TC Hawken with GM Barrel misfires

[BobinIL]

I have a TC hawken that has a drop in Green Mountain 50cal barrel 32" with RB twist. The first time I shot it I was using some older pyrodex and the no 11 percussion caps and it seemed to be getting a slight hang fire. So I switched to a musket cap and bought a new can of T7 went out tonight loaded her up and popped several caps on it and it wold not go off. (Yes I did pop caps through it before loading it). I finally had to take the nipple out and shove a pinch of powder down in the hole to prime it put the nipple back in and it would go off. Any idea whats going on??

 

[Mad Professor]

New problem or old problem?

Check to see if the nipple threads have a helicoil insert.

A while back GM had a run of barrels with bad nipple threads and the fix was a helicoil. I got one where the helicoil was inserted so deep it was blocking the flash channel to breech.

If not the above clean the flash channel and nipple well, check that the patent breech is not full of crud (If you clean things using the pump with wet patch with breech in a bucket of warm water method the above should be clean).

Also ignition will be better using real BP.

 

[necchi]

Any idea whats going on??

Yeah.
The barrel and flash channel likely wasn't fully clean of all the heavy packing grease they put in at the factory.
Those oils mixed with heat and powder residue becomes a really hard tar like substance that will plug the flash channel.
Your going to have to go after that thing with Brake Cleaner or another petroleum solvent.
I use Gasoline, and the pump method to make sure that channel is completely clean.

 

[stinkyfeet]

I agree with Necci if its a new barrel or new to you. If you have access to a air hose force air through the nipple or nipple hole and see what comes out. The canned air cans works well and the tube will fit good against the nipple as well. If the air is coming out through the muzzle without issue then you know the channel is clear. I also recommend switching to real black powder as well. I was at a rendezvous last weekend and watched all the guys struggling with 100 degree heat and synthetic powders in the percussions. I had zero failures with the flintlock and percussion gun all the failure to fire caps pop and no bang or a hangfire was all with synthetic powders.

 

[nkbj]

Question: After it goes boom the first time (oil removal) does it keep going boom thereafter?

The first suspect should be oil in the ignition path. Sometimes you can pop caps and the fouling oil is yet present in sufficient quantity to cause the dreaded pop-no-boom.
Hate it when it does that. Only happens when I leave the nipple wrench in the house. The best cure I've found is to use a sub-caliber brush with paper towel on it to get into the smaller breech channel, then pop caps, paper towel it again, add a little powder with the last cleaning patch jammed back over it and bang, burn out the oil.
Drying it out with alcohol is a good additional step. If you can find some IP99 (99% isopropanol) it's good stuff.

 

[gearheart]

Ignition temperature might be the issue here. Real black has the lowest ignition temp, followed by p-dex and then T7. Getting the substitutes to fire required more heat and possibly even a "primer" charge of 10 grains of real black under the main charge. Reduce main charge accordingly.
Not to say that you cannot use subs but they are more persnickety and T7 is the most persnickety of the bunch. That is why so many here are saying get real BP. We just trying to save you some grief.

 

[BrownBear]

Dunno if this will help your particular barrel, because it's such a habit I haven't fired a capper of any brand or model in years without doing it. Same for subs and black powder:

After you've dumped the charge and before you seat a ball, angle the gun about 45 degrees with the lock on the bottom side, then slap the stock down near the stock to help settle powder into the flame channel towards the nipple. Works better than any musket nipple or hot shot nipple for assuring good ignition. If the powder is right under the nipple, the cap flame has almost no distance to travel.

 

[BobinIL]

I think I have found part of the problem. I took the set screw out of the side where the nipple screws in and noticed the musket nipple screwed in about 1/16" further than the percussion cap nipple. This constricts the area opposite the flash hole to a very small area barely large enough to get any powder in. looks like I need different musket nipple or put a small washer under the nipple to keep from screwing it in too far.

 

[hawk driver]

Pull the clean-out screw and see if there is anything blocking the flame from reaching the powder. If that is clear, betting switching to BP will solve it. Just got a new GM barrel yesterday and shot it this weekend, no issues.

 

[BrownBear]

...looks like I need different musket nipple or put a small washer under the nipple to keep from screwing it in too far.

Chucking the musket nipple into a drawer somewhere will fix it too. Musket nipples have their place, but the Renegade isn't one of them, even with subs. If the flame channel is clear as already indicated, and if your powder is getting under the nipple. Boom.

 

[BobinIL]

I keep hearing everyone tall me to use REAL BP, well that would be great if I could find some. Not one retail outlet within 100 miles of me carries real BP. (Maybe 200 miles) I am not in a position to buy $100.00+ worth of powder from the mail order places for the time being. So subs is what I can get.

 

[BrownBear]

...well that would be great if I could find some....

I live where it's so hard to get, I've had to get real well acquainted with subs and how to use them. BP is certainly better, but subs can be made to work just fine. Without musket nipples in a Renegade.

 

[bigted]

100% agree with Brown Bear. the tip n hit werks well for me as well and in ALL my rifles so built. percussion is funny ... no powder under the cap ... no booom! I rarely have any trouble but if it shows even the slightest hesitation then im tipping it over and pounding it with my hand heel to settle the powder into the fire channel.

 

[CrossXstix]

I have a G/M barrel on a Renegade. My problem was the flash channel was so small that FF would not trickle down to the nipple. FFF was better but took some slapping on the side.

My fix was to take it to my local gun smith, and have him drill the channel to a larger size, and re tap for a larger clean out screw.

Works much mo gooder now, with either granulation.

X
David