Hey guys, so another thread got me thinking.........I have a caplock .50 by CVA, and it's my first.....but I get alot of ftf's.....is the bore butter maybe making the powder damp? I also pour some powder down the nipple where the cap goes to give it some extra fire.....have I maybe sooted up the hole there? All you black powder experts HELP.
Muzzel loader question
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What brand of caps are you using?
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What you may need to do is thoroughly clean your barrel with a good black powder solvent (i.e. Hoppe's Black Powder Solvent) followed by Hoppe's #9. If you decide to use bore butter (and you don't have to) make sure you run patches until they are clean enough to use as a napkin! You'll also need to get after that nipple and let it soak in the solvent and then #9 and some compressed air to ensure everything is out of there.
When do your FTFs occur? First shot you make, or after a few shots? If the first shot, it may well be the butter. I try to patch it all out before shooting, because it could cause the powder to ball up and become inert (well, as inert as black powder can be, I guess).
If successive shots are failing, you may need to invest in a good nipple pick, and clean the nipple between shots.
What powder are you using? Black or pyrodex?
If successive shots are failing, you may need to invest in a good nipple pick, and clean the nipple between shots.
What powder are you using? Black or pyrodex?
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ha he said 'nipple pick'
They're right, the butter, IMO is more of a marketing thing, really not necessary as long as everything is clean. My guess is the aperture in the nipple not letting fire through.
They're right, the butter, IMO is more of a marketing thing, really not necessary as long as everything is clean. My guess is the aperture in the nipple not letting fire through.
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just be careful ofthe bore butter while your useing your nipple pick there are few things as dangerous as a buttery nipple pick. Im so sorry I just couldnt stop myself. My guesse is that extra fire is leading to extra carbon and blocking or inhibiting the aperture of your nipple. Soak clean and repeat keep a paper clip to dig the carbon buildup out, you can still call it a nipple pick if you like, oh I think im just repeating other people advise. Ok heres the best idea I can come up with, go get an inline that uses shotgun primers 
or revel in the frontier spirit when you get a FTF and think how common it musta been for our forfathers.
or revel in the frontier spirit when you get a FTF and think how common it musta been for our forfathers.
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I think...if you are using bore butter in the barrel, that is after you are done shooting...use bore butter. The way I understand it...you got your clean BP rifle...snap off 1 cap(pop a cap on your gun)...then load your gun with BP, what ever BP grain you want to use(I would start off with 75 grain or less)...then put your bullet in the barrel...use you ram stick and push that bullet ALL the way down the barrel(make sure that bullet is DOWN all the way(make sure there is NO air space, between the BP and the bullet), you don't have to pack it that hard). Then, you put a cap on it...fire away!!!
There is more to it...then I just stated. You just have to look up things on shooting Black Powder Weapons. Just my 2 cents.
There is more to it...then I just stated. You just have to look up things on shooting Black Powder Weapons. Just my 2 cents.
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+1 to all of the above.
explain to me what the bore butter is being used for, I'm kinda old-timey & have always passed by the stuff w/o paying attention. As a bullet lube it shouldn't effect the load, but maybe it has some other purpose?
If it, or any other substance beside BP is in the barrel then u got problems waiting to rise.
If i have oiled my barrel i make sure my first shot or two is nuthin but BP, no bullet at all, just to burn-out any oil (or butter??). Then I may run a patch down, but more likely just a bullet. I use patched balls in my .45, saboted FMJ's in my .50, and pure lead minnies (how can they call a 500gr bullet a minnie?) lubed w/Crisco in my .58 - I find any one of these scrubs-away the fouling & sets me up for a nice shot thereafter.
BUT, I would avoid putting powder down the nipple, all it will accomplish is a slower bang, or even a hang-fire. If that seems to work for ya, then i'd suggest skipping the nipple-pick & going right for the wrench... you may need to check & see if there's a good place for the fire to enter the bore. Sounds like it might be carboned-up as some suggested, but might even be that the hole needs to be opened-up a bit.
I'm anxious to hear how this ends-up. & hopeful for pictures!! I do like a caplock!
explain to me what the bore butter is being used for, I'm kinda old-timey & have always passed by the stuff w/o paying attention. As a bullet lube it shouldn't effect the load, but maybe it has some other purpose?
If it, or any other substance beside BP is in the barrel then u got problems waiting to rise.
If i have oiled my barrel i make sure my first shot or two is nuthin but BP, no bullet at all, just to burn-out any oil (or butter??). Then I may run a patch down, but more likely just a bullet. I use patched balls in my .45, saboted FMJ's in my .50, and pure lead minnies (how can they call a 500gr bullet a minnie?) lubed w/Crisco in my .58 - I find any one of these scrubs-away the fouling & sets me up for a nice shot thereafter.
