No Bang

[MikeP]

Recently built a Traditions sidelock rifle. Cleaned barrel, drum and nipple of manufacturer oils. Popped a cap with piece of paper at muzzle end to ensure no obstructions then used dry patch to make sure no oil or other residue. Went to range and loaded 75gr 777 FFg (brand new), lubed patch and ball. Cap went off but no ignition of powder (2 attempts). Used nipple pic to check for obstructions. Removed and checked nipple. Removed drum screw and inspected. Tried pouring small amount of powder from a 22lr into nipple cavity then re-installed nipple. Popped another cap and no bang. Went home and throughly cleaned barrel, nipple and drum. Shinned light into drum and could see entire barrel from the muzzle end. Obviously, fire from cap is not making it to powder. As a newbie to muzzleloaders, i dont recall any of my research that had an additional loading step that involved ensuring the powder reached the bottom of the barrel and to the drum before loading patch and ball. When loading powder, shouldnt grains funnel to bottom of barrel and into the drum area. Or is there something else i am overlooking?

 

[bronko220002]

My first thought is that there was a drop or two of oil in the breech area.
I'd be willing to bet that your breech is cupped and your patch can't reach all the way down. Two ways to fix this. 1. get yourself a 3/8" x 48" wooden dowel and cut a 1/2"-3/4" slit on one end, slide one end of a patch in the slit and then over the top of the dowel. Spin it as you put it down the bore so it wraps around the dowel. (Use a bigger patch) and wipe out the breech area and then spin in the same direction when removing. It should not come off the dowel, 2. Always store your muzzleloader muzzle down for a couple days after cleaning. This allows any residual oils to flow out the muzzle.
I either store them muzzle down in the safe or horizontal in a gun rack but always muzzle down for a day or two.
When loading a sidelock front stuffer its always a good idea to pour the powder in at a moderate rate then bump the rifle on the tang with the palm of your hand a couple times then again on the lock side. This ensures the powder gets settled into the breech and also against the flash channel, You did everything right by popping a cap or two. But what I do prior to popping the cap is swab the bore to remove any oils or solvents and then keep the rod/patch down all the way and then pop the cap. A burn mark on the patch indicates the flash channel is open but prevents fouling from entering the barrel.

 

[edmehlig]

I completely agree what was posted above. What I like to do is swab the bore with a dry patch. Replace it with another dry patch and push it it all the way down then fire a cap or two. By having the patch all the way down will ensure all of the flame from the cap is concentrated in the breech area ensuring all oil is burnt. When you remove the patch it should be burnt. Then like Bronko mentioned after you pour the powder down to tap it several times by the breech area before loading your conical or patch and ball.

 

[MikeP]

My first thought is that there was a drop or two of oil in the breech area.
I'd be willing to bet that your breech is cupped and your patch can't reach all the way down. Two ways to fix this. 1. get yourself a 3/8" x 48" wooden dowel and cut a 1/2"-3/4" slit on one end, slide one end of a patch in the slit and then over the top of the dowel. Spin it as you put it down the bore so it wraps around the dowel. (Use a bigger patch) and wipe out the breech area and then spin in the same direction when removing. It should not come off the dowel, 2. Always store your muzzleloader muzzle down for a couple days after cleaning. This allows any residual oils to flow out the muzzle.
I either store them muzzle down in the safe or horizontal in a gun rack but always muzzle down for a day or two.
When loading a sidelock front stuffer its always a good idea to pour the powder in at a moderate rate then bump the rifle on the tang with the palm of your hand a couple times then again on the lock side. This ensures the powder gets settled into the breech and also against the flash channel, You did everything right by popping a cap or two. But what I do prior to popping the cap is swab the bore to remove any oils or solvents and then keep the rod/patch down all the way and then pop the cap. A burn mark on the patch indicates the flash channel is open but prevents fouling from entering the barrel.

Thank you. I read about popping a patch for the burn mark but forgot about it. I did swab the barrel prior to the range with alcohol on a patch but not reaching a cupped end makes sense. Does the breech end of the barrel funnel into the drum or does the barrel remain shaped like the muzzle end with just a channel out into drum and nipple?

