Preparing a percussion rifle for hunting

[SolidLeadSlug]

Here in Western Washington, i have been plauged by "hang fires" during hunting season. Im hunting with the parker hale series of Enfield rifles. Ive gotten lucky with hang fires and still hitting a deer, but the last 2 years I've missed due to a delay in ignition.

Before I leave my car, I make sure to blast a few caps to clear the nipple and again wipe the bore, but still find i have a slight delay when I chance upon a deer.

To lesson the chance of the occurrence, should I blow compressed air through the nipple to further clear the nipple?

How do you all manage this annoyance? I am debating on taking a few fouling shots before I head out but really do not want to have to unload clean my rifle after every day of hunting.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Don’t wipe after popping the caps.

 

[bigstick6017555]

I have never had that problem with my cap guns so what I have to say will only be a suggestion, and may not be a cure

1- do you have a obstruction free and and clear flash channel, double check
2- are you using excessive oils in your cleaning routine, spray brake kleen thru flash channel before loading, plus burst of air, and dry patch
3- old caps, or contaminated, right size to fit nipple CCI and Remington I never had a problem
4- powder, brand, size, substitute or real, I use 3F Triple 7 no problem
5- wet conditions try sealing cap with a water proof substance

 

[LME]

Don’t wipe after popping the caps.

That should do it? I would use some acetone to get any oil that might be in the rifle if you used oil!

 

[Antelope Pete]

I don't fire any caps before. I do this and don't have any issues.
1. Clean the bore And breech face with a dry patch and follow up with alcohol or Gun Scrubber solvent.
2. Remove the nipple and using Q-tips clean under it with the above dry and alcohol procedure.
3. Using pipe cleaners do the same with the flash channel.
4. Reinstall the nipple.

 

[SolidLeadSlug]

These are all good tips. Perhaps I am using too much oil

 

[ScottK]

These are all good tips. Perhaps I am using too much oil

I would look closely at this. I’ve hunted with percussion rifles in Oregon and New England. Both places can be very damp, especially Oregon as you are probably well aware.

I had none of the issues you are describing, and never did anything special other than stretching a balloon over the muzzle and keeping the lock out of direct pouring rain.

If you can get it firing consistently at the range and get it loaded up the same way for hunting you should be good to go…

 

[reddogge]

These are all good tips. Perhaps I am using too much oil

Bingo. You only need a small amount on your patch and then wipe with a clean patch to wipe off the excess. You just need a microscopic film in the bore.

 

[MTMountainman]

Here in Western Washington, i have been plauged by "hang fires" during hunting season. Im hunting with the parker hale series of Enfield rifles. Ive gotten lucky with hang fires and still hitting a deer, but the last 2 years I've missed due to a delay in ignition.

Before I leave my car, I make sure to blast a few caps to clear the nipple and again wipe the bore, but still find i have a slight delay when I chance upon a deer.

To lesson the chance of the occurrence, should I blow compressed air through the nipple to further clear the nipple?

How do you all manage this annoyance? I am debating on taking a few fouling shots before I head out but really do not want to have to unload clean my rifle after every day of hunting.

Make sure you use REAL black powder and none of the fake stuff. My brother & I were hunting in heavy snow once (had to keep wiping the snow off the barrel to see the sights). Anyway, he was using Pyrodex and had misfires (3 of them) all day long. Every time I touched off with real powder, it went bang. I ended up loaning him so black powder so his gun would go bang too.

 

[SolidLeadSlug]

Make sure you use REAL black powder and none of the fake stuff. My brother & I were hunting in heavy snow once (had to keep wiping the snow off the barrel to see the sights). Anyway, he was using Pyrodex and had misfires (3 of them) all day long. Every time I touched off with real powder, it went bang. I ended up loaning him so black powder so his gun would go bang too.

Only use swiss black powder here. Have about 5lbs of the fake stuff I'd like to git rif of!

 

[Reno]

I always pop a cap before loading. I usually hold the bore just above a leaf so I can see it move when popping the cap. Then I load.
Of course now I hunt with flintlocks.

 

[rp77469]

These are all good tips. Perhaps I am using too much oil

Store your rifle muzzle down. I found it makes a difference back in my Rem Oil, et al days. I now use a light coating of pure bear grease/oil and still store muzzle down for a day or two.

Bear grease can become oil if the temperature changes enough. Depends on the bear and what he ate. I also use nothing but the Holy Black.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

These are all good tips. Perhaps I am using too much oil

I like lots of oil, but carry a few ounces of denatured alcohol. When ready to load a cleaned, oiled and stored percussion, I plug the nipple with a cleaning patch under the hammer against the nipple. Pour teaspoon of DA down the muzzle and let set a minute or two. Tip the gun & pour the DA out the muzzle. Dry patch swab bore with pumping strokes to air out the flash channel. Pop two caps with the muzzle facing a weed to make sure flash channel is clear. Load, without anymore cleaning.
Larry