MIsfire question...

I will list step by step what I did and what happened.

Gun cleaned very well as per usual.
Flash hole clean.
Fired primer through it.
Loaded last Monday morning for ML season. Primer fired through it before loading.
Hunted all week.
Left gun secured in vehicle overnight to avoid sweating.
Gun never got rain/snow on it during week.

This morning I went to fire load.

Loaded primer and shot.
Primer fired. (same sound and feel as usual when firing primer only).
Waited a bit.
Loaded another primer.
Gun fired as normal.

Not really sure what happened as I think if the powder/load was damp, it would not have fired with the 2nd primer??

Thoughts?

When this happens to me I find it was due to left over oil from the last cleaning, firing off two caps prior to loading usually resolves this.

could have been just a bit of moisture got through with the primer out, first primer fired might have dried the powder enough to have the second primer ignite the charge

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bdog

could have been just a bit of moisture got through with the primer out, first primer fired might have dried the powder enough to have the second primer ignite the charge

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My thought as well.

I've had powder deteriorate in the barrel as well. Best suggestion is to discharge every couple of days, no cleaning in between.

Can only guess at what was blocking your touch hole, but in a hunting situation where you want to be sure of a good ignition, I would take the extra precaution of picking the touch hole before I cap, or prime if a flinter....................Daniel

at least in my area the conditions sucked for moisture
rain wind and warm the first few days
huge temperature change for the rest of the week
I got worried about moisture after the first 2 days so I took the gun apart and reloaded with fresh powder and bullet
but to be honest it sounded like something happened with your primer not getting clean ignition

Dan

I've seen a CCI cap block the flash hole with a small disc when fired. By the shooter's description, it produced a normal "pop" when the cap ignited, but a small disc the size of the nipple was left behind, blocking the flash hole. The powder did not ignite. I'm not sure whether this disc was some of the priming compound left unburned, or whether it was some sort of sealer or foreign matter that made its way into the cap, but it certainly looked like unburned primer just as you would see looking into an unused cap. After clearing the obstruction, the gun fired normally.

Not sure whether this helps - sounds like you are using 209 primers?

For me, I oil my ML inside and out when put away for the year, and use breech plug anti-seize on the nipple. Prior to the next year's hunt, I dry-swab and clean the nipple thoroughly of any residue, then do my pre-hunt target shooting. After, I clean the gun and only oil externally (lightly). I don't allow any oil in the bore or on the nipple/breech area until I'm ready to put it away for the year. So far no issues.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duckguy

I will list step by step what I did and what happened.

Gun cleaned very well as per usual.
Flash hole clean.
Fired primer through it.
Loaded last Monday morning for ML season. Primer fired through it before loading.
Hunted all week.
Left gun secured in vehicle overnight to avoid sweating.
Gun never got rain/snow on it during week.

This morning I went to fire load.

Loaded primer and shot.
Primer fired. (same sound and feel as usual when firing primer only).
Waited a bit.
Loaded another primer.
Gun fired as normal.

Not really sure what happened as I think if the powder/load was damp, it would not have fired with the 2nd primer??

Thoughts?

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I’ve had this happen from time to time, normally it’s a result of not pressing the percussion cap down so it tight to the top of the nipple, some time when you packing your powder, it doesn’t get packed tight enough to be close to the base of the nipple, so the spark from the percussion cap can reach it. To make sure the gun fires, what I do is pour a bit of finer powder into the top of the nipple, such that powder grains will rest directly under the percussion cap. I then press the cap firmly on the nipple.

You don’t stop hunting because you grow old. You grow old be cause you stop hunting.
- Gun Nut

Same thing happened to me a couple of times, including this past week that needed two caps. My muzzleloader is a .45 CVA kit from many years ago and uses the little #10 percussion cap. I use FFg Goex and in cold weather have had it fail to discharge. I'm wondering if a bit of FFFg down the pipe first would help. I could use the FFFg in a .44 Rem BP pistol too. I don't shoot either firearm very often, but if I'm going to use the muzzleloader during our controlled hunt, I'd like to be more confident in it firing first time, so maybe a bit of experimentation is in order through the winter, lol.

Black hard-ash residue does accumulates in the flash hole; removing it properly is an important part of the cleaning process. I made my own tools to get this job done properly. I was amazed how much "stuff" I manage to pull-out first time! So you may want to check this out.

The ignition nipple itself may be not the best option for the powder/primer combo you use; you may want to look into, & even change/upgrade your ignition nipple. (not sure which rifle/ignition nipple/black powder/primer combination you use)

fyi: I use a TC Impact loaded with BH 209 & CCI 209 primers for a couple of years now; no ignition issues so far, including during several harsh cold/wet control hunts.