Do you have a muzzleloader with an inexplicable problem?

[Widows Son]

I’m curious if anyone has a persistent issue or problem with a muzzleloader that you simply can’t fix?

For example, I’ve got a side by side shotgun and after about 6-7 shots the right barrel will misfire and get clogged up. The left barrel never does. I’ve been down in that breech with a scope and see no difference between it and the left barrel. I load each barrel the exact same way. I’ve tried different kinds of percussion caps and different kinds of nipples but, alas, the mysterious misfires remain. Even putting powder under the nipple and picking it clean through will not help, and I have to pull the load.

Maybe I need an exorcist?

Anyone else with weirdness in your guns?

 

[SDSmlf]

I’m curious if anyone has a persistent issue or problem with a muzzleloader that you simply can’t fix?

For example, I’ve got a side by side shotgun and after about 6-7 shots the right barrel will misfire and get clogged up. The left barrel never does. I’ve been down in that breech with a scope and see no difference between it and the left barrel. I load each barrel the exact same way. I’ve tried different kinds of percussion caps and different kinds of nipples but, alas, the mysterious misfires remain. Even putting powder under the nipple and picking it clean through will not help, and I have to pull the load.

Maybe I need an exorcist?

Anyone else with weirdness in your guns?

Assuming the bore is clear and oil free, difficult to try understand without more details. It’s been a few weeks, but shot two rounds of sheet (50 shots, 25 each barrel) out of my 12 gauge Pedersoli double without any misfires or human intervention. Now this gun is basically an in-line, with little between the base of the nipple and the powder charge, though we don’t know what gun you are shooting. As far as a load, I was using Swiss 3F and RWS 1075 Plus caps, though CCI #11 and #11 mag caps also work fine.

Any chance you are swabbing between shots or using a substitute powder?

 

[Widows Son]

Thanks for your reply

My shotgun is a Pedersoli 12 gauge with cylinder bores ( no chokes).
I don’t clean between shots, just use a mildly greased felt wad between powder and shot. As I said, the left barrel is always reliable. For some mysterious reason the right barrel only gives misfires.
I’ve tried fg, ffg & fffg powder (Wano and also 5FA blasting/firecracker powder). No difference in performance.

All I can think is there must be some tiny little obstruction in the breech of the right barrel that clogs up when it gets too dirty.

But damn if I can find it!

 

[Songwriter]

I offer no real help here but I wonder, if you brought it to the Northern Hemisphere, would the problem change to the left barrel.