Discouraging start to muzzleloading

[hung load]

After assembling, blueing and finishing my Traditions Deerhunter, .54, I loaded up on all the necessary equipment, including cast bullets of my very own making and headed to the range. I must have read hundreds of pages on muzzleloading, procedures, methods, loads, casting, etc.

I loaded the rifle, put in a cap, pulled the trigger, and.......pop! The cap went off but no big BANG. Same with the second cap.

Well, long story short, I made a number of mistakes that I guess only come with experience.

a) forgot to clean the bore and breech of oil residue from storage before loading
b) didn't bring any sort of pick or pipe cleaner to clean out the nipple
c) realized too late that the diameter of my cleaning accessories, particularly the ball puller, were different than my rod and thus wouldn't fit.

So, my loaded barrel is soaking in a can of water while I wait for my CO2 discharger to arrive.

BTW, where can I find a rod with the appropriate threads to accept traditional muzzleloading cleaning jigs?

Thanks!

 

[walruskid1]

first, welcome to the forum. second, hang in there. its a learning curve that we all go through. :thumbsup:

 

[Landngroove]

Try October Country, for ramrods. A 10/32 thread is standard for ramrod implements. 1-800-735-6348.[url] www.octobercountry.com[/url]. Also after running patches down the bore before initial firing, snap off a few caps, to dry out, and clear the flash channel. Don't be discouraged, we all made similar errors when first starting out.

 

[chipper]

I wouldn't be very hard on yourself, everyone on this forum has probably done something simular or worse. I shot my ramrod once as a kid. Every shoot I go to I see simular stuck ball problems daily. Most black powder ranges have a Co2 ball discharger handy just for that reason.

There are at least 2 types of screw sizes I'm aware of that fit cleaning rods 8/32 and 10/32. Track of the wolf even sells an adaptor that will enable you to work both sizes.

Regards
Wounded Knee

 

[Zonie]

First, I would suggest you pull your barrel out of the water. It's not likely that the water will soak the powder and if it does, and you are really going to wait until your discharger gets there, you will have a severly rusted bore.

To keep it safe until then, remove the nipple (if you haven't already done that) and store the barrel somewhere where others can't get to it.

If you stop and think about this, the loaded barrel without the nipple on it is the equivalent of a loaded but unprimed thick walled black powder cartridge.
I know dozens of folks who have thin walled fully loaded and primed cartridges at their houses and they don't think a thing about it.

As for the ramrod, some gun stores have them and those who don't can order one for you.
Be sure you know which thread size you want.
There are two common thread sizes for cleaning tips/accessories. a #8-32 and a #10-32. If your jag, etc are too large to fit your rod, then your rod is threaded for the #8. If your jag, etc are too large, your rod is threaded for the #10.

By the way, if the thread in the rod is too small (#8) you can rethread the rod to a #10 by buying a #21 drill bit and a #10-32 tap. Drill out the existing threads and rethread the hole with the new tap.

If your going to do a lot of target shooting you might want to send away to TOTW, Dixie or MLB and buy a nice steel rod. If you get one of these, dont forget to get the nylon (or brass) tapered collar that fits the rod and protects the muzzle.

 

[Norskie]

I had a caplock one time that would! not! go! off! until I debreeched the sucker and removed a gob of metal shavings. (Not a job for beginners.)That importer no longer sells sidelocks, and I think that's a good thing.
Hey, pull your barrel out of the water before it rusts; the charge is dead, now.

 

[OTHERN]

As the others have indicated, you are now one of us! :grin: We have all done all of or most of what you did, so not to worry.

Othern

 

[Slenk]

You can Get adapters at the good gun shops that will allow 8-32 threads to 10-32 treads or the other way also.
Slenk

 

[gordy]

Sounds like the others here have answerd Your questions,so I'll just say WELCOME! :grin:

 

[Keppy]

Yes welcome to muzzleloaders and the forum.
And you thought your the only one that's ever done that. If thats all that happens you'll do just fine. Just read the forum and learn. I just started this game and its just a whole bunch of fun.
Hacksaw

 

[hung load]

I really appreciate all the replies. Pulling the barrel out of the water now and looking up some rod info. Thanks everyone. Cheers.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

The way I look at this is you learned a whole bunch at one range session without wasting a bunch of ammo.

Good luck I am sure you will be fine too bad you didn't have a mentor shooting with you on your first time out.

I didn't have a mentor either and was so nervous about the gun blowing up or not firing that I felt miserable and exhillerated at the same time. I did not have all these forums like we have today and I sure wish I did.

 

[marwat06]

Weclome to the club. Sound like my first time out at the range. I almost took my M/L and threw it in the trash I was so mad. It get better. Now I am getting my son into the sports.

 

[Throckmorton]

Our first outing was very very similiar.

How were we to know that lumpy Pyrodex was n ot a good thing??
As to the stuck ball,we learned a trick....buy two 'screws',but the tapered tip off of one of 'em,and if the first one don't grab it good,the cut off one will. :thumbsup:

Now if we could get better than 6" groups at fifty yards.!! :hmm:
We're working on that groups thing.

 

[jderrick]

I got a 10/32 aluminum rod at Bass Pro a few months back. Not period accurate for any time... but it works.

I came back from a fishing trip once all ticked off because everything had gone wrong. An old, old fisherman I knew said that if everything had gone right, it wouldn't have been fishing :grin:

Sorry, trying to be deep. Hope it's going better!

 

[Mad Professor]

Next time you can't get a charge to fire try taking off the nipple and adding some fresh powder. Put the nipple back on and try again. 9 times out of 10 you'll get the main charge to fire

 

[Stumpkiller]

a) forgot to clean the bore and breech of oil residue from storage before loading

Pop two caps before loading next time (with the muzzle pointing at the ground so you can see if it blows clear - and for safety).

I soak a patch in alcohol and swab the bore, then a dry patch, then a lightly lubed patch not quite run the length of the bore to pre-lube before I head out to shoot. By the way. You don't need to soak the bore in oil after cleaning. Just a light coating. If you think of it, setting the firearm muzzle down the day before shooting and leaving it overnight can give gravity a chance to give you a head start.

A small paper clip wire should pass through a nipple and makes a good pick. A large paper clip wire should not (poor man's go-no go gauges).

 

[musketman]

I really appreciate all the replies. Pulling the barrel out of the water now and looking up some rod info. Thanks everyone. Cheers.

Don't forget to oil it...

Also, tag your barrel as loaded, just because you know it's loaded doesn't mean everyone else in your home does...

Why take any chances...

 

[sweible]

Had the same thing happen to me (8/32 puller and 10/32 rod ). I pulled an old 30 cal. cleaning rod out
of my kit that just happened to have 8/32 threads and
screwed my puller to that. Ran it down the barrel and
applied pressure to the rod and turned it some pliars
to pick up the ball then just pulled her out.
Good luck.

 

[RedFeather]

Saw a tip once that suggested fitting a small drill bit to a rod tip, maybe centered in a button to keep it aligned. This bit is used first to drill a small hole in the projectile. This hole not only guides the puller screw but also displaces a bit of lead so that the screwdoes no swell the bullet up and make it tighter.

RedFeather