Unfired TC Hawken with laminated stock

[Muddly]

Thanks all! The first time you see her, she strikes you as... well, odd.
But then, she REALLY grabs ya. Kinda like that girl that looks a touch different, but is really good looking the more ya see her.
On the down side, she is prone to misfired.
The first 3 are fine. Then they start and even priming the nipple doesn't help. For to pull the nipple and dribble in some powder. No clean out screw btw. I do even the patent breech when cleaning.
Ideas?

 

[Dibbuk]

That looks like something you will enjoy owning, as well as shooting.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Thanks all! The first time you see her, she strikes you as... well, odd.
But then, she REALLY grabs ya. Kinda like that girl that looks a touch different, but is really good looking the more ya see her.
On the down side, she is prone to misfired.
The first 3 are fine. Then they start and even priming the nipple doesn't help. For to pull the nipple and dribble in some powder. No clean out screw btw. I do even the patent breech when cleaning.
Ideas?

From your comments you are describing a flash channel getting filed with fouling.

Tell us about your process in loading, especially the first through the third and leave out no details. Are you wiping between shots? How damp is the patch and how thick is the patch and what solution are you using? Is it a single wet patch? Is it followed by a dry patch? What powder are you using? What caps are you using? Standard or magnum?

After the third shot I would fire a cap into a damp patch and pull that to see what is captured in the damp patch.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Should have added, are you using a small jag or brush to clean the T/C's chambered breech? These fill with fouling very quickly and are hard to get clean.

 

[sawyer04]

Here's some pics of my laminated Hawken

That is a sharp rifle, I have seen many laminated stocks on unmentionable weapons, only a few on muzzle guns.

 

[Muddly]

My load process is to patch between shots with rubbing alcohol. Just damp, with cut up t shirts for patches. Down, flip, down followed by a dry patch.
Am shooting .490 balls with .010 or .015 patches lubed with bore butter.
Powder is 70 grains of 3f Swiss. Lit with Remington #11s. Nipple is a Treso ( Ampco)
To clean the patent breech, I use patches on a brush and pipe cleaners to get the flame channel. That kinda tough as there's no clean out screw. I'm thinking of putting some steel wool on the brush and seeing what I can get out. The breech recess seems much smaller than my flintlock Renegade's.
This rifle was unfired when I got it.
Curiously, the recess under the nipple has the flame channel below the bottom of the recess. A trench, if you will. I wonder if deepening the recess to match the bottom of the groove would help.
When loading, I give her a flick to try to move powder into the bolster.
Her first 10 went off perfect. Later attempts... Not so much

 

[Grenadier1758]

Muddly when you clean, do you remove the barrel and rigorously pump cleaning solution through the T/C chambered breech. Do try magnum caps although the Remington caps should work. Do try firing a cap into your damp wiping patch.

 

[Muddly]

I don't use the bucket of hot water method. I did with this barrel though, just to see if it helped. It didnt.
Never had an issue with patches and either alcohol or w.w. fluid

 

[Muddly]

Shot her Friday with very good results. No misfires!
I have a spare, unfired, factory barrel and I checked the nipple recess in the bolster. It is different than the problem child in that the recess is deeper. Specifically, it extends to the bottom of the flash channel.
Bet this one won't misfire.
Got a bit of work to do...

 

[gemihur]

... with an exquisite finish to boot!
I dig the satin

 

[renegadehunter]

I used to have the same fail-to-fire (f2f) problems with my renegade. After 6-10 shots, swabbing every time, I would start having them...especially if it was raining or there was a lot of moisture in the air. It was suggested by someone on this forum that I was pushing fouling into the flash channel when swabbing because the jag/patch combo was too big and that I should turn the jag down a bit. This allows the swab and jag to go down the bore smoothly, but then the patch material bunches up and pulls the fouling OUT of the barrel. As soon as I turned my jag down a bit by putting it in a drill and spinning on a file, bingo! I rarely get a f2f now during extended range sessions.
Popping a cap after swabbing and before loading also greatly reduced my f2f's until I turned the jag down.
Also, I question how well alcohol softens fouling? I've read more than once that it doesn't do a great job in that department? When I swab I run the damp patch down to the bottom, pause for 6-8 seconds to give the fouling a chance to soften a bit, and then pull it back out.

 

[Muddly]

I've been using rubbing alcohol exclusively for about 20 years with complete success. It evaporates quickly, even at low temps so no wet charges. When it evaporates, it takes moisture with it so the bore is DRY.
I've found it excellent at getting fouling out.
Im using Treso ( Ampco) nipples and they have quite narrow apertures. Maybe this one had to open up a bit as the misfires are gone.
My jag is a well worn TC knurled.
This Hawken has really made me happy.
My Firehawk is still my best girl, but my, odd, Hawken is a force to be reckoned with.

 

[koz]

wow congrats on that fine rifle.