wouldn't ignite

[Big Tom 52]

I took my T/C Cherokee percussion to the range and shot it with no problems. Took it home and cleaned it like I always do and put it in the gun safe for a week until I took it out to go deer hunting. I ran a dry patch through the barrel and it came out with a slight bit of brownish tint so i ran another and it came clean. I made sure the nipple was clear with the pick and everything seemed ok. I loaded it up and hunted. After about 3 hours I had to leave so I went to shoot an old tree stump to unload and the cap went off but not the main charge? I pulled the ball and when I emptied the powder i had to used my ramrod to break it up it was packed tight. Could I be using to much grease on my patches? At the range I had no problems. I been shooting gun for over 60 years but only muzzle loading shooting for a little over a year at the range . this was my first time hunting with one, Sorry this post is so drawn out but i wanted to make sure I explained

 

[Grenadier1758]

@bad tom 52, it was probably oils left in the chambered breech of your Cherokee that fouled your load.

After cleaning and oiling your rifle for storage, put it away with the muzzle down to allow the oils to drain out of the breech. When preparing for the range, remove the nipple and run a pipe cleaner through to the powder chamber. Wipe the bore with an alcohol soaked patch and wipe the flash channel with your pipe cleaner before reinstalling the nipple. Now you should be ready for a reliable first shot.

 

[sdhunter]

A few lessons I learned when hunting: 1. Flush bore, nipple, and flash channel with 91% rubbing alcohol before heading afield. 2. Pop a couple caps before you load the rifle. 3. If hunting in cold weather, leave the weapon cold if you plan on hunting for a few days and leaving the rifle loaded. Ex. Do not let rifle ride around with you in the warm truck then back out in the cold for a few hours.( this really bit me in the butt on my first muzzleloader hunt.) 4. If I am really paranoid, after loading I will take out the clean out screw and shove a couple grains of powder in the flash channel, then re-tighten the clean out screw and go hunting.

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

As has been said, you've pushed oil into the breach. I store my gun barrel up, when going shooting just remove the nipple, squirt some isopropyl alcohol and dry patch it, if I really can be bothered will run a cap through it afterward but usually not.

The only misfire I've ever had with percussion was running a dry patch in the bore and then loading. Thought I'd get away with it but and the hare I didn't kill was appreciative that I didn't as he bounded away.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Been decades since I played with and cap guns, but in the day there was a problem of the air pocket between the main charge and cap, compressing and snuffing out the flame.

 

[deermanok]

I always fire off a few caps to purge the breech and slightly foul the barrel before I load up for a hunt. Never had a misfire.

 

[TreeMan]

Flush everything with brake cleaner or alcohol prior to loading for hunting. Pull the nipple and make sure it’s spotless and let that cleaner flow through the drum. Dry patches then let everything evaporate. Put the nipple back in and then load. I’m overly paranoid about those misfires when heading to the woods.

 

[JCKelly]

Convert it to flint. At Old Westmoreland Rifles, a few centuries ago, seems to me I shot more reliably with my flint than they with their caps. Or so says my memory.

 

[Big Tom 52]

Thanks for all the advice-- I had no idea about using alcohol to swab out the barrel before I load up for a days hunt and also leaving the rifle in a warm truck cab and then taking it out again.

 

[ord sgt]

After cleaning but before pouring powder down the barrel, fire a few caps on an empty barrel. First cap, point the rifle in a safe direction and squeeze the trigger. Second cap, point the barrel toward the ground and fire. You should see leaves or grass move, indicating a clear flash channel. Go ahead and load your rifle and shoot it.

 

[bang]

Doesn't hurt to burn about 10 grains as a fouling shot. It insures things are working as they should and helps clear any fouling material from the flash channel. Plus not subjecting it to temp changes.
Too much lube can , especially when left loaded for long periods, let the powder absorb lube. Usually takes a lot of lube though. All you need is just enough to get a smooth ram.
When doing an initial swab I find it best to remove the nipple. Put enough cleaning solution in the barrel so it runs out freely and quickly run a patch down to see it spray out. Then dry patch and or alcohol till completely dry.
I've left mine barrel up and down after light oiling. Never had issues either way. Contribute it to doing proper initial swab before loading.

