Hang fire after swabbing the bore at range

[Vaino]

Are you referring to the use of 12L14 steel as unsuitable for MLing bbls? No doubt 4140 is a stronger steel but in my opinion isn't necessary for MLing bbls.

Haven't heard of a rash of 12L14 MLing bbls "blowing up" due to the unsuitability of this steel. Also....don't think the bbl makers would persist in using 12L14 steel if their bbls failed. Besides...if this was happening, lawyers would be standing in line for the chance to sue them..

Sorry for the "off topic" post.....Fred

 

[M. De Land]

I was referring to 12L14 Fred but I can't speak for others. I never could see the reasoning in using a barrel material that is questionable with it's low shock load numbers when there are better alternatives.
I've read though the main thing is wither or not it is hot or cold rolled.
The low Izod and Charpy shock load test numbers I quoted was for cold rolled if I understood correctly. Mike

 

[Zonie]

M.D. and flehto:

And this has what to do with a hangfire after swabbing the bore at the shooting range?

 

[chironomidkraut]

thank u..
all I was trying to get is some answers as to why this hangfire is happening, even though the flashpan ignites no probs there

 

[Hans74]

When we had some serious over the log shootin matches here in the past like driving nails through fence boards or splitting balls on the hawks and cutting strings I swabbed the bore. We had plenty time off line to do this. What I did to keep the fouling out of the flash hole was I would push a couple dry patches down the barrel with the rod and left them down there. Then I would swab the bore and then I took the worm and pulled the patches that had all the fouling on them. I never had a problem with miss fires unless I started jawing and dry seat a ball.

 

[M. De Land]

:grin: Nothing!
I would say a good way to prevent a hang fire with percussion is to always clear the vent with a cap fire after each swabbing.
With a flinter I like to pick the vent with a soft iron wire the full diameter of the flash hole and leave it in place while re-charging.

 

[Nessmuck56]

Back on topic.....after loading...I take my touchhole pick and push it through the touchhole and into the main charge.Next.....I put FFFF in the pan,then I tip the gun so that some of the FFFF runs into the hole I just picked...then LIGHTLY pick the hole again ...ever so slightly. Then I always lightly spit on a clean cleaning patch and wipe the frizzen and the flint..every shot. Your hang fires are now gone..

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Hey Chironomidkraut,

What gun is it that you are having the problem with? If it is a Traditions, Pedersoli, Lyman, or TC, then it has a patent breech. Basically that's a smaller pre-ignition chamber behind the main chamber of the barrel and located right in the center or the barrel. The touch hole shoots flame into the that smaller pre-ignition chamber and the powder from there ignites the main charge. I have one rifle with a patent breech (Traditions) and one without. I personally prefer the standard breech where they touch hole goes directly into the back of the the barrel from the side.

If you have a patent breech, you have to be really careful not to use a dripping-wet patch. If you do it will shove some of the fouling into that smaller hole at the breech of your rifle AND it will stay wet when you pour your powder down it. Needless to say, wet powder doesn't burn and that can cause a hang fire. And, of course, if you end up stuffing a bunch of crud in that pre-ignition chamber, the flash from your pan will never get to the powder. And, no amount of touch-hole picking will clear it.

Good news is that if you get one of those Co2 gadgets that blow Co2 in through the touch hole, it will clean the rascal right out with ease. It's made to push out a dry ball, but works just fine pushing out the wet powder too. If you have one of those gadgets and you used a patch that you suspect might have been too wet, use that little Co2 blower before you pour the powder down the barrel. It will blow that moisture and crud right out of the patent breech and you will be good to go.

I really don't care for patent breeches just because of the problems you are having. The standard breech works just fine and is not nearly so cantankerous!

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:

 

[chironomidkraut]

yes its a traditions hawken woodsman 50cal flinter

 

[Col. Batguano]

So, given the idiosynchrocies [sic?] of the patent breech why do they make them?

 

[Zonie]

They make them because the "snail" type breechplug is a more robust design than the side drum that just screws into the side of the barrel.

Even if the side drum is fully supported by the lockplate as it should be, it is more prone to being damaged.

If a solid "snail" type breechplug is used, something has to connect the bore with the nipple so smaller holes of some kind are needed.

It is easy to just drill a fairly large hole down into the face of the breech plug to create a "powder chamber" slightly smaller than the bore size.
Then, drilling a smaller connecting hole from the area just under the nipple into this powder chamber and plugging the connecting hole with a set screw (the infamous "clean out screw") and the job is done.

By the way, this "chambered breech" goes all the way back to the days of Nock. It was a non-patent way of competing with his true "Patent Breech" which doesn't look much like a chambered breech.



Although this is showing a flintlock, the idea for the percussion gun is similar:

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Hey chironomidkraut,

One of the reasons was supposed to be for more reliable and consistent ignition. Thought was that it was better to have the flash coming from the center of the barrel instead of the side of the barrel to ignite the powder. That supposedly could burn more evenly and completely than having the ignition come from the side.

I used my Traditions PA Longrifle for years before I bought a better rifle and it has that patent breech. One of the tricks I was shown (and used religiously) was to put toothpick in the touch-hole; fill the barrel about 1/3 full or water or MAP cleaning solution; put in a wet patch and push it slowly down until I felt some good resistance; then pull out the toothpick and push the patch down hard and quick. This would shoot out about a 6-foot stream of ugly black fluid and it cleaned any fouling out of that smaller chamber and the flash channel very nicely.

WARNING*** Make sure you point the touch hole well away from anything you don't want stained with that solution of black powder fouling. It will spray out about 6-feet or so and I permanently stained a tent the first time I tried it.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup: