Chainfires - the skinny? Maybe....

[CaptainVane]

Take what i say with a grain of manure. I use a lubed felt wad (track of wolf) for between powder and ball. To prevent chain fire, I hope, works so far.
Now about a month or so ago i started putting a tiny dab of TC bore butter on top of ball. Not enough to cover ball, just a tiny bit i scrape in chamber from finger. And i swear i can get thru a 3 hour session at range without having to break down the Colt and clean fouling. Sometimes i skip a round. But for me it really works. As they used to say in the old Brylcreem commercials, a little dab will do ya.

 

[Eutycus]

Shooters have been arguing for years about where chain fires come about, front or back of the cylinder.Why does it have to be either or? Couldn't it be either one or both? Could there possibly be more than one source?

 

[TrapperDude]

Shooters have been arguing for years about where chain fires come about, front or back of the cylinder.Why does it have to be either or? Couldn't it be either one or both? Could there possibly be more than one source?

Preventing them requires accurately determining their origin. That means looking at causes that have been effectively duplicated. From there, shooters know what to avoid.

Anything else is just a distraction from that objective. That's why there's a debate about it.

 

[Eutycus]

And that origin is? That's kind of an individual thing isn't it? Shooter A may have a different set of circumstances than Shooter B.

 

[TrapperDude]

And that origin is? That's kind of an individual thing isn't it? Shooter A may have a different set of circumstances than Shooter B.

Read the previous posts. It's already been discussed at great length.

 

[Eutycus]

Read the previous posts. It's already been discussed at great length.

It has, hasn't it? So what's the conclusion?

 

[TrapperDude]

It has, hasn't it? So what's the conclusion?

They come from the front as a result of poor powder management and/or undersized balls.

 

[Eutycus]

All chainfires or just yours? But it does sound logical.

 

[TrapperDude]

All chainfires or just yours? But it does sound logical.

Those are the chain fires that people have been able to deliberately reproduce. I've never had one, myself, because I pour cleanly, and I use appropriate projectiles.

Read my earlier post about someone who deliberately left caps off of loaded chambers as well as a post from someone else here who did the same. They couldn't duplicate them from the rear at all.

 

[Eutycus]

Some accidents can't be exactly reproduced or duplicated. ALL elements have to be in the right place. Or is the wrong place?

 

[TrapperDude]

Some accidents can't be exactly reproduced or duplicated. ALL elements have to be in the right place. Or is the wrong place?

If a mishap can't be reproduced, then either it was of a supernatural origin, or the actual origin wasn't properly determined. Things happen for a reason.

 

[Eutycus]

If a mishap can't be reproduced, then either it was of a supernatural origin, or the actual origin wasn't properly determined. Things happen for a reason.

Thank you , you just answered it for many people. "It can't be determined". Around here the only kind of supernatural falls in the miracle-by-God department. I've never had a chain fire,intentionally or by accident.

 

[Sir Boniface Harrison]

Thats one girl I would never have dated

You're kidding??! I wish there were gals like that round here...

 

[Eutycus]

You're kidding??! I wish there were gals like that round here...

I've mentioned that she is the splitting image of a neice of mine,down to the dangling cigarette. I've even heard her mention her "hand cannon".

 

[TrapperDude]

Thank you , you just answered it for many people. "It can't be determined". Around here the only kind of supernatural falls in the miracle-by-God department.

Well, chain fire origins have been accurately determined through experimentation, and the experimentation points to the front of the cylinder. Anyone who has had a chain fire and can't tell what caused can be foregiven for not being able to determine its origin if they didn't intentionally cause it. It's pretty hard to track the progress of a chain fire that erupts in one's hands unexpectedly.

I've never had a chain fire,intentionally or by accident.

Then you pour your powder properly and use properly sized balls.

 

[CaptainVane]

I've mentioned that she is the splitting image of a neice of mine,down to the dangling cigarette. I've even heard her mention her "hand cannon".

Sounds like my mistress. Aint bringing her home for Sunday dinner at Moms, but dam, Saturday days/nights are fun.

 

[Eutycus]

Well, chain fire origins have been accurately determined through experimentation, and the experimentation points to the front of the cylinder. Anyone who has had a chain fire and can't tell what caused can be foregiven for not being able to determine its origin if they didn't intentionally cause it. It's pretty hard to track the progress of a chain fire that erupts in one's hands unexpectedly.

Then you pour your powder properly and use properly sized balls.

Hey how do I get off of this "debate"? I'm pretty much agreeing with you. The vast majority of chain fires probably do come from the front. I'm just saying that possibly a small percentage (5% maybe) might be from the nipples.

 

[TrapperDude]

Hey how do I get off of this "debate"?

You must disavow that 5% caveat until you find evidence to support it.

 

[Whitworth]

Take what i say with a grain of manure. I use a lubed felt wad (track of wolf) for between powder and ball. To prevent chain fire, I hope, works so far.
Now about a month or so ago i started putting a tiny dab of TC bore butter on top of ball. Not enough to cover ball, just a tiny bit i scrape in chamber from finger. And i swear i can get thru a 3 hour session at range without having to break down the Colt and clean fouling. Sometimes i skip a round. But for me it really works. As they used to say in the old Brylcreem commercials, a little dab will do ya.

I do the same with a vegetable based oil, just a drop or two that seals around the ball. Most grease gets blown out of adjacent cylinders on the first shot anyway. YMMV

 

[Texas guns]

For over 3 decades I simply use lubed wads (Ox-Yoke back in the day, and the Cabela's brand now) between ball & powder in my .36 cal 1851s and can run a 3-day match match without fussing with the guns from beginning to end. A single day match consists of 30 shots per gun over the course of about 4 hours of competition. Start loading before the 1st stage, (Usually around 9am), ending about 1 pm. I do my relads while others are shooting each stage, so no delay to the match. Pack the innards with synthetic grease, liberally grease the arbor and cylinder ratchet after each clealing session and I don't have do it again until I clean again. With a fairly tight cylinder gap on Colt type lockwork fouling is mostly spit down the barrel. I load with the gun assembled on a stand, keep powder off the cylinder face and have no problems.

Thank you