Check that load

[Brokenbear]

Well just to share a reminder that we have to be ever vigilant as we handle our weapons ...
I took my low serial numbered Parker Hale 1861 Enfield Muskatoon to the range to clear the load from my last hunt ..(expected to go again but kidney stone nixed that)
Anyway I wanted to clear the load as well as tune back in to it getting ready for the up coming primitive weapons deer season ...
Target in place and I thankfully remembered to run the rod down the bore knowing .578 sized/lubed mini ball bullet is at best "thumb tight" ..
Imagine my intake of breath when the rod stopped 9 inches from the seated mark

Just saying ...Merry CHRISTmas to all only
Bear

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Let's hear the rest of the story! Was it the ball moved forward or something else?

 

[Brokenbear]

Let's hear the rest of the story! Was it the ball moved forward or something else?

The Mini ball had moved down the barrel towards the muzzle that far ..
Other factors to add are I store muzzleloaders muzzle down .. also when hunting in rain I carry muzzle down and under a poncho .. (which I had done)
But I think what everyone shooting greased mini balls fitted bullet to bore for accuracy do not have the friction/tightness say a patched ball would have ..so it tells me to change the bullet to bore in some way to get a reliable hunting load that does not require the ram rod test before shooting!!!

Bear

 

[WonkyEye]

Yikes, I get scared this might happen with with conicals. Once they're pat the muzzle the slip right down. Now I think I need to test and hold it upside down and shake it a bunch.

 

[SDSmlf]

Well just to share a reminder that we have to be ever vigilant as we handle our weapons ...
I took my low serial numbered Parker Hale 1861 Enfield Muskatoon to the range to clear the load from my last hunt ..(expected to go again but kidney stone nixed that)
Anyway I wanted to clear the load as well as tune back in to it getting ready for the up coming primitive weapons deer season ...
Target in place and I thankfully remembered to run the rod down the bore knowing .578 sized/lubed mini ball bullet is at best "thumb tight" ..
Imagine my intake of breath when the rod stopped 9 inches from the seated mark

Just saying ...Merry CHRISTmas to all only
Bear

The Mini ball had moved down the barrel towards the muzzle that far ..
Other factors to add are I store muzzleloaders muzzle down .. also when hunting in rain I carry muzzle down and under a poncho .. (which I had done)
But I think what everyone shooting greased mini balls fitted bullet to bore for accuracy do not have the friction/tightness say a patched ball would have ..so it tells me to change the bullet to bore in some way to get a reliable hunting load that does not require the ram rod test before shooting!!!

Bear

Similar experiences here. One has to be careful. I have one faster twist Investarm 50 caliber gun (actually a Cabelas’ branded gun) that you can actually hear the greased conical move and clunk in the bore, particularly in warmer weather. Most likely the bore is slightly larger towards the breech, but never got a response from Investarm or Cabelas after contacting them…. Ultimately found a properly sized paperpatch conical would stay on the powder even after repeatedly dropping the gun muzzle down in a rubber pad. I have found other solutions, but paperpatching was the simplest, other than a patched roundball which may not perform well out of some fast twist bores.

Personally, if using a conical in a hunting situation I have gone to a paperpatching just for my own peace of mind, though I know others will disagree and that is fine with me.

 

[Hawk54]

Same thing happened to a friend of mine with a TC .54 Renegade. We came out of the woods at near dark from deer hunting. I fired my .50. He then fired his .54. Heckuva bang and flash with a big recoil. He turned and looked at me with an astonished look. When it went off it blew the hammer back to half cock. We figured that when he climbed up in his tree stand he carried it up by sling with the muzzle down. He was using a minnie ball and it must have slid partway back toward the muzzle when the rifle was turned muzzle down. It is a testament to how well Thompson Center rifles are built as it did nothing to the rifle. He always checked to make sure the round was seated after that.

 

[andy52]

It pays to be a thinking man you never know what you may get into otherwise.
I just bought a group of Dixon and Hawksley powder flasks and got them two days ago.
I figured it would be a good idea to check them for powder sure nuf' turned one over and opened the spout, and out came 2F powder, and this was shipped USPS.

 

[Hawk54]

It pays to be a thinking man you never know what you may get into otherwise.
I just bought a group of Dixon and Hawksley powder flasks and got them two days ago.
I figured it would be a good idea to check them for powder sure nuf' turned one over and opened the spout, and out came 2F powder, and this was shipped USPS.

Same thing happened to me last year. Bought a powder horn and possibles bag off Ebay. When I got it the powder horn was heavy. It was full to the top with 2f powder and it was shipped USPS. Near a pound of powder.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

Great post and reminder. I will implement that into my ritual before heading into the woods. I've never checked the load TBH. My hunting PRB load is a pretty tight fit, I don't expect it to move or have I had anything weird when shooting it to clear. But either way I'll check from now on. I suspect the Conicals might move as they are a looser fit..