Firing trouble

[tljack]

So true Zoni. The worst part is I know better than to get myself distracted. You can bet I won't violate that rule again.

Thanks for your patience

Terry

 

[paulvallandigham]

Terry: One of the reason we don't " beat up on people " on this forum is because we know that we all are a lot tougher on ourselves than anything anyone else can say to us, or do to us. We respect you for bringing this to our attention. All of have " sinned" or will sin sometime in the future. As the saying goes, Its Not IF you are going to dry-ball, but WHEN you are going to dry-ball your gun. If you shoot MLers often enough, its going to happen. Each situation will be unique, but share common characteristics.

Being distracted during you loading operation because of conversation is THE most common reason we Dry-ball, and almost exclusively experienced MLers continue to dry-ball their guns on occasion.

This is why we created the HONORABLE SOCIETY OF DRY-BALLERS, who graciously welcome all new members who tap on the door, and offer sympathy,friendship, ideas on how to prevent this from happening again, HELP in pulling that ball out of the gun, and a cool soft drink at the end of the day while we share stories about the Last Time we dry-balled our gun!

Laughter is the BEST Medicine, and no one needs laughter MORE than a MLer who has dry-balled his gun the first time- unless its one who has dry-balled his gun the 20th time! :shocked2: :blah: :rotf: :rotf: :bow: :grin: :surrender: :hatsoff:

I join Zonie in encouraging you to share your adventures, and misadventures here, and to have that cold soft drink to celebrate your acceptance in our Honorable Society of Dry-ballers. You are now part of a very large club of fine men and women that seems to grow larger every day.

Your only obligation is to welcome new members, and help them get past their personal embarrassment by assuring them that they are not only alone, but are probably a bit late in their arrival: " What took you so long??" is a great question to ask a New Member! :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[ebiggs1]

"...we don't " beat up on people " on this forum..." :shocked2:

 

[Tumblernotch]

So true Zoni. The worst part is I know better than to get myself distracted. You can bet I won't violate that rule again.

Thanks for your patience

Terry

Hehehe! I bet you will! But don't worry, we all do it. I've told myself that quite a few times and first thing you know...dang it! Did it again! I even had a misfire once and after several tries decided to pull the ball and found out that I hadn't put anything in. Didn't even dryball that time. Just got distracted. It's all a part of the game and keeps it interesting.

:thumbsup:

 

[brubincam]

-----I don't remember ever dry balling but I shot my ramrod away once----- :idunno:

 

[Tumblernotch]

-----I don't remember ever dry balling but I shot my ramrod away once----- :idunno:

You shouldn't have said that. Now you'll probably dryball. :wink: My turn; I've dryballed a bunch of times but never shot my rod out. I hope that doesn't come back to bite me! :grin:

 

[Blackpowdersmoke]

The problem seems to be solved........... :grin: I loaded a ball first. "breaking my rule of no chatting while loading".

We ALL do it at some time or another! The Mrs. and I were getting ready to hunt an afternoon during our recent early ML season and while I was waiting on her to suit up in her Huntin' Duds, I stepped out on the deck to load my rifle...WHOOPS! I short started a ball and forgot to pour in the charge! I pulled the lock and vent liner, trickled in some 4F and pushed the ball down on top of it. Replaced the liner and lock, primed and proceeded to "spit" the ball out. My Mrs. came out and asked what I was shooting at and I said..."Oh nothing.. :idunno: just making sure my gun would go off!".. :grin: ..Bps

 

[longbow1]

I do have one question for you about the ram rod-------------------What is the maxium effective range of a ram rod and do they group well :rotf:

 

[justafeedboy]

I'm a dry baller as well. I thought it could never happen. Glad you found out

 

[paulvallandigham]

Welcome, all Dryballers, to the Honorable Society of Dryballers. Have a cold soft drink, and share your story with all those who have gone before you. Then, smile, and welcome any new member to our society you meet, and ask him, " What took you so long??"" :haha: :blah: :grin: :bow: :v

 

[H. E. Schwalm]

Good to know that I am in such good company. Being the only flintlock at my usual range, folks gather to watch me and ask questions. I have been able to demonstrate the use of a ball puller twice. I was very proud to show that the tool does work. But, then, it has been around a long time.

