Hawken won't fire?

[hawkeye2]

Bad Form! You could have at least put a smiley with a big grin after the statement. You know , real easy to do, like this: :grin:

When I read eaglenester's post I concluded that he had received the gun with the patch already stuck in the breech. Is that true?

 

[Pete G]

The problem with a lot of the proposed solutions is that the shooter must first KNOW that a patch was causing the problem.

I know if I had a misfire my first thought would not be to douse my barrel with brandy and light 'er off.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I ended up removing the snail and low and behold there was a patch jammed in the chamber.

Finally I decided to dry out the chamber behind the patch and fill it with about 10 or so grains of 4F. Worked like a charm.

Interesting that you have been given a lot of alternative solutions to the problem that you have already solved. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

What you are calling the snail appears to be what I would have called a drum (the cylinder that screws into the breech of your rifle) and nipple. Use anti seizing lubricant when you screw the drum back into the barrel.

 

[Black Hand]

The thought of putting anything flammable down the barrel and lighting it off without knowing its actual loaded/unloaded status just seems like a terrible idea...

 

[Grenadier1758]

I've been taking that solution with flammable fluids to be an attempt at humor. However when we get to brainstorming a solution, all suggestions are to be heard even if upon reflection, the unworkable suggestions will be rejected.

Eaglenester had determined that there was only a patch at the breech. He probably used more powder than was needed to blow it out. Using a squib load of powder is a reasonable workable solution.

 

[Black Hand]

Even so, we must be careful in our suggestions. There are those who read these posts who may not have the experience necessary to distinguish between jest and suggestion (lack of inflection and facial expression on the internet). Best not steer them, even accidentally, in the wrong direction...