It wasn't a huge problem to begin with, pull the trigger, cap goes off but gun doesnt. Ok happens time to time. But it seems like its every other shot, i'm shooting 100 grains of ffg pyrodex out of a .50 cabelas hawkens, with remington caps. What ruined my day was having the biggest 10 point i've ever seen in person come in 40 yards today and just my cap went off and he spooked before i got the chance to put another on. Anyone have any ideas or tips o help me out.
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Huge problem that really ruined my day
- Thread starter giotundo
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Could be a number of things. Oil build up in the breach from previous cleaning, first cap dryed up the oil and second cap set off the charge. Was it cleaned thoroughly or is there crud build up in the flash channel. Are you using saturated patches or was it moderatly lubed. Any of these few things, and others could be the culprit. When going hunting I always pop 2-3 caps, after a wipe out with an alchohol patch, and also put several grains of 3F powder under the nipple behind the main charge to insure ignition. You also may want to go with real black powder, it ignites more easily than pyrodex.
Mark :idunno:
Mark :idunno:
August West
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Pyrodex is harder to ignite than black powder but not that much harder, I shot pyro for years and didn't have very many pop and no kicks at all. Every one that I had was also my fault, too much oil in the barrel most of the time. First thing I would check is the nipple, if it has been drilled or the flash hole has burnt out it will actually hurt ignition. Next I would check the breech and try cleaning it with a pipe cleaner. Good luck and sorry about the buck. Chris
Welcome to the forum. First thing I would try is a new nipple. Check the bolster the nipple screws into for fouling. Theres a cleanout screw on the end of the bolster. Take that screw out and use a nipple pick to check for clogging. Just FYI. I use Pyrodex P in my gun. In my opinion the finer grain ignites easier. Also, do you leave the hammer at half-cock when ramming the ball?
SgtSchutzen
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I used to have that same kind of problem alot back when I used to use Pyrodex.
What I ended up doing was after loading the charge and ball, remove the nipple and put some powder right under it. Then cap the nipple and the rifle should fire everytime. It`s alot of extra work but was the only way I could get Pyrodex to ignite reliably in my guns.
I switched to Goex real black along time ago and never looked back.
What I ended up doing was after loading the charge and ball, remove the nipple and put some powder right under it. Then cap the nipple and the rifle should fire everytime. It`s alot of extra work but was the only way I could get Pyrodex to ignite reliably in my guns.
I switched to Goex real black along time ago and never looked back.
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Back when I first got started in Muzzleloading. I shot Pyrodex P (fffg). With CCI magnum caps. Tap the butt of your rifle to make sure you are getting powder in the flask channel under the nipple. Mgnum Caps make a big difference with Pyrodex. Now that I use Goex fffg I use CCI standard caps to get the best results.
Robert
Robert
First thing to come to my mind would be cleaning procedure. Do you flush the barrel out good with water when you clean? Do you clean the smaller diameter powder chamber down at the bottom with a .36 brush besides cleaning the bore?
2nd thing would be loading procedure. You should load with the hammer on half-cock and nothing covering the nipple. The air blowing out the nipple will carry powder right down to the bottom of the nipple.
You can pull the nipple after loading and check to see if this is happening.
3rd, powder. Pyrodex RS should work but P might work better and real blackpowder works best of all IMHO.
My Lyman GPR, made by the same company (Investarms) that makes the Cabela's Hawken, is one of the most reliable guns I have ever shot.
2nd thing would be loading procedure. You should load with the hammer on half-cock and nothing covering the nipple. The air blowing out the nipple will carry powder right down to the bottom of the nipple.
You can pull the nipple after loading and check to see if this is happening.
3rd, powder. Pyrodex RS should work but P might work better and real blackpowder works best of all IMHO.
My Lyman GPR, made by the same company (Investarms) that makes the Cabela's Hawken, is one of the most reliable guns I have ever shot.
My son shoots a cva hawk in and uses pryrodex p. After he puts the powder down the barrel he rolls the gun so that the lock is facing down and then he gives the back side of the lock area a few taps with the heel of he hand then he puts the ball down the barrel, and he has very few miss fires if any during a weekend voo.
Rat Trapper
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Get in the habit of wiping the bore with a patch and alcohol to remove any oil. Then dry patch the barrel. Once that is done run a dry patch down the barrel and leave it in the barrel with the rod while you pop several caps. When you pull the patch out it should have some burn marks from the caps. If it doesn't it won't fire when you load it. A hot shot nipple will also improve things. You also might want to try CCI mag caps.
hoochiepapa
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I was having the same trouble you are talking about, and I tried everything. Then I saw this bright new nipple in the bottom of my bag, and voila! No more misfires. I do things differently, too, such as swabbing the bore between shots with alcohol, then a dry patch, and cleaning the nipple hole. Things are working much better.
You can listen to all the hyperbole about Pyrodex you want but I will bet you it's the nipple. Get a good aftermarket nipple. :thumbsup:
I have a TC Hawken that is nearing 40 years old and it has shot Pyrodex (both P and RS) almost exclusively and I honestly can't remember it not firing. I do keep a good nipple on it and clean it thoroughly ever time I am through with a shooting session. Other than that it gets no special smacking, swiping, swabbing, cussing, checking the moon phase, nothing, just load and shoot. :wink:
I have a TC Hawken that is nearing 40 years old and it has shot Pyrodex (both P and RS) almost exclusively and I honestly can't remember it not firing. I do keep a good nipple on it and clean it thoroughly ever time I am through with a shooting session. Other than that it gets no special smacking, swiping, swabbing, cussing, checking the moon phase, nothing, just load and shoot. :wink:
Herb
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When you cleaned your rifle before the hunt, you probably set it butt down. This allows any oil or cleaning fluid still in the barrel to drain down into the powder chamber, at the end of the barrel and under the nipple. This can cake so hard that a cap doesn't blast it out. I missed a good antelope buck once because of that. When you clean your rifle, store it muzzle down and then wipe it dry before loading.
