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Chain Fire

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Trying to avoid this. I made up some paper cartridges and dipped the ball into beeswax. Is this enough to prevent chain fire or do I have to grease the end of the chambers also? I am using corn meal behind the ball then the powder. You guys that shoot the Ruger Old Army what do you do?

thanks
 
If your using a proper .457 ball that is shaving lead. IMO it's near impossible to get a chain fire from the front.
 
Chain fires happen from the uncapped nipples being exposed to intense heat & flash (in most cases). Having corn meal or COW behind the ball will also help from the front end.

I personally use the wonder-wads and regular black powder (with the balls almost to the end of the chambers). I pinch my #10 caps so they don't fall-off even with 52 grain charges in my Walker! Having a small ring of lead will mean that flame can't get in from around the balls, and the wonder-wad is there for the lube factor :wink: .

Have fun and use the wads. If you insist on using paper soaked in a chemical that is combustible, I suggest using the wonder-lube or Bore Butter over the tops of the balls in the chambers.

Dave
 
It is my opinion that your biggest worry for this issue is ill fitting cap on the nipple.

If you are shaving lead and using a buffer there is pretty much no way you are going to chain fire from the front. I do grease my chambers but that is to keep fouling soft and easier to clean.

Good tight properly fitting caps is the best bet to avoid the issue.
Get a good set of after market nipples.
 
On a hot day Crisco gets pretty soft. After a shot or two the back blast will remove most of the Crisco. I like to use wonder wads and avoid putting goo over the chambers.

BTW, I had a couple of chain fires before I got every thing figured out. A chain fire makes a bit more noise and smoke, but that is about all I ever experienced. :shocked2:

Tight caps, real black powder, wonder wads and a shaved ring of lead works in both my 1858's

Many Klatch
 
What klatch said! Crisco will soften and may run a bit and you can mix with a bit of beeswax but there are better choices that won't smell like a back alley after it ages in the heat. :haha:
 
I am very glad to say that I have never had one! They don't sound like much fun. I use felt wads and well fitting caps.

Geo. T.
 
Cynthialee said:
Yeah a chainfire in a normal issue pistol is a bit more noise and kick, a chainfire in a Walker or a Dragoon is down right startling and attention getting!

And you may find your self standing in your puddle of brake fluid!! Go ahead, ask me how I know!
 
I just started making lubed felt wads and haven't tested them for accuracy yet against Crisco covered chambers but I can tell you they are light years ahead in the mess department.
You also have the same amount of lube in each chamber with wads which doesn't happen when smear lubing over the ball tops.
The other thing I noticed over years of using Crisco is the blow back on your face and shooting glasses of vaporized Crisco when the wind is in your face. MD
 
What are the better choices? I haven't shot this thing in years. The bug hit me again. I loaded a couple of hundred paper cartridges back then and of course still have them. I am not going to rely on them just use them up a the range. I plan to carry it during deer season to use if needed on a wounded deer.

The way I have it set up now is .457 ball, nitrate paper loaded with 3f Goex then corn meal with the ball on top. I dipped the ball in beeswax so when I seat the bullet the beeswax will seal the cylinders. (I hope)

Back then I did get a bunch of felt but never did anything with it. Would be interesting to try.

Question, with round ball what kind of load works best with 3f Goex and Tripple 7?
 
lot of fire around the nipples. make sure caps are a tight fit on the nipple.


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Thumbs, beeswax bursts into flame at 140 degrees. Take a small amount and warm it in a fry pan- on the lowest setting it will ignite- not the stuff you want to seal the ends of the chambers. Crisco is okay.
It sounds like you are using round balls. Why are you using paper (nitrated) shells for the powder? If you are tring to eliminate carrying a powder flask and measure in the field the better option is to make some paper tubes (speed loaders for pistols) This might take an hour or so. Take a square of paper and wrap it around a pencil and glue or tape(glue is better). On the bottom fit a round section of paper- larger than the tube- with slits cut around the edges. Fold the slits up over the sides of the tube and glue or tape- now you have a tube with a bottom in it, a "speed loader". Follow the same technique- wrapping a shorter square around the top of your tube- this will form the cap to put over the tube.
An altoid canister will hold about 24 of these paper tubes plus round balls, pre-lubed wads, and caps- everything you need for four extra cylinders of ammunition for taking your revolver on the trail. I made my tubes years ago and they are still in good shape. At home- before the outing, measure the powder charges and a charge in each paper tube. That and the pre-lubed felt wads make a really convenient set up for trail use. Use tissue paper in the altoid can to hold everything tight so nothing rattles around.
 
Blizzard of 93 said:
lot of fire around the nipples. make sure caps are a tight fit on the nipple.


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Bliz:

Always knew you'd back me up, lol! GREAT photo too! What model Colt is that?

Dave
 
All good comments here.
The thing to remember though is the lube in the end of the cylinder is not necessarily to prevent "chain fire" but instead to lubricate the ball as it enters the barrel.

Toomuch
--------
Shoot Flint
 
I have come to believe that chain fires are brought about by imporperly fitting caps, nipple orifice erosion and occasionally a weakened hammer spring.
If the caps are being routinely expelled from the nipple than they are not sealing the blow back pressure. When this links up with caps falling off loaded chambers in the fallowing shots, a chain fire would seem imminent.
Hammers being blown back to half cock and primer caps being blown off the cones need to be addressed and corrected.
Caps should remain on nipples after chamber discharge even though split. Mike D.
 

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