Gun didn't go off on a big Tom

[WVAED]

Had a great hunt yesterday which didn't end with a bird. I set up on a high ridge well before daylight, put my decoy out, set against a tree and began to lightly tree yelp at daylight. A bird gobbled so close to me it almost scared me. He was about 60 yards away. I yelped lightly again and he responded with a double gobble. At this point I put the call down and figured there was no reason to spoke him. I saw some movement in a tree and saw his white head and saw him gobble. He flew down (at this point I could not see him). In WV we have so many hollows and ridges and banks that a turkey could be within 40 yards and you can't see him. He emerged about 5 yards from me, when behind a tree, at which point I aimed my 56 caliber smooth bore on the other side of the tree. He popped his head out and I squeezed the trigger. I expected a boom and only got a cap going off. The big boy ran away.

Ok, why didn't it go off? Let me give my thoughts. After I clean my gun, I put a light coating of Barricade in the barrel. The morning of the hunt, I ran 2 patches down the barrel. I probably should have stopped there. I ran a patch with 91% alcohol down the barrel. I have done this for years and the alcohol normally dries quickly. I then should have waited but I didn't. I ran a patch down the barrel and left it on the jag and fired two caps, pulled out the patch and it was completely black on the end. I loaded my gun with 80 grains of 2f, wad, 1 and 1/4 ounces of #6 and an overshot card. If you guys have any thoughts, I would appreciate it. P.S. I put another cap on it and it failed to go off again. I then brought it home and used a ball puller to remove the overshot cards and saved the shot and dumped the powder. Anyway, the gobbler will have a couple of days to grow bigger (and maybe smarter). We still have 3 weeks of season here.

 

[dbowling]

Maybe fire 3-4 caps, your alcohol patch may of been extra wet and left a puddle that 2 caps couldn't dry up.. I always fire 3-4 in my side locks just to be sure.

 

[Idaholewis]

What Brand, and grade of powder? What shape is the Rifles Nipple in? I had HORRIBLE Luck with Pyrodex P Hang firing on the Cold Clean Bore Shot. Your nipple Flash Hole needs to be .033ish with the Substitute powders in order to Reliably ignite it. I use Treso/Ampco Nipples in all of my Rifles, they have a Tiny .028 Flash Hole, Which is to small for Sub powders. Non issue with Real Blackpowder, it goes of IMMEDIATELY, Real Black (Swiss) is all i use. When you Dump your powder charge in, make DARN SURE and “TAP TAP TAP” on the Stock at the Lock/Wrist area of your Stock, This Vibrating/Jarring settles the powder under the Nipple where it Belongs

I bought a 1/4-28 (TC) Magspark 209 Nipple Specifically for Fouling my Cold clean bore for hunting purposes, I use Federal 209A Primers. I point my Rifle straight down at the Ground and pop 2 of these Fed 209As straight through, You Talk about Dry any excess Oil up in the Snail, Fire Channel/Patented Breech These Fed 209As are HOT and do an AWESOME job of Drying the CRITICAL Fire Channel/Patented Breech, And Also simulating a Fouled Bore They leave behind a thin coating of Black Soot that Coats the Fire Channel/Patented Breech walls, this allows the Powder to Flow freely through the Patented Breech/Fire Channel and Settle under the Nipple where it belongs. I ONLY do this to a Rifle i plan to Hunt with, The Magspark 209 Nipple, and several Boxes of Fed 209As i have will easily last me a lifetime as I only use 2-4 Shotgun Primers a Year. I have read where Carbon Build up can be an issue with 209 Shotgun primers over time, But like i said i am Only Doing this to a Rifle in preparation for a Hunt, 1, maybe 2 times a Year, 2-4 Shotgun primers a Year.

I have YET to have any Form of Hang Fire using the Method I described Above, I am confident enough in it that i consider it FAIL PROOF for Sidelocks

 

[Idaholewis]

Remember, Here is what you are working with, you said .56 Smoothbore, TC i take it?

Think of How effective a Couple of Fed 209A Shotgun primers would be at Drying/Clearing this Fire Channel/Patented Breech of Any Excess Oil/Moisture (The Root of Hang Fires) When i pop a 209A Through it is a TOTALLY different Sound than a No. 11 percussion Cap, The 209A has a VERY Deep, Hollow “BOOF” Type Sound, All force is being Pushed Through the Snail, Fire Channel/Patented Breech due to the Sealed Magspark 209 Nipple (No Blowback). I have actually seen Small Fire Balls come out of the Muzzle on the 1st 209A (excess oil)

No. 11 Caps will Work ok to Clear the Fire Channel/Patented Breech, But You lose quite a bit on exterior with No. 11s, They are Definitely better than nothing, But they have NOWHERE NEAR the power of a Fed 209A Shotgun Primer Going Through a Sealed Magspark 209 Nipple, Not even Close! If you want a more SURE FIRE way to go, Get yourself a Magspark 209 Nipple and a Few Boxes of Fed 209A Shotgun Primers. This Setup should easily last a Lifetime if only used to prepare a Rifle for a Hunt. I don’t worry about Cold Clean Bore Hangfires on The Shooting Range at Targets, i always throw the 1st Shot away anyhow, Then i start my Group. But when i plan to Hunt, I want my Stuff as FAIL PROOF as i can possibly get it, The Above procedure Gets me there

 

[Idaholewis]

Here is my Magspark Nipple in 1 of my GM Barrels, Give you an idea what they look like in case you haven’t seen one. I was asked 1 time, Kind of Expensive just to Foul, Clear/Dry your Barrel isn’t it? Nope, not in my eye, My Hunts on the other hand can become quite expensive, License/Tag, Vehicle, Fuel, etc. etc. I value my Time in the Woods after my Quarry, I might only get 1 chance? I might not get 1 at all? I take the time to make sure that me, and my Gear are as ready as i can possibly get both of us in Case i am presented with an opportunity. If something were to fail, it simply wasn’t meant to be that day! But I can tell you one thing, it wasn’t because I didn’t put my time in, thought, and preparation. Some things are out of our Control, such as Weather, But preparation of me, and my Gear are FULLY in my Control I work hard to be a Nightmare to the Critters I pursue

 

[WVAED]

Thanks Lewis, I will order one of those nipples and follow your advice. I was using goex 2ff. I believe I probably dumped the powder in too soon and the alcohol hadn't had enough time to dry and it soaked some of the alcohol or perhaps some of the light oil in the fire channel into the powder. I can't be 100% sure but seems probable. I should have swabbed it out the night before and let it dry out the night before. I was back in the same spot this morning. I lost my brass capper device. Found it this morning at the tree where I had the failure to fire. It had about 6 caps left in it. It has been laying in the woods during some rain. Later today I am going to test them to see if they still go off (Just curiosity), I will throw the rest of them away.