Bottom line for me, is the gun doesn't fire,it is my fault. I didn't fit the nipple to the cap, I didn't clean the gun properly from when it was built to make sure any machining swarf was removed. I didn't clean it properly and get the flash channel as clear as it should be. I didn't keep my powder dry. Once you get it down, a gun that doesn't fire is what happens to someone else.
slumlord44
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When I first started using Pyrodex many years back I had the same problem. Finaly figured out that if I compressed the powder. Realy got agressive with the ramrod, it would fire consistently. No problem since. New niple and fresh caps are also a good idea.
Couple things come to mind.
Proper cleaning & insure you clean out the patent breech & the flash channel. If it has a removable screw on the flash channel, remove it as well & clean it out. I use a good pipe cleaner for this.
Before ya go hunt, swab that oil out of the patent breech & again the flash channel, & also Don't oil the nipple threads. Oil can creep & contaminate the powder. Put just s tiny smiggen of Antiseize on the threads.
When you load it, I put the in the Fired position, as it is a safer practice, especially if you shoot flintlocks as well. Treat them the same in this aspect. Most likely the hammer will not sit perfectly flat on the nipple & seal it enough to keep air from escaping while loading. Some put the lock on Half Cock.
Pour the measured powder in the barrel, bump the sideplate side of the breech a couple times with your hand, then load it. I pack my loads tight on a percussion. I don't pound the bejesus out of it, but it is tight.
I prefer HotShot nipples & have always had good results with them, much better than factory nipples.
I prefer the German percussion caps, as they have always been more consistent for me than others. (can't think of their name) and I save the CVA, REM, CCI caps for target shooting.
Keith Lisle
Proper cleaning & insure you clean out the patent breech & the flash channel. If it has a removable screw on the flash channel, remove it as well & clean it out. I use a good pipe cleaner for this.
Before ya go hunt, swab that oil out of the patent breech & again the flash channel, & also Don't oil the nipple threads. Oil can creep & contaminate the powder. Put just s tiny smiggen of Antiseize on the threads.
When you load it, I put the in the Fired position, as it is a safer practice, especially if you shoot flintlocks as well. Treat them the same in this aspect. Most likely the hammer will not sit perfectly flat on the nipple & seal it enough to keep air from escaping while loading. Some put the lock on Half Cock.
Pour the measured powder in the barrel, bump the sideplate side of the breech a couple times with your hand, then load it. I pack my loads tight on a percussion. I don't pound the bejesus out of it, but it is tight.
I prefer HotShot nipples & have always had good results with them, much better than factory nipples.
I prefer the German percussion caps, as they have always been more consistent for me than others. (can't think of their name) and I save the CVA, REM, CCI caps for target shooting.
Keith Lisle
paulvallandigham
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If you are shooting a chambered Breech rifle or pistol, consider using the finer grained Pyrodex P, instead of the coarser Pyrodex RS. The finer grained powder flows better through the small hole in the back of the powder chamber, into the flash channel, and over under the nipple.
Depending on which substitute powder you choose`, you may have to use "magnum #11 caps, instead of the standard size #11 cap. There should never be a need to use Musket nipples or Musket Caps with these powders.
Don't Believe me? Have someone fire off a cap on your gun at night, after you allow your pupils to dilate sufficiently to see in the dark. Keep your eye on the muzzle of the gun, regardless of length of barrel. Even Standard caps will send a 6" long flame out the muzzle. The Magnum caps will go double that amount- so I don't really see the need for them, unless you are trying to ignite coarse substitute powders.
Musket caps don't put out any more flame than the magnum caps, so spending the money for a musket nipple, and then buying the much more expensive musket caps is just throwing your money away, IMHO.
Unlike flintlocks, percussion guns seem to work best with tightly packed BP. I mean, you get the lowest Standard Deviation in Velocity with the powder compacted. FFFg Goex, or the comparable Swiss powder, and Pyrodex P will pack better than the coarser FFg Goex, etc. powders do. Remember, that a percussion rifle will INJECT its flame into the powder charge, burning a hole right through the center of it, for fast, and complete ignition.
Flintlocks can't burn powder that way, however, as its impossible for a flintlock to INJECT flame into the powder charge in the barrel. Flintlocks ignite the powder in the barrel more like lighting a fuse. :hmm:
Depending on which substitute powder you choose`, you may have to use "magnum #11 caps, instead of the standard size #11 cap. There should never be a need to use Musket nipples or Musket Caps with these powders.
Don't Believe me? Have someone fire off a cap on your gun at night, after you allow your pupils to dilate sufficiently to see in the dark. Keep your eye on the muzzle of the gun, regardless of length of barrel. Even Standard caps will send a 6" long flame out the muzzle. The Magnum caps will go double that amount- so I don't really see the need for them, unless you are trying to ignite coarse substitute powders.
Musket caps don't put out any more flame than the magnum caps, so spending the money for a musket nipple, and then buying the much more expensive musket caps is just throwing your money away, IMHO.
Unlike flintlocks, percussion guns seem to work best with tightly packed BP. I mean, you get the lowest Standard Deviation in Velocity with the powder compacted. FFFg Goex, or the comparable Swiss powder, and Pyrodex P will pack better than the coarser FFg Goex, etc. powders do. Remember, that a percussion rifle will INJECT its flame into the powder charge, burning a hole right through the center of it, for fast, and complete ignition.
Flintlocks can't burn powder that way, however, as its impossible for a flintlock to INJECT flame into the powder charge in the barrel. Flintlocks ignite the powder in the barrel more like lighting a fuse. :hmm:
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