Reducing delay between hammer fall and charge ignition?

[mnoland30]

Be careful with WD-40 and primers. It can seep into the primer and kill it. I cleaned my 7mm RM cases with it once (worked great), but then when I had a shot at an elk, it went click instead of bang.

 

[Hausser1]

The secrete to NOT pushing fouling into the breech area is to use a jag that is smaller than the bore diameter by several hundreds, I use a .50 caliber jag in a .54, a .45 in a .50 etc. By using a smaller diameter jag & cleaning patch the patch does not push the fouling into the breach, but when pulled out, the patch bunches up on the jag and pulls the fouling out of the bore. Jags can be made smaller by chucking them in a drill and holding a file against the spinning jag to slightly reduce the diameter of the jag.

As for the mag-spark nipple replacement, they work well for igniting the substitute powders, but are extremely slow for reloading, and sometimes the fired primer gets stuck in the nipple and has to be pried out. I personally have never had a problem igniting the substitute powders when using a spit fire or Red Hot nipple and a standard #11 cap. YMMV

Great ideas Hatchet. Thank-you.

 

[jlynch75]

Got a lot of 209 primers as I used to do skeet and trap and reloaded all my shotgun shells 12ga and 20ga. But I still use #11 primers in all of my muzzleloaders and never had any problem with them using 777/FFF.

 

[BlackPowderGuy (AJHS)]

With the magspark, the primers were still getting stuck in a way the required pliers with just spit. In the end, I used a little vaseline on the sides of the primer...which is what the magspark people recommended. I used Winchester 209s which the magspark people do not recommend because they are too wide. With the vaseline i was able to get them out with my fingers. I do not find the system too fiddley for reloading. I am going to keep my eye out for CCI or Federal 209's which may work better. By the way, with my #11's I was also having a problem...they were getting stuck in the hammer after firing and needed to be wiggled out...so I guess everything is a little finnicky.

 

[deermanok]

With the magspark, the primers were still getting stuck in a way the required pliers with just spit. In the end, I used a little vaseline on the sides of the primer...which is what the magspark people recommended. I used Winchester 209s which the magspark people do not recommend because they are too wide. With the vaseline i was able to get them out with my fingers. I do not find the system too fiddley for reloading. I am going to keep my eye out for CCI or Federal 209's which may work better. By the way, with my #11's I was also having a problem...they were getting stuck in the hammer after firing and needed to be wiggled out...so I guess everything is a little finnicky.

I get spent # 11 caps stuck in the hammer cup from time to time.
More so with CCI's rather than RWS caps. I always have a small pocket knife on hand to pry them out.

 

[Fyrstyk]

I get spent # 11 caps stuck in the hammer cup from time to time.
More so with CCI's rather than RWS caps. I always have a small pocket knife on hand to pry them out.

I have a small scribe from a Combination square that i keep pinned to my shooting bag for when a cap gets stuck in the hammer nose to pry them out. I have also taken the cursed Dremel tool to ream the inside edges of the hammer to make it larger and smoother so caps fall out better. Better still, I use my flint lock.

 

[jlynch75]

I always carry my Leatherman multitool (Original) when hunting. Comes in real handy. I found CCI seem to mushroom and RWS split.

 

[txhunter58]

1). After a complete cleaning and heading to shoot again, pop off 2-3 caps to clear any oil and Debree. You can even push a clean patch down the barrel to the breech area. If clean, the cap should blow the patch out the barrel.

2) pour your powder down, tilt the barrel with the flame channel down and bump the barrel so some powder will go into the flame channel, then seat your bullet.

3). As an added safety measure, when I load for a hunt: after loading powder and bullet, I remove the nipple and pour a couple grains of powder under the nipple. Replace the nipple and hunt.

 

[txhunter58]

Also, to keep moisture out, I use a Kap Kover. Has a special nipple with an O ring that 1) holds the Kover in place and 2) serves as moisture barrier. This thing is also a "safety"
NP0840 Safe N' Dry Kap Kover - 1/4 X 28 (dixiegunworks.com)

 

[Okie Hog]

My sidelock guns use plain old #11 caps. If there is a hang fire or misfire, i did something wrong.

Hang fires with percussion muzzleloaders are caused by improper maintenance and improper swabbing between shots.

1. When cleaning the rifle, remove the nipple and clean the flame channel with a bristled pipe cleaner.

2. Store the rifle muzzle down to prevent oil from entering the patent breech and flame channel.

3. If you can't do 2 above: Prior to loading run a patch all the way down the bore and pop a cap. Remove the ramrod and look for residue on the patch.

4. After loading the powder lean the rifle lock side down and whack the stock a couple times. This allows powder to enter the flame channel.

IME: There's something wrong with the rifle or technique if the muzzleloader requires the use a Mag Spark or other gizmo to function reliably.

 

[Fyrstyk]

Another hint to prevent misfires or hang fires is to be sure to put the hammer at 1/2 cock before pouring your powder down the bore. Sometimes, especially with 2f, the kernels of powder will bridge at the patent breech bore reduction if there is no way for the air to get out of the nipple resulting in a longer travel for the flame of the cap to get to the powder. As mentioned in the earlier post, it is good practice to hand bump the side off side of the lock to settle the powder in the breech area.

 

[eekjellander]

My sidelock guns use plain old #11 caps. If there is a hang fire or misfire, i did something wrong.

Hang fires with percussion muzzleloaders are caused by improper maintenance and improper swabbing between shots.

1. When cleaning the rifle, remove the nipple and clean the flame channel with a bristled pipe cleaner.

2. Store the rifle muzzle down to prevent oil from entering the patent breech and flame channel.

3. If you can't do 2 above: Prior to loading run a patch all the way down the bore and pop a cap. Remove the ramrod and look for residue on the patch.

4. After loading the powder lean the rifle lock side down and whack the stock a couple times. This allows powder to enter the flame channel.

IME: There's something wrong with the rifle or technique if the muzzleloader requires the use a Mag Spark or other gizmo to function reliably.

NOT a question about reliability or (GIZMOS) just more options in a world of less options/availability/ and not for nothing (powders) as unlike #11 caps a Magspark lights up any powder including that very expensive BH 209 for our side lock /under hammers with the added performance and (NO WIPING) during a day of shooting if you are lucky an rich enough to find and afford ! Ignore simple facts but try not to amplify your misguided opinion ! /Ed

 

[Okie Hog]

Ignore simple facts but try not to amplify your misguided opinion ! /Ed

Have it your way.

 

[eekjellander]

Planned on it experience beats conjecture every time/Ed

 

[txhunter58]

I would wonder if BH 209 is actually safe to use in a sidelock. It is really a smokeless powder that has been diluted enough to use in muzzleloaders. I know of people using it in inlines with breechplugs not designed for BH to have pieces of shrapnel come flying back into their face/eyes. I LOVE BH 209! And obviously, it has worked Ok in your gun, but from my experience and others I know of, I will not be trying it in mine.