1st Ever Mis-Fire with 209 Primer!

Blank

Blank

Long Time Member
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Like the title says, had my very first mis-fire and it cost me a nice buck. Totally cleaned and dried the gun the night before the hunt. Last swabs were 91% alcohol, then 3-4 dry patches and wipe down the Blackthorn breech plug for the CVA Accura. New powder out of the can, and tight fitting sabot and Barnes bullet. Primed it the next morning, and an hour later got a chance at a really nice buck. FFFfffttt! Primer went off halfway, didn't ignite the charge, and just kinda pushed the bullet and load out onto the ground.

No matter how careful you are, crap still happens, Karma is a *****, and its still muzzleloading!! Makes for good stories too!! :)
 
What specific 209 primer were you using?

Assume you are clearing the breech channel after every firing session with a drill bit?

No matter how well I think I have cleaned my breech plug and barrel, I always pop of at least 2 caps before I load up. That makes sure I burn up any residual oil ect that I may have missed. Shoot off 2 caps and then run a totally dry patch down, then load.
 
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:) Thanks Homer, but no, I actually WEIGH all my charges, and did on this one too. :)

Yep, with my tendencies towards OCD, I am meticulous about cleaning my muzzleloaders. Especially the breech plugs, inside and out! I have shot literally tens of thousands of rounds with all my muzzleloaders, and know how problematic some can be if not treated properly. That's one of the reasons I don't use water based cleaners, and prefer alcohol, acetone, or lacquer thinners. I don't want residual grease anywhere.

A lot of people swear by drill bits for the flash holes, but I have found that my torch tip cleaners or carburetor jet cleaners do a better job, and are easier to hold. I use my small bronze brushes inside the barrel of the plug too, and always make sure that light is visible thru them when finished. The first thing I did with this rifle was to exchange for a Blackthorn breech plug too, since I was planning on it for my Paunsaugunt muzzy tag.

I use the RWS 1075 percussion caps for hottest fire in the percussion guns, and like you, try to shoot several caps thru them prior to loading. I like to see them move the grass on the ground when I touch them off. With the 209 primers, I shoot the 209A for the hottest ones available. Prefer the Winchester, but they weren't available so got 1000 Federals and have been shooting them all summer. I just don't trust the lower powered (or heat range) of 209 muzzleloader ones. This was truly a first for me.

I did learn some words I hadn't used since my Navy days tho!!! :)

5B38AEA5-C68D-4F7B-92EA-F2254B4DDB99.jpeg
 
That’s a bummer but can happen. I also always fire off 2-3 primers once I’m done cleaning the breech plug and barrel just to clear anything leftover out.
 
Might need to post the “has anyone had a misfire on a 209 primer” on a muzzleloader forum. Could be a few more muzzleloader aficionados hang’in in there.
 
if it pressured the barrel enough to push everything out of the barrel.....doesn't it sound more like a propellant problem??
 
Blank said:
:) Thanks Homer, but no, I actually WEIGH all my charges, and did on this one too. :)

Yep, with my tendencies towards OCD, I am meticulous about cleaning my muzzleloaders. Especially the breech plugs, inside and out! I have shot literally tens of thousands of rounds with all my muzzleloaders, and know how problematic some can be if not treated properly. That's one of the reasons I don't use water based cleaners, and prefer alcohol, acetone, or lacquer thinners. I don't want residual grease anywhere.

A lot of people swear by drill bits for the flash holes, but I have found that my torch tip cleaners or carburetor jet cleaners do a better job, and are easier to hold. I use my small bronze brushes inside the barrel of the plug too, and always make sure that light is visible thru them when finished. The first thing I did with this rifle was to exchange for a Blackthorn breech plug too, since I was planning on it for my Paunsaugunt muzzy tag.

I use the RWS 1075 percussion caps for hottest fire in the percussion guns, and like you, try to shoot several caps thru them prior to loading. I like to see them move the grass on the ground when I touch them off. With the 209 primers, I shoot the 209A for the hottest ones available. Prefer the Winchester, but they weren't available so got 1000 Federals and have been shooting them all summer. I just don't trust the lower powered (or heat range) of 209 muzzleloader ones. This was truly a first for me.

I did learn some words I hadn't used since my Navy days tho!!! :)

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Plus 1 on the torch tip cleaners. Sorry Blank. Like you said it is still muzzy hunting and occasional things happen. :(
 
Coulda woulda shoulda. Relived it in my head a million times, and don't know what it was, or what I would have done different. Here's a pic of the whitey it happened on! At least it gave me a chance to meet the Game warden (under good circumstances), and make a new friend. :)

I did check the barrel empty with the ramrod, reloaded and fired a perfect 2nd shot with the same jug and primers. Then reloaded again, to finish out the hunt. Sh_t happens, I guess.

