Firing a Cap Before Loading

[snubnose57]

Well, I run a dry patch down the barrel, and then a pick through the nipple.
Same thing, but the chambers in my revolvers instead of the barrel.
Save my caps for shooting.

 

[fistmil]

Percussion or flint flush & wipe w alcohol ,dry night before. Never had a miss fire or hang fire

 

[THBailey]

FWIW, I speculate there are about as many methods for hunt prep as there is hunters prepping for a hunt. And I would also guess that back in the day few folks wasted caps.

My prep starts when I last cleaned the gun. I use the old boiling soapy water swab out method, and I take off the nipple and throw it in the pot of water while I heat the water up and swab the barrel. The nipple is then the last thing that comes out of the water, rub it clean with a rag, blow it out, and make sure I can see daylight through it. Just a touch of lube on the male threads only and reinstall, and very light application of bore preservative, store muzzle down. On the next hunt just load and shoot without further ado. And, with my shotguns, I ram the overpowder wad down the bore with enthusiasm, the woosh of air out the nipple confirms all is good.

 

[leadhoarder]

I am new here and fairly new to traditional muzzleloading so bear with me if I make a dumb statement.

I have been reading this thread and many more. There seems to be a lack of consensus on everything. There seem to be many groups of thought on how to do everything.

What about using brake cleaner to flush the nipple before loading? Give it a blast or two letting it evaporate then run a patch or two to check the bore for residue?

 

[Okie Hog]

What about using brake cleaner to flush the nipple before loading? Give it a blast or two letting it evaporate then run a patch or two to check the bore for residue?

Overkill.

For years i removed oil from the bore using alcohol. Now i wet a patch with Powder Blast followed by a dry patch. The nipple and the flash channel have been previously cleaned using a bristled pipe cleaner. Lean the rifle lock side down when loading powder then give the stock a couple smacks with the hand. This allows powder to enter the bolster or flash channel.

 

[FishDFly]

I am new here and fairly new to traditional muzzleloading so bear with me if I make a dumb statement.

I have been reading this thread and many more. There seems to be a lack of consensus on everything. There seem to be many groups of thought on how to do everything.

What about using brake cleaner to flush the nipple before loading? Give it a blast or two letting it evaporate then run a patch or two to check the bore for residue?

You Sir, are a very very astute person and a quick learner, there is no consensus here at all.

In summation, each person's way is the best and only way.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

I am new here and fairly new to traditional muzzleloading so bear with me if I make a dumb statement.

I have been reading this thread and many more. There seems to be a lack of consensus on everything. There seem to be many groups of thought on how to do everything.

What about using brake cleaner to flush the nipple before loading? Give it a blast or two letting it evaporate then run a patch or two to check the bore for residue?

Which is why it is wise to take anything you read on the internet with a grain of salt & a boatload of skepticism. Some people go through weird machinations on things that don't amount to a hill of beans & some people pay little attention to things that matter. Alcohol is a safe & cheap way to clear out any water or contaminants should that be necessary. Brake cleaner & similar products can ruin a wood finish faster than you can wipe it off. No brainer!

 

[megasupermagnum]

It is unfortunate, but you really need to test these things to find for yourself. As I said, I tried the cap method, and found it did nothing.

I won't say my above mentioned method is the only way, or best way, but I can guarantee you that it will work under all conditions, and put that first shot where it is intended when using a patched round ball. The alcohol method is basically the same thing I do, except I use more dry patches, where some use one alcohol patch.

 

[SDSmlf]

I am new here and fairly new to traditional muzzleloading so bear with me if I make a dumb statement.

I have been reading this thread and many more. There seems to be a lack of consensus on everything. There seem to be many groups of thought on how to do everything.

What about using brake cleaner to flush the nipple before loading? Give it a blast or two letting it evaporate then run a patch or two to check the bore for residue?

I’ll bet there is a consensus that a heavy coat of oil followed by storing your gun muzzle up before loading is not a good idea. Have to start somewhere.

 

[leadhoarder]

I did notice that about the storing the muzzle up. I did not know that either so I am glad I read about it.

 

[Howard Pippin]

I am new here and fairly new to traditional muzzleloading so bear with me if I make a dumb statement.

I have been reading this thread and many more. There seems to be a lack of consensus on everything. There seem to be many groups of thought on how to do everything.

What about using brake cleaner to flush the nipple before loading? Give it a blast or two letting it evaporate then run a patch or two to check the bore for residue?

I've been doing that with my Percussion that I bought last spring. As an old mechanic, I've used brake clean For a lot of things through the years And this is one I do too. I guess I've never paid too much attention to the hazmat sheet on this product, we used it in many shops with doors shut as it wasn't sold to us with any particular warning or a hazmat sheet. Like a lot of things I've used, including starting fluids, And different oil mixtures, many said not to inhale the product or to keep your hands submersed in it. Even Stoddard's solvent carries a warning about having it on your skin, and I used it for washing parts for 40 years. When I was young on the ranch, we used gasoline for cleaning parts in those days, probably against all common sense, but we had our hands in that too.
Needless to say, brake clean seems to work, I don't pop a Before I shoot and so far, I've never had one that didn't shoot on the first load.
Squint

 

[Ethang]

When I was hunting with my TC Hawken years ago, I always snapped a cap before loading...well almost always. The one time I did not I was late getting to my spot, and just skipped it. Swabbed out with alcohol, a couple dry patches and loaded her up. That day was dreary, rainy and dark. I sat in my normal spot, cold, wet and miserable. Looked up and the biggest buck of my life was trodding along, in the same condition, and we noticed each other at about the same time, at about 15 feet apart....we could almost touch each other. My rifle went poof instead of boom, he looked at me, I looked at him, I was hoping for a hang fire, he was trying to figure out what made that noise. Was it the lack of snapping a cap or just the rain? I might never know. That rifle has never misfired before or since and I have hunted in the rain several times since that day.