Received a call from my son today regarding something I have never encountered or even heard of. While practicing with my 58 cal Lyman Trade Rifle using 90 grains of Pyrodex RS and after 3 successful shots, he misfired. He recapped but misfired again. After waiting an appropriate time, he cleaned the nipple and added a few (very very little) grains of Pyrodex RS in the nipple and shook it down so it would ignite properly. Upon firing the rifle, the shot was successful, but it also blew the nipple out of the drum and just past his head. Scared the Hell out of him. There doesn't appear to be any thread or drum damage, but he couldn't recover the nipple. The nipple was a standard 6x .75mm as required by Lyman rifles. My question is 2 part. Anyone else ever experience such an event? What was the cause if known? I have been shooting every type of BP firearm on the market and have NEVER had this happen. I have theories but no data to go by. Any one???
Blow outs
- Thread starter Badger154
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My guess is that the misfired round went partway up the fouled barrel causing an obstruction. The addition of powder in the nipple cause ignition and the force of the combustion was directed back thru the nipple (which has a very small hole) and stripping the treads to relieve the pressure
Threads actually look good in the drum. Can't say about the nipple, never found it. Back pressure was certainly a contributing factor. Wish I could find the nipple. Got some studying to do. Thanks for the help.
Had not thought about that. I wish I had been there with him. I won't get to look at the gun until this weekend then I'll know more. Hope the repairs won't be a problem. Thanks for your help. I'll let you and Grimrod know how it works out.
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You might also check the barrel with a patch and jag to make sure it didn’t get a widened spot in the bore (if the ball was partway up the barrel).
Any chance the nipple had backed out to the point where it was only held by a thread or two? Nipple blew out but no damaged threads? Sounds strange. I would think there would be evidence of threads stripping, either shreds of the nipple threads or a stripped out drum.
Possible. I won't have the gun back till tomorrow or Saturday and I hope that's what it was. It will make repairs a whole lot easier. I've never taken a drum off of a Lyman and it doesn't look easy. Fingers crossed and praying.
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