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Joined: 9/28/2007
Posts: 2
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I have a CVA Apollo 90 .50 caliber. I don't muzzle load much, having switched mostly to archery, but did try shooting my muzzleloader last year. Although I clean it annually, store the barrel heavily greased, cleaned and dried it thoroughly and fired three #11 caps in it before loading, the cap went off but not the load. It took 4 tries to get it to fire! This has me spooked -- what if I had been aiming at a trophy? I've replaced my powder and no problems since but wondered "How do you keep the load dry in the barrel while hunting in rain, snow & sleet?". I'll be trying the late MI muzzleloader deer season this year. I know not to bring a cold gun into a warm room, but should I cover the muzzle while hunting?
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Joined: 9/18/2007
Posts: 4
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The easiest way is to cover the end of the barrel with a small balloon or prophylactic (don't laugh, it works). It will keep out a driving rain no problem and won't affect the flight or trajectory. Or you can take some cellophane with a rubber band to hold it snug to the barrel. Either way will do what you need. Good luck with that "trophy" you're after.
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Joined: 9/19/2007
Posts: 4182
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Sounds like there was still a little grease in the vent. When you dry the bore, the patch pushes stuff to the breech where the vent is. You can run patch after patch down but never get that littl edab that is in the vent, so the cap-firing is a good idea. However, you must see that the caps are actually doing good besides just snapping caps. Point the muzzle to a leaf or blade of grass about 1" in front of the muzzle and snap caps. If the leaf jumps, the vent has been blasted clear. If it does not jump or just barely moves, try again. It's not a bad idea to run a patch down again attached to a wiper or loop with the patch in first so patch hits the breech then turn it clockwise a few times to get any loosened debris and oil out before loading. I re-enact and we have to snap caps this way before going into action during inspection. If you do not see the leaf jump you snap again and again until you have a clear vent channel. You are almost guaranteed a couple of misfires if you have not done this.
Not a Right-wing extremist -- THE Right-wing extremist! I like my guns towed and crew-served! http://www.9thkyus.com/ http://www.blockaderunner.com/ http://www.nps.gov/stri/
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Joined: 9/28/2007
Posts: 2
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I actually put a patch in the barrel when I snapped the caps prior to loading and it blew the patch out each time so I thought I was OK. Must be something else.
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Joined: 9/18/2007
Posts: 2631
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does not take much to block the hole in the nipple.
I always blow it out with a air comp and use a nipple pick on it.
I always run a cleaning patch down the barrel with a bit of windex on it after firing a few caps, then a dry patch just to make sure.
sounds like a lot of trouble but it works. and the suggestion about the condum, etc works also. They used to make small ballon type covers for BP guns, have not seen them on the market lately.
T.H. Werth US Army (Ret) DA Civilian (Ret) Viet Nam Vet NAHC Life member NRA member
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Joined: 9/19/2007
Posts: 4182
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Well, it is wierd, but happens. Last year I had a #11 cap fail to ignite my Hawken's load at the end of a day. Next cap got it, but I accept that as part of the game. I have not had a misfire on a deer before, but will accept it as part of the game when it does happen. I've had a misfore on a squirrel before, but that was no big deal. He didn't go anywhere as I replaced the spent cap and aimed again. One thing I do when loading my Hawken for the 1st time up in the Mts. when I take it up into that humid area is fire a light fowling shot. Just 30-40 grs of loose powder with no projectile fired up into the air. Then I wipe the fouling out with a dry cloth and load. I don't usually do it around locally since it is coming right out of the dry climate controlled house, but after being stored in a truck overnight and driven up into the mts where it is cool and humid I like to foul it because that heat dries it totally as well as blasts back through the breech and vent to vaporize oil left in there.
Not a Right-wing extremist -- THE Right-wing extremist! I like my guns towed and crew-served! http://www.9thkyus.com/ http://www.blockaderunner.com/ http://www.nps.gov/stri/
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Joined: 10/14/2007
Posts: 168
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jimbowmartin wrote: . Although I clean it annually, I hope you are also cleaning it after every use. Black powder and even substitues corrode quickley and will ruin the firearm in short order if not cleaned same day.
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Joined: 2/4/2009
Posts: 121
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I have a renagade& hawkens I do not use oil inside eather barrel after cleaning I run a lubed patch down the barrel a couple times then oil lightly the outside
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Joined: 11/19/2007
Posts: 647
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I have a side lock,before loading I use brake kleen . Squirt down the nipple then a cap or two. Bbl. and nipple are open. In damp weather a ballon over the bb. and a baggie over the cap and lock. Works for me.
The greatest ignorance is to reject something you known nothing about unknown
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