# Misfires



## waistdeep (Oct 16, 2012)

Hi, I'm wondering if someone could help me with a problem,my brother and I have a couple of thompson center rifles, one hawken, one new englander, and we are having problems with misfires,we load guns with a little powder and a paper wad to test fire to make sure no oil residue is left in barrel after cleaning, shoots fine,load with powder,ball  to hunt and sometimes they won't fire with first cap, but will with a second cap. Any advice?


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## flyfisher76544 (Oct 16, 2012)

waistdeep said:


> Hi, I'm wondering if someone could help me with a problem,my brother and I have a couple of thompson center rifles, one hawken, one new englander, and we are having problems with misfires,we load guns with a little powder and a paper wad to test fire to make sure no oil residue is left in barrel after cleaning, shoots fine,load with powder,ball  to hunt and sometimes they won't fire with first cap, but will with a second cap. Any advice?



First off, all you have to do is snap a cap or 2 to clear the oil. By loading a small amount of powder and then test firing, you could be clogging up the nipple with a bit of residue. So when the first cap goes off, it is basically clearing the nipple. Try just snapping caps, but if you are dead set on doing the test fire.....use a nipple pick and clear the nipple of any junk built up. Hope this helps and good luck.


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## Flintrock (Oct 16, 2012)

seen this a million times .
your drum and nipple could be clogged up with  build up. remove the nipple and look down into the drum area and see if it is clear. Sometimes after cleaing and storage there is a little residue that sets up in the drum area and this has to cleared away.It will look like black mud and it will keep the main charge from reaching the bottom of the nipple. When you fire a cap or two it may open up just enough to let a little powder reach the nipple but once you fire that it will reseal itself . Also as flyfisher said. There is a little backing on the cap.when fired it can sometimes block the hole but this should not happen on a consisant basis so I think you have a clogging issue in the drum .


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## NCHillbilly (Oct 16, 2012)

I always take the nipple out and make sure it's clear. When you take it out, you should notice a few grains of powder in the bolster if it's loaded, also. If not, the touchhole from the bolster is likely clogged. But 90% of the time, it's the nipple clogged. Often, a piece of the primer inside the cap will get stuck in the nipple after firing.


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## Redleaf (Oct 16, 2012)

Good replies above.  Make sure its completely clean,  and for removing oil,  I pour about a capful of alcohol down the muzzle and vigorously blow it out by pumping a dry cloth patch up and down in the bore.  Let it set for a few minutes to make double sure the alcohol has evaporated and then load it.


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## Lorren68 (Oct 16, 2012)

Clean your rifles with water with a drop or two of soap, Swab with patches until they come out completely dry, after drying, oil with high quality gun oil (I use remoil), store muzzle down, this will stop any oil from puddling in the flash channel or under the nipple.  BEFORE loading swap with a patch that is damp with 91% alcohol, dry patch and load. Rifle should fire on the first cap every time.  This is the method I use with my T/C Hawken, and I never pop caps or poof charges before loading.


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## cav268 (Oct 17, 2012)

I shot at the range a week or so ago. Went home and cleaned the Omega. Sprayed a little remoil in the barrel after using bore butter as well. I didn't think I sprayed that much. Loaded her up last friday night and hunted Staurday and Sunday...well Sunday evening a group of hogs come out and i decided to take one..when i shot lots of smoke, no boom and 2 orange fireballs flew out of the barrel. I was puzzled but then realized what i had done. the remoil must have been pooled in the barrel. Soaked into the pyrodex pellets over the course of 2 days and caused the misfire...Lesson learned the hard way...no bacon for me...

However i did manage to kill a 180 pound 6 point with a 16 inch inside spread on Tuesday morning...no remoil in the barrel anymore...

Several years ago..I was storing my hunting stuff in the garage which included my pyrodex pellets...after a long summer of heat and humidity the pellets misfired at the range...another lesson learned..store your powder, pellets in the AC if at all possible...


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## 7MAGMIKE (Oct 17, 2012)

I always swab the bore with an alcohol swab before loading, then give it a minute to dry before loading.  Never had a problem.  I do use a Mag-Spark 209 primer nipple on my T/C Hawken.


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## pstrahin (Oct 17, 2012)

Just blast a cap to dry the residual oil.  You are clogging it up by burning a small powder charge.


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## Lorren68 (Oct 17, 2012)

With proper care and cleaning there is no need to pop caps or poof charges, if the barrel is clear of oil and moisture when loaded the gun should fire first time every time. when you oil the gun it is not necessary to slather oil in the barrel, a lite coating of oil is all that is needed.  make sure the gun is properly cleaned and dried, add a lite coating of oil, store muzzle down.  Before loading swab the barrel with alcohol to remove oil film.


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## Redleaf (Oct 18, 2012)

> make sure the gun is properly cleaned and dried,


Key phrase rite thar.   
All these techniques are learned by shooting the gun.  Its alot better to learn this stuff at the range than in a deer stand.


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## snuffy (Oct 18, 2012)

I haven't had so much as a hang fire since I switched to real black powder.


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## collardncornbread (Oct 23, 2012)

ALL THE ABOVE is good info. Also I always have in my Black powder box in the truck. A tip cleaner. You can get one at any store that carries welding supplies. it will file any residue from your nipple in fast order. I use it for #11 nipples and inline breach plug. The tip cleaner has several different size files in it.


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## tcward (Oct 24, 2012)

snuffy said:


> I haven't had so much as a hang fire since I switched to real black powder.



We have a winner! When you shoot a front stuffer long enough, you will learn that replica powder is junk compared to the real thing!


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## Anvil Head (Oct 25, 2012)

Get your practice in, hunting squirrels in the early season. Real game conditions and tight sights required for success. At the same time you will get to know your rifle very well and will develope a methodology that works for you to insure confidence in your weapon. Good suggestions above about getting it clean and keeping it clean.....too much oil is a common pilgrim mistake.


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## Little River (Oct 25, 2012)

Check nipple hole and then drop a couple of powder grains in hole and you won't have a misfire problem.


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## SASS249 (Oct 26, 2012)

Anvil Head said:


> Get your practice in, hunting squirrels in the early season. Real game conditions and tight sights required for success. At the same time you will get to know your rifle very well and will develope a methodology that works for you to insure confidence in your weapon. Good suggestions above about getting it clean and keeping it clean.....too much oil is a common pilgrim mistake.



X2 on the squirrel hunting.  I am always amazed that more people do not hunt squirrel with their muzzleloaders.  It is a lot of fun and the best way to get yourself ready for real a variety of conditions and taking real world shots at game.


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