 

[Matt PA]

I like the "Denial Prime" where you just keep priming the pan over and over with the HOPE that you didn't do what you think you might have done..... It sort of goes like:
"POOF!....hmmmmm?.....POOF!.....Hmmmmm whats wrong with this thing? ....POOF!.....Maybe a little picking.....POOF!....ah :cursing:

Of course I've only observed this. :wink:

 

[Ken Cormier]

you are not a real muzzle loader till you have dry balled 2 times in a row.And the expert has shot a 10x with a ramrod.

 

[Dphar]

I am having trouble getting one of my flintlock rifles to fire. Actually I can't get it to fire at all! It is a Pennsylvania Lancaster in Isaac Haines styling. It has a 50 caliber Colerain Early American swamped barrel, large Siler lock.

Recently I fired nearly 50 rounds through it and then it stopped firing. The power in the pan is completely comsumed however. I cleaned the flash hole and tried again. No luck. I pulled the ball to make sure I hadn't gotten sloppy and forgot the powder. It had powder. I thought I may have bad powder so I tried it in the flash pan. It was completely consumed.

I took the gun home, cleaned it completely. Nothing but clear water coming out of the flash hole.

Obviously these are very simple guns and it should fire. I am out of any idea. Do any of you have a suggestion. I am sure I am over looking something obvious. I have been shooting these things nearly 40 years and I am always learning.

Thanks ahead of time

Terry

You make have had a flake of fouling it the vent. This is usually cured by picking and priming the vent.
If you prime with FFFF it easy to work a little powder into the vent. If this fails there is a serious problem with the main charge or vent installation. Since it was working OK previous. If the rifle was not well wiped out in the course of 50 rounds you could have had enough fouling to obstruct the vent.

Some barrel makers who install breeche leave LARGE OIL/FOULING TRAPS at the breech. This is not a Colerain but is from another "custom" barrel maker".

Looking the grooves its possible to see back past the rebate to the threads in the bore scope photo.

This will trap fouling/moisture/oil and can contaminate the powder on subsequent loadings.

Vent liner installed by the "gun maker" is little better. He had screwed this barrel up so bad in other places I rebarreled the rifle since I could not tell the owner it was safe to shoot even if I rebreeched it.

This shows a breech in which the plug seals the threads. The vent is also seated to a shoulder.

Dan

 

[BigDogg]

I just had my first dryball the other day, and I gotta say, it was kind of a special moment. :hmm:

 

[SAJones]

Ah, yes: been there, done that. Found the problem by "springing" the ramrod, which means dropping the ramrod down the barrel & listening to the sound. "Clang" is breech, "thud" is ball. One can also compare the length of the rr in the barrel to outside the barrel; if it's a bit short, means something is down there. Don't fret about it: if we had a category of "Fool things we done", I could fill it up, and I'm sure a lot of others could contribute.

Side note: a good rule to follow when getting a used ML; recently received an original 1861 musket w/ a ball loaded in it.

 

[SAJones]

Got something goin' on w/ my comuputer: when I did my first reply, I only saw messages down to Zonie's reply to Terry's found problem. When it went back, there's a whole buncha replies I never saw. THis has happened before.

Anyways, for Alabamaboy: ramrods group well. First time I did it when in a rush the jag hit the target in the 9 ring at 25 yds, the rest of the ramrod did a high arc & ended up in the bushes. The second time (same cause), it hit the target sideways & cut it in half. Hard to hide that feat from yer friends shootin' right next to you.

 

[FPDoc]

I've been meaning to just go ahead and put feathers and a point on my ramrods for just such occasions. :thumbsup:

 

[longbow1]

Well, I have done it too but never hit the target,in fact never found my ram rod :haha:

 

[Jim Cook]

Fantastic idea FPDoc!
Now you just need to think up a catchy name and sell kits to modify your ramrods. You'll make a million. :hatsoff:

I've been meaning to just go ahead and put feathers and a point on my ramrods for just such occasions. :thumbsup: