's alot or a little has never been of any concern to me as long as the rifle goes off as it should.
. I might guess that different brands and maybe types (no11 vs musket) of caps may produce differing amounts of residue. But wether it's alot or a little has never been of any concern to me as long as the rifle goes off as it should.
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If when the rifle is shot the hammer is blown back to half cock the nipple is worn out and should be replaced.A worn out nipple will affect accuracy.
If that buildup of soot at the drum is a bother, then the flash cup is a good choice. You do need enough threads in the nipple to seat the flash cup and you want the tallest edge nearest the stock. Several vendors offer flash cups. Ted Cash makes them in brass or German silver.
https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=4485385.2565&p_id=18761&xm=on
hanshi
Cannon
I have only one rifle with a drum and have a brass shot cup on the nipple. I'm not worried about the area around the nipple but do have concerns that something could come back at ME! True, just clean it off; it's just one of the characteristics of sidelocks.
bubba.50
Barefoot Hillbilly
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My very first muzzler was a Renegade kit bought back in the early 1970's. Right out of the box after finishing it 70 grains behind a maxi-ball would put it on half-cock. 90 to 100 grains would sometimes put it on full-cock. As all I knew about blackpowder guns was from reading and never seeing this mentioned and being the perfect combination of young naive and ignorant I assumed this was SOP sort of like a built-in semi-auto feature for the next shot. Must'a shot that thing 1000 times before changing the nipple & discovering how lucky I'd been. Especially since I'm lefty and shooting a right-hand gun.
Flash around the nipple is tolerable.
Nipple blow back to half cock or full cock is unacceptable.
Nipple blow back to half cock or full cock is unacceptable.
I think you are confused with the phrase blow back. Soot and black around the nipple area are acceptable. Gasses escaping from the nipple and smudging the gun is normal ...it has a hole in it for pete's sake...but so much gas that it involves the mechanical movement of the hammer is "no bueno". The hammer blowing back to half cock/full cock is what most people call blowback.
As others have said, its normal to have some residue around the nipple. My son shot my percussion .56 smoothbore as it was getting dark after a recent grouse hunt. I filmed him shooting it and he sent me a still image from the video. I was a bit surprised by the amount of flash at the nipple. You don't really notice it when you shoot. It will definitely leave some residue around the nipple.
Good morning Bob. I have been a muzzleloader shooter for some years, at least off and on, But I'm not a purest, so I do shoot synthetic black powders when I can. One of my hobbies is measuring things, and it seems most new nipples measure about .026 Diameter hole. If I enlarge that to a .030 or .031, it does away with misfires. I don't experience blowback to halfcock Unless the hole goes above .036-7. It takes a long time for me to get it that big as I do not load heavy or shoot every weekend. I do use black, But only in my flintlock.
Squint
Lot of good replies here. Original question was about "blow back". Poster may not understand that term means the hammer gets blown back off the nipple with each shot. But, what is described is simply part of this game. The ignition is getting the rifle dirty. Live with it but be sure to clean completely after each outing.
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as said, a bit of soot is OK, but if the hammer blows back to the half cock position, you need a new nipple.
soot is OK ... really ... nothing to get upset over - completely normal.
go out and Make Good Smoke
soot is OK ... really ... nothing to get upset over - completely normal.
go out and Make Good Smoke
