Chain fire Question

[Pigman]

In the event of a chain fire do you drop the revolver or hang on to it?

Foster From Flint

 

[grampaJ]

Only man I know that a chainfire happened to hung onto his so he could control shot directions. BTW he's heard the discussion about it being unnecessary if a ring is shaved off in the loading sequence. Still uses a beeswax and tallow that he melts up together and uses anyhow while making comments about being safe than sorry and not wanting somethings to ever happen again. FWIW 2 cents worth. GrampaJ in NC

 

[R.M.]

Never had one myself, but the couple that I've been near, happened so fast that I doubt anybody would be quick enough to react.
Also realize that a chamber igniting, is doing so, in a very short barrel if you will, just the chamber itself. The powder doesn't have a long barrel to burn all the powder and create much velocity.

 

[rafterob]

Hang on for dear life!

 

[J.D.]

Hang on for dear life!

IMHO, while chain fires can be surprising when it happens, they are not that bad.

Back when I was young, dumb, and didn't know beans about BP guns, I had a cheap Italian brass frame revolver that I never saw lube over the balls. Didn't know I was supposed to, back then, so I had lots of chain fires until someone told me how to prevent them.

Again, they are not the ideal, but IMHO, they are not that big of a deal, either. Just hang on tight to keep the rounds going in a safe direction. Yehaaw :rotf: :rotf:

God bless

 

[ChairForce1]

Never had one myself, but the couple that I've been near, happened so fast that I doubt anybody would be quick enough to react.
Also realize that a chamber igniting, is doing so, in a very short barrel if you will, just the chamber itself. The powder doesn't have a long barrel to burn all the powder and create much velocity.

The derringer used to put a bullet in President Lincoln's head didn't either.

 

[Darkgael]

Does anyone know what the mechanism is in a chain fire? What actually happens to set of the other cylinders?
This is not a "set-up" question. I really don't know.
It would seem, on the surface, that a press fit tight enough to shave off a ring of lead (I use a Wonder Wad also over the powder.)should be enough to keep a spark or a flame away from the powder.
But people do have chainfires, don't they.
Any reports of lube topped chambers chain firing?
Pete

 

[biliff]

Given an otherwise sound cylinder and a proper fitting ball, I think most chain fires occur from the back when caps come off of unfired chambers during recoil. There's an awful lot of fire bouncing around the back of these things and poor cap/nipple fit is a common problem.

As far as how bad it is, I remember an article in the Cowboy Chronicle where some shooters deliberately fired an unaligned chamber to see where the ball ended up. They also chronographed a chamber only ball. It was a pretty extensive experiment.

If memory serves the ball was doing 160fps (.44). Not all that fast but it would hurt pretty good if it hit somebody.

The ball tended to bounce off the frame and go off at about a 45 degree angle. Don't remember if they fired the bottom chamber or not so can't say what that one did.

 

[Don]

A ball going 160fps is about how fast it would be going if shot from a slingshot. Dang painful and potentially very dangerous if it hit someone in the head or face. Chain fires may not be lethal but I always try to remember either wads or crisco when I shoot my revolvers.

Don

 

[longfowler]

the only time this has happened to me, I was able to trace it to recoil causing the caps to hit the frame, so technicaly it wan't a "chainfire". on my walker, it would fire the 2 cylinders on the left side, and filling the recoil shield down on that side fixed it. Like R. M. said, it happens so fast you can't react. everytime it ocurred, it took me a moment to realize what happened - like a semiauto doubling or a side by side shotgun firing both barrels - kinda fun in a scary sorta way, if you like recoil!

 

[bingo1952]

This is one instance where lower powder charges may gice more velocity than a full chamber would. The ball being rammed deeper will give a slightly longer "Barrel" for the ball to build up more steam. JMO

 

[mykeal]

Does anyone know what the mechanism is in a chain fire? What actually happens to set of the other cylinders?
This is not a "set-up" question. I really don't know.
It would seem, on the surface, that a press fit tight enough to shave off a ring of lead (I use a Wonder Wad also over the powder.)should be enough to keep a spark or a flame away from the powder.
But people do have chainfires, don't they.
Any reports of lube topped chambers chain firing?
Pete

Chain fires can and do start from either end.

