Ignition WOES!!

[nkbj]

Hey Hesp,
Just something to think your way through...
When there is a constriction in the flash path it's a great place for a small amount of oil, grease or moisture to effect the powder. Where metal parts are joined there are joints, where there could be some material wicking out and contaminating the powder. It's not all that uncommon of an occurrence.

 

[Hesp]

Thanks nkbj.. I tried to cover all that. I flushed out all flash ways with carb cleaner. Fired several caps. As stated before, having had this rifle for such a long time & have never experienced a situation like this before. Tried two different ( used ) nipples, that were absolutely clean & clear. Next time I get to town (50 to 60 mile trip to Missoula one way ) I will pick up some new nipples & hopefully some mag CCI caps. Just for fun , inclosed this picture of this little buck who hung around all day. Even when I did get the rifle to fire, it never seemed to concern him. Would not even lift his head up from eating. Lots of greenery all around. Thanks to all you folks for your help. Very much appreciated.

 

[necchi]

What am I overlooking..

The Nipple.
Those CCI have always been lame when it comes to ignightning the subs.
Open the nipple hole to .032, (Knight's Red Hot").

 

[Billy Boy]

He tried 2 nipples and carb cleaner. Nipple poker yea but you should see a little light it's clear.

I don't snap off caps on clean and dry nipples.. it's already clear don't dirty it. With firing just the cap there's no blow back I think that's when a little piece a junk gets stuck in there.

Powder? Caps?

Tapp tap the gun after dropping the powder.. make sure it travels to the nipple?

I had the same rifle for 22 yrs and never had a problem with black or subs. Screw a 30 cal cleaning brush on your rod and get it into the ignition area of the patent breach. For me changing nipples regularly was important.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Hesp, the nipples are clean, the drum is clean and you flushed the barrel and you have failures to fire. Something is blocking the flash channel from the drum to the powder chamber or at least restricting the path from drum to powder. There may be enough of an opening for solvent to pass with a flush, but not letting powder flow from the powder chamber to the drum. It will take a high pressure blast by filling the drum with powder to blast that restriction out. A blast of high pressure from a CO2 discharger may open the flash channel but the pressure from powder in the drum will be higher.

 

[BadDaditood]

Patent breech eh? Have you taken the barrel and nipple off and put breech end in a bucket of soapy (Dawn) water and pumped it until it sprays all out the muzzle? Showed a friend at the range last week and he couldn’t believe how much cleaner it was. ( I had my endoscope along that day)
Carb cleaner is a great solvent but it’s not water based, I’ve found that it and Brakekleen didn’t work like i had hoped.
Black Solve from Dixie is the best BP solvent I’ve found. Little bottle with water makes a quart.

 

[CaptainVane]

As stated above… 120g? Really?
My .50 Hawken does fine with 55g and the most i ever shot was 110g on a bet that I couldn’t hit an extreme distance target, I did, but i think you approaching explosion territory at 120g.

 

[Crow Choker]

CCI caps are perfect. Single greatest cap to ever come off an assembly line.

Well IMO if an honor and distinction could be given to a percussion cap I'd say that honor belongs to the Remington #10!!!!!

 

[Boomerang]

3 words.
Real Black Powder

 

[Buckskinquin]

I have tapped on the side of the rifle till my hand is raw. I have shot a GP 54 for years with never a problem like this. Just gave it a very hot water /soapy bath. Bright & shinny every where. I have a nipple pick & have used it over & over. Nipples are clean & clear. I don't see how I can make it any cleaner. Will give it another go tomorrow.

Find a friend with an endoscope, look at the breech. If you have a patent breech, it could be clogged with fouling. The breech will feel flat with a scraper, but if it’s patent, there’s a smaller hole leading to the nipple/drum flash zone. Run a 22 caliber brush with a patch and cleaning fluid on it. If the patch comes out compressed to the brush, you’ve got a patent breech. Once clean, they’re great, once fouled, they’re a PIA.

 

[Hesp]

I did a hot water/soapy flush last night. Nipple removed. Nipple end of barrel well submerged in the hot water. Snug fitting cloth on my cleaning jag. Pumped water back & forth , over & over. Obvious I was moving a lot of hot soapy water. Flushed with clean hot water. Looks absolutely clean. .Been a nasty weather morning here this morning . Maybe later today will give it another go.

 

[nchawkeye]

When you put powder down the barrel, remove the nipple and see if you have powder in the drum (under the nipple)...

 

[DementedMindOfJac]

Why such a hot load...120 grains is out there.

That's a long range load. I use 100gr (abt equivalent to 115gr BP) 777 3F in a 38" barrel to throw a .45 330gr bullet out to 500yd. It started with a feud with an acetalyne tank about 15 years ago. So I built a rifle to shoot the bugger.

I think you got a batch of bad/inconsistent caps. None of my caplocks complain about CCI setting off 777, even though I prefer Dynamit Nobel, which I haven't seen in a decade... After that clean, it's your cap. Someone said to convert to flint and use BP. I only use BP in the priming pan. Got no problems shooting 777 in my flinter.

 

[le125verne]

I have CCI.s in plastic zip pouches five years old. Bang...

Only 5 years old? Still have "tins" of CCI and musket caps that are close to 20 years old that are in excellent condition. Kept at room temperature and humidity. Those in storage are in Ex-military sealed boxes. They still go BANG! One tin carried in brother's pocket through years of re-enacting are showing signs of degrade. They barely go "pop".
Have you removed your breech-plug? Perhaps the "groove" cut into the breech-plug is still clogged with residue. Make sure you have no excess "oil" sitting in the powder chamber.

 

[Stykbow]

When you put powder down the barrel, remove the nipple and see if you have powder in the drum (under the nipple)...

This.^ Something would seem to be keeping the powder from making it to where it needs to be. This simple step should tell the tale.

 

[Hesp]

WaHoo, WaHoo, & WaHoo. It's firing perfectly!!! After a very intense hot water & soap flush last night. I did increase the size of the hole in my nipple..Simple job. Using my standard CCI cap, 80grs of Triple 7 FF, & a patched RB. Trying to save my Lee 300gr REAL for hunting. It's been raining so wasn't able to use my 50yd range. Shot off the porch, about 35yds. . Fired three shots, one right after the other. A big BOOM every time. No hesitation. All three smacked my target dead on. So satisfying. Got to thinking. My shop has bugs crawling around , every now & then. Was wondering if one might have crawled into my barrel last winter & made a nest in the bottom of the barrel? I have had bugs do similar things in past years. This rifle hangs on my shop wall, not in the safe. I know my rifle was sparkling clean when I put it up. Love this rifle . It has always been accurate , & a pleasure to shoot. When you hear that boom, & the shove against your shoulder, pure pleasure.

 

[Okie Hog]

Glad the rifle is firing. When you clean the rifle clean the flash channel using a bristled pipe cleaner.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Hesp, then store the freshly cleaned rifle muzzle down to let the excess oil drain out. That excess oil can pool up in a chambered breech and make a gel that will partially block the flash channel.

 

[nchawkeye]

I make cleaning rods for my rifles and leave a lightly oiled patch in them to keep the barrel clear...

Glad you got it figured out!!

 

[Hesp]

Right.. When in the rack, my barrel is pointed at a downward angle. Glad I figured it out also. A good feeling..