T/C Patriot .45 Misfire

[webghost]

Hi all,

Glad to be a part of this forum. This is my first post and I must say, I've been bitten by the Black Powder bug which has gotten me hooked!

I'm still fairly a beginner so forgive me if I ask dumb questions but here is my first one:

I went to the range yesterday and took my Thompson Center Patriot .45 with me. I was using Pyrodex FFFg, Remington #10 Caps, pre-lubed patches and ball. I did not get a single successful shot yesterday.

I kept putting the cap, it would spark but would not ignite the main charge which was holding 30g of pyrodex. I used 3 caps, extracted the ball and then went back to re-cleaning the barrel and ensuring there was no left over grease. Put another 30g and tried again with 3 additional caps but only got the spark. Extracted the ball one last time and re-tried everything all over again with similar results. During this entire time I kept cleaning the vent hole with a pick but I was still not getting any ignition.

All in all, I was at the range for at least 1 entire hour but no success. The caps were brand new, the powder was fairly new so would it be safe to assume at this point that I was either using the wrong size cap or there was something wrong with the nipple (even though I kept cleaning the hole).

Your expertise advice would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. the week before yesterday, I put a lot of bore butter. Could this have been the culprit?

Thanks

 

[cynthialee]

My guess is that you are fouling your powder.

When you clean it for shooting it should be clean and clear of lubes and oils. When you clean it for storage it should have plenty of bore protecting product of your choice. (bore butter is for shooting, not for storage BTW)

Before you shoot clean out the bore protectant real good. Use some 91% or 99% rubbing alcohol on your patches and be sure the breach and nipple are also clear.

My best guess is that your fire chanel leading from the nipple to the breach is cloged up somewhere along the way. Pull the nipple and run some pipe cleaners in there.

 

[biliff]

And once you've done the clean/pipe cleaner stuff, BEFORE you load, pop a couple of caps while pointing the muzzle at a blade of grass. If the grass doesn't move you're channel is still plugged up.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

First of all, welcome. :hatsoff:

I shoot a TC .45 Patriot. I have never experienced the problems you have come across.

First, with the barrel empty, snap a couple of caps. Point the barrel at a leaf or something on the ground, holding the muzzle a few inches away from the object. Pop the caps. The blast from the cap(s) should move the object on the ground. That indicates a clear nipple and flash channel. If the fails, pull the nipple and clear any obstructions. Wipe the barrel, and run a pipe cleaner through the flash channel. With the barrel empty and the nipple removed, shine a flash light through the opening where the nipple screws into the breech. You should be able to see a bit of light inside the barrel if you look down the tube. If all that checks out, reassemble the nipple and barrel.

I never had any luck with any of the black powder substitutes. I prefer to use real FFFG black powder. My loads are around 18-24 grains, depending on the shooting. 30 grains seems a bit heavy. That can put some extra unwanted stress on the stock. I think TC recommends a maximum load of 25 grains. I use a .440 ball with pillow ticking patch.

I hope this helps you with your pistol. They are fine shooters. :thumbsup:

 

[bpd303]

Was this the first time you or anyone has shot the pistol? I tend to agree that the problem is a plugged breach. Probably from to much bore butter or some other grease that has hardened. One way to find out is to pull the nipple and fill the barrel with water. If it doesn't pour out of the nipple hole use a good solvent like brake cleaner. I would pull the barrel from the stock so as not to damage the finish.

 

[webghost]

You mentioned, pipe cleaner through the flash channel. Where can I get one from?

 

[bpd303]

You mentioned, pipe cleaner through the flash channel. Where can I get one from?

Just about any store that sells tobacco products.

 

[FishDFly]

Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Michaels's, any hobby store, drug stores, etc.

 

[webghost]

Thanks for all your information everyone. I will make another attempt tomorrow and see how that goes!

 

[cynthialee]

good luck!

 

[dubshooter]

Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Michaels's, any hobby store, drug stores, etc.

Or if you have any friends who are grade school or preschool teachers

 

[hawkeye2]

Go to a tobacco shop and buy good pipe cleaners. Don't buy the ones at WM and the craft shops. They are synthetic and shed the fuzz and the craft ones are not even real pipe cleaners. I can tell you from experience they will plug a nipple up so tight you can't clear it and they do not clean as well as the good ones like Dill's Best. I cut them into short sections, put them in my shooting box and use both ends.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

:thumbsup:

 

[brawny man]

Hi
Another possibility is that there is a
"dry ball" stuck at the bottom of the bore. A previous owner may have loaded a ball with no powder. You would have to remove the "dry ball" clean the bore and then pop a few caps with the pistol pointed in a safe direction. Do this with the barrel pointed at some grass as suggested by other members. You should see the blades move.

 

[misher]

Why aren't you using #11 caps?

 

[cynthialee]

If he has a dry ball he doesn't need to go through the hasle of pulling it. Just pull the nipple, dribble some powder into the breach, put the nipple back and cap and fire. Just a few grains of powder will push the ball out. Of course keep it pointed in a safe direction. Even a few grains can be dangerous.

 

[M. De Land]

I've seen the blades of grass trick, to test for a clear fire channel a couple of times and boy did they move, both times the guns were fully loaded!
I kid you not, it left a big smoking hole in the ground and surprised expressions all up and down the line! :rotf:
Guess that's why one learns to mark the ram rod for a loaded barrel. MD

 

[hawkeye2]

The first cap on an "empty" gun should always be fired with the firearm in the normal shooting position and the muzzle safely pointed downrange. The second cap can be fired at the ground.

 

[webghost]

The particular Treso nipple I have only takes #10 caps

 

[bpd303]

Hi
Another possibility is that there is a
"dry ball" stuck at the bottom of the bore. A previous owner may have loaded a ball with no powder. You would have to remove the "dry ball" clean the bore and then pop a few caps with the pistol pointed in a safe direction. Do this with the barrel pointed at some grass as suggested by other members. You should see the blades move.

That was my reasoning behind has anyone shot it before. One time a friend of mine brought me a long gun with the same problem. After determining it was an obstructed bore I found out a cleaning patch was stuck in the breach and a worm puller corrected the problem.