 

[Okie Hog]

Clean the flash channel using a bristled pipe cleaner. After loading the powder, lean the rifle lock side down and slap the stock a couple times to allow powder to enter the flash channel.

 

[sdhunter]

Condensation is a killer. Cost me a deer on my first deer hunt in below zero weather. Now once the rifle is loaded it rides in the box of the pickup in a case and in the cold garage in a case. Never in the heated pickup or house.

 

[JCKelly]

There must be a thousand ways for modern made percussion rifles not to shoot. The same old failure to fire comes up again and again. Suggestions for getting the thing to shoot are all fine, though many involve chemicals not available in the 19th century.
Perhaps there is some faint possibility that the problem comes from design of modern percussion breeches?
I wasn't entirely kidding earlier when I suggested converting to flintlock.
More accurately I'd say simplify the breech internal design. Get rid of all those complicated, narrow places in breech design that hold oil/cleaning solution/et cetera next to what gunpowder is supposed to go BANG. Betcha almost no one has these problems with an under-hammer, where nipple goes straight into the barrel, right into the gunpowder.

 

[Big Tom 52]

There must be a thousand ways for modern made percussion rifles not to shoot. The same old failure to fire comes up again and again. Suggestions for getting the thing to shoot are all fine, though many involve chemicals not available in the 19th century.
Perhaps there is some faint possibility that the problem comes from design of modern percussion breeches?
I wasn't entirely kidding earlier when I suggested converting to flintlock.
More accurately I'd say simplify the breech internal design. Get rid of all those complicated, narrow places in breech design that hold oil/cleaning solution/et cetera next to what gunpowder is supposed to go BANG. Betcha almost no one has these problems with an under-hammer, where nipple goes straight into the barrel, right into the gunpowder.

Converting to a Flintlock won't happen. I understand what you're saying about flintlocks and better ignition, but this rifle was originally owned by my brother-in-law and was given to me after he passed away from cancer. He used it to take a mule deer in Ariz.. Other than the minor problems I'm having while learning the basic ins and out of muzzle loader shooting, I'm having fun shooting. I have my mind set on getting a flintlock as soon as I find the right one! I do thank you for your reply's!

 

[Kansas Kid]

You never mentioned what type of powder you used.

 

[Big Tom 52]

You never mentioned what type of powder you used.

Goex 2fg I couldn't 3fg

 

[Kansas Kid]

Flush it out like post #7 said and I doubt you will have any problems with it again.

 

[renegadehunter]

A little more info would help in determining exactly what fouled your powder, but I agree it sounds like your rust preventative got into the flame channel.
What is your cleaning procedure and what do you use for a rust preventative?
What do you use as a patch lube?

 

[Big Tom 52]

A little more info would help in determining exactly what fouled your powder, but I agree it sounds like your rust preventative got into the flame channel.
What is your cleaning procedure and what do you use for a rust preventative?
What do you use as a patch lube?

I take nipple out and soak it in Butch's bore shine. I take the barrel out of the stock, then I put the nipple end of the barrel in a container and use the scraper and then pour butch's bore shine down the barrel until it comes out the flame channel. I soak a patch and run it up and down the barrel in a pumping motion. then i pour out any liquid and start running dry patches down the barrel until they come out clean. I have small brushes that i used to clean the nipple and flame channel. My last step is to put a small dab of anti-seize on the threads and reinstall the nipple, then I use RIG universal gun grease on a patch and run it in the barrel between uses. I grease my patches with thompson bore butter. Before I loaded it, I ran a couple patches down the barrel to clean the grease out. Then I went through the loading procedure. 50 grains powder, greased patch and ball, cap on nipple, and shoot. I do the same thing when at the range and didn't have any problems. I run a patch through the barrel after every 3 or 4 shots at the range. This is why I was wondering if maybe I was using too much grease on my patches when I was hunting and after a while the powder was drawing the moisture from the greased patch?