My gun won’t fire

ebruder

ebruder

CGN Regular
Rating - 99.5%
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Location
Kingston
I need some help with your collective wisdom.

I’ve missed two deer this week during muzzle loading season

Both times I pulled the trigger and heard a hollow popping noise but the main charge of gun powder didn’t ignite.

The primer went off both times

After the first misfire I thought my powder must be wet. Second time was with brand new fresh powder.

I’m shooting a Thompson centre pro hunter encore 209x50 magnum

I’m using CCI 309 muzzle loading primers and 120grains of fresh black horn powder. Well it’s a year old

It’s anywhere from -5 to -15 here this week

Please help.

EB
 
I should also mention that this wasn’t happening 2 weeks ago at the range when it was 5 degrees

The gun and flash hole are thoroughly clean
 
I'll add
If you can't find any of the cci 209M primers locally, I can give you some to try.
It's a 1hr and a half drive to the east though.
Probably much cheaper buying locally, if available, or online.
You can try them right here on our farm.
 
Are you sure your breech plug is really clean???
There's a step down from one end of your breech plug to the primer pocket.
I use a drill bit that I turn gently with my fingers to clean out.
I'll check my email, it got a response from them one time about cleaning the breech plug properly to switch over to blackhorn 209 and have always cleaned that way since.
 
Steve,

Thank you for the e-mail. The Pro Hunter is a great BH209 gun. I have attached our breech plug cleaning illustration. Clean your breech plug according to this procedure and us a CCI 209M primer and you'll have good results.

I have copied Sherri on this e-mail. She can give you an idea where to get BH209 in Canada.

Best regards,
Don Luhr
Western Powders

I can't find the attachment for some reason, it isn't there anymore.
And I can't see the size of drill bit I use, it's in with all my muzzleloading supplies.
Not sure if they have that info on their website?
Or if I can find it online?
I'll look around
 
AI gives me this:

[Cleaning a T/C Encore breech plug for Blackhorn 209 involves removing heavy fouling with a drill bit/torch tip cleaner in the flash channel, soaking the whole plug in hot soapy water or solvent (like Blackhorn 209 Solvent or CLR), scrubbing with a brush, ensuring the flash hole is clear (use a pick or small bit), drying thoroughly, and applying anti-seize grease to threads before reinstallation. Regular cleaning after each range session prevents misfires and lockup issues, using specialized tools like torch tip cleaners or drill bits (often 1/8" for T/C) for the flash hole, and grease for threads.

Cleaning Steps:

Remove & Soak: Unscrew the breech plug. Soak it in a jar of hot water with dish soap, or a stronger solvent like Blackhorn 209 Solvent, CLR, or a 50/50 Hoppe's/Alcohol mix for 10-15 mins to loosen carbon.Clear the Flash Channel: Use a drill bit (typically 1/8" for T/C) by hand to gently clean the primer pocket and flash channel.Clean the Flash Hole: Use a torch tip cleaner or a dedicated breech plug pick to clear the small flash hole (from primer pocket to powder chamber).Scrub Exterior: Brush the entire plug with a stiff brush and solvent.Rinse & Dry: Rinse thoroughly with hot water and dry completely with compressed air or let air dry.Lubricate Threads: Apply breech plug grease or anti-seize to the threads and O-rings (avoiding the tip/flash area) to prevent it from seizing.

Key Tools & Tips:

For Flash Hole: 1/8" drill bit (hand turn), torch tip cleaner, or dental picks.Solvents: Blackhorn 209 Solvent, Hoppe's No. 9, CLR, or hot soapy water.Lubrication: High-temp anti-seize grease or breech plug grease.Check: Shine a light through the flash hole to ensure it's clear.Frequency: Clean after every shooting session to prevent issues. ]



You get quite a bit of #hit come out of that channel with the drill bit.............
 
I am no expert but have been told to fire a primer before loading to clear out any residual oils around the breech plug.

Also second the magnum 209 primers. Haven’t had a misfire yet in my CVA accura.

Ryan
 
K
Here's a video from western powders explaining what i tried to explain.
I might have typed it backwards as I reread my text above..............
Give this a try? Maybe you do? LOL

 
Painkillers said:
...
Click to expand...
I roll with charcoal burners, so that is a different animal.
Some folks will undubiably be aghast, if I have an issue? I pull the nipple and trickle in a little fffg.
Reinstall the nipple and if the charge hole is open... it'll light.
But I'm dealing with a little more sedate and safe units.
This might bump up the PSI. If you run a hotter primer, it'll bump everything up. FPS... PSI...
Food for thought.
 
tokguy said:
I roll with charcoal burners, so that is a different animal.
Some folks will undubiably be aghast, if I have an issue? I pull the nipple and trickle in a little fffg.
Reinstall the nipple and if the charge hole is open... it'll light.
But I'm dealing with a little more sedate and safe units.
This might bump up the PSI. If you run a hotter primer, it'll bump everything up. FPS... PSI...
Food for thought.
Click to expand...
I've done/do the same. I've never had the hammer blown back, but I am conservative with the amount I put under the nipple.
 
ebruder said:
I need some help with your collective wisdom.

I’ve missed two deer this week during muzzle loading season

Both times I pulled the trigger and heard a hollow popping noise but the main charge of gun powder didn’t ignite.

The primer went off both times

After the first misfire I thought my powder must be wet. Second time was with brand new fresh powder.

I’m shooting a Thompson centre pro hunter encore 209x50 magnum

I’m using CCI 309 muzzle loading primers and 120grains of fresh black horn powder. Well it’s a year old

It’s anywhere from -5 to -15 here this week

Please help.

EB
Click to expand...
I had the same problem a few years ago and tried everything I could think of . If I loaded and fired right away everything worked perfect, but if the charge sat in the barrel for a couple of hours, no boom. I gave up and use 777 now and have never had a problem since. I might add that every time it has fired since then a whitetail has dropped.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I really appreciate it

How often do you change your powder loads in a week of hunting?

Do you store your guns in the cold to prevent condensation?
 
Its generally understood that the BP substitutes are harder to ignite than BP. Ignition becomes more challenging with lower ambient temperatures. To compound matters, the powders tend to be hygroscopic, which further reduces ignition potential. I found that 777 had ignition problems at low temps if the pellets were over a season old. I tried changing primers, cleaning the breech plug, etc - no luck.
Found the solution by baking the pellets at 220 F for 20 minutes - voila, partial ignition problems disappeared. I cant help but notice that 777 is now packaged in sealed plastic tubes that would impede moisture ingress...
 
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