Yes, given a good seal at the front, whether from a proper fitting ball or a grease or lubed wad seal, you won't get an ignition from the front. But, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD SEAL, like a void in the ball that's exposed by shaving a lead ring, or an oblate (non-spherical) ball that shaves a ring that's incomplete, etc. etc. etc....well, you get the picture.

Ignition from the rear can occur due to a poorly fitting cap (one that's been severely pinched out of shape, or a loose one) or a cap that's fallen off.

Ignition in an adjacent chamber is actually caused not by sparks but by hot gasses. Black powder ignites not from flame or spark but from heat (which, coincidentally seems to accompany flames and sparks, but is also present in hot combustion gasses). Those hot gasses can find their way through some very small openings, along crooked paths and into tiny crevices. If they don't retain their heat throughout the journey, they won't set off the powder when they get to it, but the next time the gas may be hot enough. So, just because what you do one time (or many times) doesn't result in a chain fire there's no guarantee it will be the same next time. The best you can do is make sure the ball fits properly, use a grease or lubed wad seal (for a little insurance) and make sure the caps fit and stay on.

Here's a little incentive:

That's not a chain fire; it's one round from a chamber that's in battery. There's plenty of reason there to be sure the adjacent chambers are sealed.

 

[JayDee Flohr]

Great photo! But why is the hammer at full cock? Nipples worn?


Never mind, figured it out. :surrender:

 

[R.M.]

The derringer used to put a bullet in President Lincoln's head didn't either.

The chamber of a revolver, only being what, an inch or so deep, gives a much shorter length than Boothe's derringer.

 

[renovato]

If memory serves the ball was doing 160fps (.44). Not all that fast but it would hurt pretty good if it hit somebody.

That sounds about right. A few years back, we had a guy at the range loading the cylinder of his revolver. He laid it on the bench and it rolled off, striking the leg of the bench. It fired a chamber down the firing line and hit a shooter in the shoulder a few stations down. It left a bruise but didn't penetrate.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

If memory serves the ball was doing 160fps (.44). Not all that fast but it would hurt pretty good if it hit somebody.

That sounds about right. A few years back, we had a guy at the range loading the cylinder of his revolver. He laid it on the bench and it rolled off, striking the leg of the bench. It fired a chamber down the firing line and hit a shooter in the shoulder a few stations down. It left a bruise but didn't penetrate.

:shocked2: THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T CAP UNTIL THE CYLINDER IS IN THE REVOLVER!

THAT GUY WOULD GET SOME TIME OFF AND NOT BE ALLOWED TO SHOW HIS FACE AT OUR CLUB FOR SEVERAL MONTHS! :nono: :shake: :cursing:

Dave

 

[Rogue River]

I have never witnessed a chain fire! What does it do to the frame when the bottom chamber fires?

 

[mykeal]

I have never witnessed a chain fire! What does it do to the frame when the bottom chamber fires?

In both of the events I witnessed the guns were not damaged. Dirty, with lots of fouling from burned powder, and some lead shavings, but no damgae to the steel. Steel is harder than lead.

Can't say for sure as I had no direct evidence, but I suspect the shooter's BVD's did not fare as well in both cases. It appeared they walked a little funny, but that may have just been an optical illusion.

 

[Hawkeye]

There is an interesting article in the Nov 2009 Muzzle Blasts about chain fires in percussion revolvers. The Bevel Brothers had a tussle getting one to chain fire on purpose. I highly suggest it as a good read.

Hawkeye

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I have never witnessed a chain fire! What does it do to the frame when the bottom chamber fires?

In both of the events I witnessed the guns were not damaged. Dirty, with lots of fouling from burned powder, and some lead shavings, but no damgae to the steel. Steel is harder than lead.

Can't say for sure as I had no direct evidence, but I suspect the shooter's BVD's did not fare as well in both cases. It appeared they walked a little funny, but that may have just been an optical illusion.

:surrender: Optical illusion indeed :bull: :rotf: :haha: . I'd say they'd had an official A.D.: ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE :shocked2: :haha: :rotf: :grin: .

Still can't get over the rolling capped cylinder falling off of the loading table at the line. If our club were to run a "speed" event for revolvers we'd let you use two or three at your belt, in appropriate holsters, and maybe one on the strong side with a Mexican carry. That would be enough to do a timed team shoot for chopping a 2x4.

Dave