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4B2DAE6F-6AF5-47D3-B2F8-044BA79DC321.jpeg
 
Blank,
Are you saying YOU ended up shooting that nice buck or someone else did?

Sorry for your troubles, one OCD guy to another.

Zeke
 
Blank said:
:) Thanks Homer, but no, I actually WEIGH all my charges, and did on this one too. :)

Yep, with my tendencies towards OCD, I am meticulous about cleaning my muzzleloaders. Especially the breech plugs, inside and out! I have shot literally tens of thousands of rounds with all my muzzleloaders, and know how problematic some can be if not treated properly. That's one of the reasons I don't use water based cleaners, and prefer alcohol, acetone, or lacquer thinners. I don't want residual grease anywhere.

A lot of people swear by drill bits for the flash holes, but I have found that my torch tip cleaners or carburetor jet cleaners do a better job, and are easier to hold. I use my small bronze brushes inside the barrel of the plug too, and always make sure that light is visible thru them when finished. The first thing I did with this rifle was to exchange for a Blackthorn breech plug too, since I was planning on it for my Paunsaugunt muzzy tag.

I use the RWS 1075 percussion caps for hottest fire in the percussion guns, and like you, try to shoot several caps thru them prior to loading. I like to see them move the grass on the ground when I touch them off. With the 209 primers, I shoot the 209A for the hottest ones available. Prefer the Winchester, but they weren't available so got 1000 Federals and have been shooting them all summer. I just don't trust the lower powered (or heat range) of 209 muzzleloader ones. This was truly a first for me.

I did learn some words I hadn't used since my Navy days tho!!! :)

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Click to expand...
Well that sucks! I use these as well and have not had an issue to date. Maybe just a fluke?
 
Zeke: Nope, not me. Someone else ended up shooting it, we just happened upon it later that night. The distance was too great for my mis-fire to get there, and I watched them all run away, in a different direction.
 
Blank said:
Zeke: Nope, not me. Someone else ended up shooting it, we just happened upon it later that night. The distance was too great for my mis-fire to get there, and I watched them all run away, in a different direction.
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Dammit man! That sucks for sure.
Zeke
 
Blank. Sounds like you know your stuff and have been down the road more than a bit.

But do me a favor. Use a drill bit once and if you don’t turn up any residual build up I will not ask again. I have just never found anything that clears the channel as well as a tight fitting drill bit. I even think the tip of the bit, when it hits the end of the channel, helps clean that last little bit.

If it’s not the breechplug, there was no residual oil, and the powder is good, then I would have to believe the bullet was not seated firmly enough. I just don’t know anything else that would cause it.
 
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That is the good and bad thing about BH 209. It must be somewhat compressed to go bang. However if someone was to short seat a bullet, it won’t go bang. Which gives an extra measure of safety. Don’t ask me how I know….
 
TH58: Thanks, I appreciate all your input. I know you shoot as much as I do. I used to just use a piece of stainless wire and that didn't do a great job, because every flash hole is a little different. Then I tried the various drill bits, and while they work good, my old busted up fingers and hands don't like the tiny short bits. For my tip cleaners and carb jet cleaners, I have both the 3" and 5" versions and they are much easier for me to use. The various sizes fit in everything, they fold up to keep in my kit, and they are rough and corrugated enough to clean every bit of fouling out of the hole.

As far as pressure on loads, many years ago I worked with some industry friends and we found that Pyrodex P likes about 80# of constant down pressure for the best results. I have always continued with that practice, and found it works well with the BH209 also. This is the second can I have shot this summer, and am baffled by the one resulting failure. I will certainly keep everyone informed of any further issues!!!
 
I actually had a shot like that happen with my dad's muzzleloader this summer. Was helping him sight it in, and loaded the powder, bullet and cap. Shot, made a poof sound, and the bullet tumbled out of the barrel about fifteen yards maybe. The sabot went a little further. Never had that happen either. Both of us thought it was the weirdest thing. Have been muzzleloader hunting since I was old enough to hunt. Have never had a misfire with 209. Number 11 all the time, musket every once in a while, but never 209.
 
The flash channel is usually a shade over 1/8” and needs to be cleaned. The small hole that reached the powder is best cleaned with small tourch hole cleaners. It is a 2 step process. Most guys look and see clear light and think they are good to go. If your shooting that much carbon has to be building up.
 
I'd Of Fired a couple 'Primers Only' after Cleaning!

Then I woulda Fouled The Barrel!

I Purposely Left My ACCURA II Loaded for a couple of Years With BH 209 Doing My Own Testing!

The Bullet was More Corroded than anything else With ZERO Damage to the Breech Plug or Barrel!

Yes,It Is Stainless!

That's One Thing I Haven't Missed With Our Remington InLines!

We Have Fired 1,000's Of Rounds Through a Few Remingtons & Never a Misfire!

Except for The Day at The Range I Forgot To Put The Powder In!:D
 

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