 

[MikeP]

I completely agree what was posted above. What I like to do is swab the bore with a dry patch. Replace it with another dry patch and push it it all the way down then fire a cap or two. By having the patch all the way down will ensure all of the flame from the cap is concentrated in the breech area ensuring all oil is burnt. When you remove the patch it should be burnt. Then like Bronko mentioned after you pour the powder down to tap it several times by the breech area before loading your conical or patch and ball.

Thank you.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Recently built a Traditions sidelock rifle. Cleaned barrel, drum and nipple of manufacturer oils. Popped a cap with piece of paper at muzzle end to ensure no obstructions then used dry patch to make sure no oil or other residue. Went to range and loaded 75gr 777 FFg (brand new), lubed patch and ball. Cap went off but no ignition of powder (2 attempts). Used nipple pic to check for obstructions. Removed and checked nipple. Removed drum screw and inspected. Tried pouring small amount of powder from a 22lr into nipple cavity then re-installed nipple. Popped another cap and no bang. Went home and throughly cleaned barrel, nipple and drum. Shinned light into drum and could see entire barrel from the muzzle end. Obviously, fire from cap is not making it to powder. As a newbie to muzzleloaders, i dont recall any of my research that had an additional loading step that involved ensuring the powder reached the bottom of the barrel and to the drum before loading patch and ball. When loading powder, shouldnt grains funnel to bottom of barrel and into the drum area. Or is there something else i am overlooking?

I dump powder in, tilt gun so drum is a little down and bop the butt of the stock on the ground a couple of times

If you put powder into the drum and replaced the nipple then I would be checking the nipple for obstruction

 

[bronko220002]

This is similar to most sidelock breech plugs and why you need to get down there to sway out oil or allow it to flow out. Traditions, Lyman and T/Cs are a bit different but you get the idea.

 

[deermanok]

Based solely on my own personal experience with T7 and sidelocks. Ignition is unreliable at best.
My remedy is to use a small amount of real black powder ahead of the T7 charge. Always goes bang for me.

 

[Semisane]

Based solely on my own personal experience with T7 and sidelocks. Ignition is unreliable at best.
My remedy is to use a small amount of real black powder ahead of the T7 charge. Always goes bang for me.

BINGO!

 

[Hanshi]

I've never used T7 before so can't speak to its quality. But I can mention a couple of things and one has already been posted. Get some real black powder and try that. BP is easy to "set off" compared to substitutes. I've owned and used more than one Traditions and found them to be very good, reliable and accurate. Swabbing the bore (especially after firing a shot) tends to push fouling down into the powder chamber where it blocks the cap-fire.

 

[Fishbc]

In sidelocks I only use Black Powder. It always goes bang unless completely wet or the nipple is plugged.
If by chance it is from oil try 91% rubbing alcohol.
Ran a patch soaked with it down the barrel.
Then remove nipple and squirt some down the barrel until it runs out.
And run a pipe cleaner soaked in it through the nipple.
In a minute it will evaporate.
I do this everytime before shooting.
If after that it doesn’t fire it’s the 777 not being ignited by the cap.

 

[MikeP]

Thank you for all the comments. I learned a boatload. Reinspected everything. Went to range and did the tap-tap thing to ensure powder made it down to the breech and drum. She went bang. What a great experience building a BP rifle from a kit, to experiencing a little bit of history, to experiencing the effectiveness and accuracy that a 50cal ball can do blasting the crap out of some plastic milk bottles.

 

[Bad Karma]

I’ve used T7 in TC side locks successfully but the 3f granulation only. Seems like the 2f stuff doesn’t flow easily into the flash channel. Also, T7 needs more heat than the real thing. I’ve had good results with nipples having a larger orifice. .030” seems to be the magic number. Uncle Mikes used to sell them in stainless steel. Hot Shots may be the current solution.

 

[MikeP]

I’ve used T7 in TC side locks successfully but the 3f granulation only. Seems like the 2f stuff doesn’t flow easily into the flash channel. Also, T7 needs more heat than the real thing. I’ve had good results with nipples having a larger orifice. .030” seems to be the magic number. Uncle Mikes used to sell them in stainless steel. Hot Shots may be the current solution.

Thanks.