BUT, I would avoid putting powder down the nipple, all it will accomplish is a slower bang, or even a hang-fire. If that seems to work for ya, then i'd suggest skipping the nipple-pick & going right for the wrench... you may need to check & see if there's a good place for the fire to enter the bore. Sounds like it might be carboned-up as some suggested, but might even be that the hole needs to be opened-up a bit.
I'm anxious to hear how this ends-up. & hopeful for pictures!! I do like a caplock!
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Bore butter was designed as a lube to be used with traditional patched roundballs (lube the patches) and all lead conical bullets and as a rust inhibitor for the barrel interior. Just prior to firing the user should swab the barrel clean and then proceed to load and fire as usual. Repeated firings like this will season the barrel just like a cast iron skillet gets seasoned. Some people swear by the stuff and some don't.
Me, I never used it since I always clean my barrels with a good BP solvent and then wash with near boiling water and soap, dry thoroughly, lube lightly and then store it back in the safe with the dehumidifier rod plugged in. My rifle has no rust and fires every time I load it.
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Interesting!
The more traditional way, nice! Same here, but i've never used a BP solvent (recommendations?), just HOT, soapy, H2O. All of my muzzies are used & some the prev. owners weren't so friendly as yourself to the bore, the first few inches is over-sized from corrosion. No prob. if my charge is large enough to assure the bullet is fully in the rifling -- BUT that's why I wonder if maybe lailr needs the pritchel opened-up a bit - corrosion may have closed things a bit.
Those #11 caps don't shoot fire like cartrige primers, & especially with a caplock (I'm assuming is on the side, not inline?) that ol' flame needs to get where it belongs with minimal bouncing around.
My .58 was made for musket caps, and I converted it to #11, but i definately had to open a trail for the fire to reach the charge efficiently since they're less than 1/3 the size of musket caps.
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I'm in the hot soapy water camp, and also in the bore butter camp (it would seem I have two tents). A few years back I was working a gig as an interpreter and one of the things I did was fire off an Enfield musket. When I checked the gun into my equipment inventory I noticed it had not been cleaned in quite some time. I noticed the nipple pick would just barely fit down in the nipple and having no type of solvent at work with me I slipped out to the maintenance shop and got a tiny little drill bit, just slightly smaller than the nipple and run it down in there. After that I just took my soapy water and a some canned air...bingo! never had any issue.
On a side note, we got poor quality primers the state bought in bulk once, never seemed hot as other brands. I would be curious to know what you're using/how old they are?
And I think pouring that touch of powder down the nip could also be leading to some excess fouling/blockage.
On a side note, we got poor quality primers the state bought in bulk once, never seemed hot as other brands. I would be curious to know what you're using/how old they are?
And I think pouring that touch of powder down the nip could also be leading to some excess fouling/blockage.
I'm not sure what caps I have I'll have to look......I was told bore butter was required, I shoot a sabot as well, I think that maybe I might rather shoot ball and patches, might have better luck......No I do not pop a cap, but I will now. I had been cleaning and clearing it by letting it soak overnight in the bathtub, then pulling the bullet......That's a #$*%!........then oiling the outside and buttering the bore...........Scary story- I was shooting it one day, and got a FTF.........so I sat it on the tailgate, barrel downrange thank god, turned around, the BOOM.....off she goes :cantlook:scared the crap otta me.
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Now THAT's good advice! can you imagine all the things they had to put up with? Let alone trying to load one while under fire in battle. plain nuts
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I can understand the hangfire. I once was interpreting CW firearms with a guy from another agency, he was using a sharps carbine I was using a Springfield musket. Someone in the crowd asked which could put more rounds downrange in one minute, so we decided to show the audience. The third round he loaded hung on him, and in the heat of the moment he didn't hold the gun for the recommended time reached for the hammer to reprime...BOOM! :blink: Presentation over!
Of course that will never compare to the hang on 32 pd sea-coast cannon, my ears rang for days after that one :-[
But I've never heard anyone say bore butter was required, just makes loading that round a little easier, have you tried Traditions WonderLube?
Of course that will never compare to the hang on 32 pd sea-coast cannon, my ears rang for days after that one :-[
But I've never heard anyone say bore butter was required, just makes loading that round a little easier, have you tried Traditions WonderLube?
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yikes! :wideeyed: does he still have all his digits?
You must have a FUN job leadslinger?
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Yeah, still got em he was lucky. He got a new pair of pants though I am sure :laugh:
I wish I still I had that particular job, but I moved up to the Federal world for better money...and less fun. Still get to do it a few weekends a year during the winter (it's the only times those uniforms are comfortable to wear!)
I wish I still I had that particular job, but I moved up to the Federal world for better money...and less fun. Still get to do it a few weekends a year during the winter (it's the only times those uniforms are comfortable to wear!)
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