Houston, We have a problem

[Tallguy888]

Well, Went hunting this morning.Took a shot at a nice 8 point buck.The cap went off but nothing else. Tried several times to fire weapon but same thing. Any suggestions on what should be tried next.

 

[musketman]

First, unload the gun if you can, no need to take chances...

Is the nipple clean, I suspect this is the problem?

If it is plugged, the flame from the cap can't make it to the powder...

If the nipple is clear, try adding a little priming powder in the nipple hole first, then the cap...

The bolster (the part the nipple is screwed into) might be plugged too, when the nipple is removed, clean the area out.

I guess I should ask if their was powder in the gun, sometimes people forget... (not me, of course)

 

[Tallguy888]

Yes, there is powder in the gun. I carry pipe cleaners with me and it didnt seem to be plugged. I'll try your suggestion. Thanks

 

Try a flintlock perhaps???? <VBG>

Cody

 

[Voyageur]

If you didn't 'dry ball' the load then it probably is as musketman said about the drum, bolster or snail. When I hunt with a caplock I always bust a cap on the empty rifle in the morning before I put in the load. I point the barrel down at the ground and I want to see dust move to be convinced that the barrel is clear.

What type of breech do you have?

Voyageur

 

[musketman]

There may have been some moisture or even oil in the breech too, was the gun left loaded overnight?

Once you clean the barrel and oil it, if the barrel is stored aiming up, any oil left inside the barrel will drain down to the breech area...

I lay my guns flat until everything dries for this reason.

 

[Birddog6]

Remove the nipple & take a vent pick or gem clip & get all the (most likely) damp powder out them the snail. If it is a drum type with a cleanout screw, remove it & clean the drum out. Take some 3F or 4F & trickle into the hole & take the gem clip & start packing it in as far as you can get it. When you have it full, check nipple to be sure it is clear & if so install it & a cap & shoot the ball out.
Another option is a CO2 discharger or my old reliable, use the air hose in the garage & blow it out. (Caution of where you are discharging to.

 

[Tallguy888]

Thanks for your suggestions. There hadnt been any powder in the weapon and I did a light swabbing of the barrel the night before and stored the weapon upsidedown overnight. The next morning I dry swabbed it and went hunting in dry conditions. How long will powder be usable if kept in the factory container?

 

[roundball]

Kept properly sealed, at least decades

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by Tallguy888:
How long will powder be usable if kept in the factory container? It will outlive me...

Black powder will keep 50 years or more, some Civil War cannon balls still have active powder in them when they are found, some 138+ years later.

 

[Deadeye]

" I dry swabed it and went hunting" sounds like you didn't fire any caps thru it to clear the channel of oil or moisture. This is a must. Every yr. I hear numerous sob stories of the guns that didn't go off. All for this reason. You should also have a bullet puller so you could pull the bullet and start over when this happens.
Deadeye

 

[Tallguy888]

Hello all. I had fired a cap through it. I went out this morning and cleared the weapon. Thanks for all of the responses and the help.