I hav a 58 TC and about every 12-15 shots it will not ignite, the cap goes bang but not the charge , wondering if it’s the nipple or fouling? Also have two different nipples ,which style do you guys like?
Thanks
Thanks
Percussion nipples
- Thread starter old iron
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A few questions:
First, how do you clean the rifle after each session? Do you flush the breech with water to ensure that the flash channel is clear?
Second, in what position do you store the rifle? In my experience it's best to store rifles with patent breeches like your T/C muzzle-down, so any excess oil in the bore drains away from the breech.
Finally, are you swabbing between shots? If so you may be pushing fouling down into the breech, causing the misfires. When I shoot at the range I use a wet lube that allows me to shoot as long as I want without swabbing. In effect, you're swabbing each time you load but the fouling doesn't go past the powder charge into the breech. In my experience this makes my rifles more reliable.
First, how do you clean the rifle after each session? Do you flush the breech with water to ensure that the flash channel is clear?
Second, in what position do you store the rifle? In my experience it's best to store rifles with patent breeches like your T/C muzzle-down, so any excess oil in the bore drains away from the breech.
Finally, are you swabbing between shots? If so you may be pushing fouling down into the breech, causing the misfires. When I shoot at the range I use a wet lube that allows me to shoot as long as I want without swabbing. In effect, you're swabbing each time you load but the fouling doesn't go past the powder charge into the breech. In my experience this makes my rifles more reliable.
For my percussion guns, I prefer the "Red Hot" nipples from Knight. With heavy charges in my 58, I make a point of picking the nipple after a few shots as cap residue sometimes blocks the hole due to the excess pressure.
Dave, i was swabing between shots as I was at a 100 yd match ,first time cleaning between shots and thought it might help accuracy, I do put barrel in bucket of water and clean at the end of the day.
Grimorrd I did remove nipple and checked it and it wasn't cloged so I dribbled a little powder in the breech and installed nipple and it fired.
How are you target shooters cleaning while at a match?
Thanks still learning
Grimorrd I did remove nipple and checked it and it wasn't cloged so I dribbled a little powder in the breech and installed nipple and it fired.
How are you target shooters cleaning while at a match?
Thanks still learning
When you swab between shots you are pushing fouling down into the patent breech. I've had that trouble as well, I always swab between shots too.
It doesn't happen every time you swab, but the more you shoot the more it seems to start happening. Especially on a damp day when there is a lot of moisture in the air.
There are a few fixes.
First, you can just snap a cap after you swab, that will usually blow the crud back out. Works great but doubles your cap use.
Second, you can load back up again and then swab.
Third, my favorite, is find the right fit for your jag and patch combo so that the patch goes down smoothly but then bunches up and pulls the fouling out of the barrel rather than pushing it ahead of the patch. Not my idea, I read it on here: chuck your jag into a cordless drill and spin it on a flat file to turn it down. I tapered mine a bit, wanted the front a bit smaller diameter than the back. Go slow and check fit often.
I have not had a fail to fire from pushing fouling down when swabbing since doing this and I do not have to pop a cap after swabbing.
I use a 1.5" diameter cleaning patch. After turning my jag down I put some calipers on it. I have a .54 cal TC and I believe that a jag for a .52 cal would've also done the trick for me. In your case, a .54 cal cleaning jag may work about right. If you want to try that rather than turning the jag down.
I do keep a tighter fitting factory sized jag to use when I clean at the end of shooting, the turned down jag is just in my shooting bag for swabbing.
It doesn't happen every time you swab, but the more you shoot the more it seems to start happening. Especially on a damp day when there is a lot of moisture in the air.
There are a few fixes.
First, you can just snap a cap after you swab, that will usually blow the crud back out. Works great but doubles your cap use.
Second, you can load back up again and then swab.
Third, my favorite, is find the right fit for your jag and patch combo so that the patch goes down smoothly but then bunches up and pulls the fouling out of the barrel rather than pushing it ahead of the patch. Not my idea, I read it on here: chuck your jag into a cordless drill and spin it on a flat file to turn it down. I tapered mine a bit, wanted the front a bit smaller diameter than the back. Go slow and check fit often.
I have not had a fail to fire from pushing fouling down when swabbing since doing this and I do not have to pop a cap after swabbing.
I use a 1.5" diameter cleaning patch. After turning my jag down I put some calipers on it. I have a .54 cal TC and I believe that a jag for a .52 cal would've also done the trick for me. In your case, a .54 cal cleaning jag may work about right. If you want to try that rather than turning the jag down.
I do keep a tighter fitting factory sized jag to use when I clean at the end of shooting, the turned down jag is just in my shooting bag for swabbing.
OK, it sounds to me like you're pushing crud down into the breech. @renegadehunter 's advice on your jag sounds like a good idea.
FWIW, back in the 1970s - 80s my dad had a Tingle 1962 target rifle that was insanely accurate out but he called his "Trouble Gun" because of intermittent ignition problems. And that gun was built with a drum and nipple, not a patent breech. He always swabbed between shots and I'd be willing to bet that was the problem.
Something else you might try is using tow on a worm instead of a patch on a jag. It might cause less fouling of the breech. Track of the Wolf sells tow worms that screw onto 8-32 or 10-32 threaded ramrods. Tow is cheap or you can make the equivalent but cutting and unravelling jute twine from the hardware store.
I don't shoot in bullseye matches. I shoot informally or in woods walks, where I'm loading from the pouch. I use a wet lube for both, either Hoppe's No.9 Plus or Mr. Flintlock. My main rifle is a .50 with a patent breech. I generally load 55 grains of 3Fg. I can easily load 25 shots without excess fouling and accuracy is fine at the end of the match because each time you load you're actually swabbing the bore. Then when you shoot, you blow the fouling out the muzzle. I do need to flush the flash channel when I clean afterwards, however, or I run the risk of ignition problems the next time I shoot.
FWIW, back in the 1970s - 80s my dad had a Tingle 1962 target rifle that was insanely accurate out but he called his "Trouble Gun" because of intermittent ignition problems. And that gun was built with a drum and nipple, not a patent breech. He always swabbed between shots and I'd be willing to bet that was the problem.
Something else you might try is using tow on a worm instead of a patch on a jag. It might cause less fouling of the breech. Track of the Wolf sells tow worms that screw onto 8-32 or 10-32 threaded ramrods. Tow is cheap or you can make the equivalent but cutting and unravelling jute twine from the hardware store.
I don't shoot in bullseye matches. I shoot informally or in woods walks, where I'm loading from the pouch. I use a wet lube for both, either Hoppe's No.9 Plus or Mr. Flintlock. My main rifle is a .50 with a patent breech. I generally load 55 grains of 3Fg. I can easily load 25 shots without excess fouling and accuracy is fine at the end of the match because each time you load you're actually swabbing the bore. Then when you shoot, you blow the fouling out the muzzle. I do need to flush the flash channel when I clean afterwards, however, or I run the risk of ignition problems the next time I shoot.
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