Smoked Up The Place

[airedale]

Got the smoke poles out to check zero and try a couple of new loads for the upcoming season. The Thompson Center Cherokee 45 caliber is what I am going to use this year for Deer. It has been one of the most picky rifles I have ever come across, I have finally got this thing shoot the way I like using Pyrodex RS and cast lead Thompson Center Maxi Balls, a load which pretty much is the equivalent the the 44 mag pistol load which should be effective with no problem out to 100 yards or so.

The Thompson Center Hawken is also 45 cal and that shoots just about everything I stuff down the stainless Green Mountain barrel well, but she weighs a couple of more pounds than the Cherokee which is a dream to handle and carry.

Got the Traditions Squirrel rifle 32 cal zeroed in with the changed out  fire sights, my old eyes are a problem with any open sights these days and the fire type sights have been my best solution and all three muzzleloaders now have them.

Will hit the timber and see if I can kill something.

Al

Edited September 17, 2020 by airedale

[airedale]

So after I got the Squirrel rifle sighted in with patched round balls I decided to fire some little 110 gr maxi balls I found online, the rifle has a 1 in 48 twist so in theory it should shoot bullets half way decent. So I fire two shots and both bullets print right on the money but when I pull the trigger on number three I get a misfire, put another cap on hope that I can clear the barrel and another pop from just the primer. Take the nipple off and stick a pick into the flash hole, reassemble and fire another shot and still nothing. 

So this is the first time ever I had a failure to fire with any of my black powder rifles and one thing I know is is not so easy to clear the barrel of an old style sidelock. Unlike an inline where one can just take off the breach plug and ram the load out with a rod these sidelocks are a whole different ballgame.

But something came to the rescue, I had in my black powder box a thing-a ma-jig called the "Thompson Center Magnum Silent Ball Discharger" it is one of those things like the stuck case remover I have on my reloading bench, and as the saying goes, you may never have the need to use it but the one time you do you will wish you had one.

So I actually got this gizmo as a gift about 25 years ago and had no idea if it would work, read the instructions and assembled it, put the end over the nipple and gave it a hard push and 'pop!" the load flew out onto the ground as neat as could be, so this thing works great and I am so happy to have had it available.

Only had one small CO2 cartridge that came with the device and the one firing depleted it's contents so that ended the maxi ball experiment until I get some new CO2 cartridges, have some ordered and on the way. 

Al

 

[RangerClay]

I have one of those CO2 dischargers.  They work great.  Mine is about the same age and the O ring in the nipple is dried out.  5 gram cylinders are what you need.  Pitsco sells them.

[rachunter]

On 9/18/2020 at 7:25 AM, airedale said:

So after I got the Squirrel rifle sighted in with patched round balls I decided to fire some little 110 gr maxi balls I found online, the rifle has a 1 in 48 twist so in theory it should shoot bullets half way decent. So I fire two shots and both bullets print right on the money but when I pull the trigger on number three I get a misfire, put another cap on hope that I can clear the barrel and another pop from just the primer. Take the nipple off and stick a pick into the flash hole, reassemble and fire another shot and still nothing. 

So this is the first time ever I had a failure to fire with any of my black powder rifles and one thing I know is is not so easy to clear the barrel of an old style sidelock. Unlike an inline where one can just take off the breach plug and ram the load out with a rod these sidelocks are a whole different ballgame.

But something came to the rescue, I had in my black powder box a thing-a ma-jig called the "Thompson Center Magnum Silent Ball Discharger" it is one of those things like the stuck case remover I have on my reloading bench, and as the saying goes, you may never have the need to use it but the one time you do you will wish you had one.

So I actually got this gizmo as a gift about 25 years ago and had no idea if it would work, read the instructions and assembled it, put the end over the nipple and gave it a hard push and 'pop!" the load flew out onto the ground as neat as could be, so this thing works great and I am so happy to have had it available.

Only had one small CO2 cartridge that came with the device and the one firing depleted it's contents so that ended the maxi ball experiment until I get some new CO2 cartridges, have some ordered and on the way. 

Al

 

I had one of those it worked great.

[grampy]

Fine array of smokepoles ya got there Al !

Any idea what may have caused the misfire? Glad you had one of those handy-dandy gizmo's on hand to clear the load. I'll look into picking one up for myself.

[SportsmanNH]

These 2 work just fine, and you dont need to go find CO2 cartridges . I only had to use it once and worked like a charm. My gun didn't missfire . Was sighting in with a bunch of friends yacking away and  shoved the bullet down the barrel then realized I didn't put the powder in when the ramrod went all the way down and didn't stop . 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXP5ZSD/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07MXP5ZSD&pd_rd_w=SsU2a&pf_rd_p=48d372c1-f7e1-4b8b-9d02-4bd86f5158c5&pd_rd_wg=sGSNY&pf_rd_r=Z0Y75VQCCFJSQM1Y1QKP&pd_rd_r=024658e8-3b93-4950-9378-31ce78176f03&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzN0lJVVhXQllLNDZJJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzAxMzY2Mk9VTVU4M1A5RVAwQiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTM3Mzc3MkxFRlNBUlkxTkdJVCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Shot-45-58-Caliber-Powder/dp/B008PL8L98/ref=pd_lpo_200_t_2/147-9013638-4415123?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008PL8L98&pd_rd_r=43d9fc4f-fd63-4887-a985-f87401d43695&pd_rd_w=dxoyb&pd_rd_wg=cd0ta&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=8W4PYZX87ATW54QDZFWS&psc=1&refRID=8W4PYZX87ATW54QDZFWS

[eaglemountainman]

^^^^   That's what I use. It's always in my possibles bag.

[airedale]

1 hour ago, grampy said:

Any idea what may have caused the misfire?

Hey Grampy I am at a loss as to why I got the misfire. I am using 777 in fff and with the recommended 20 gr charge and a patched round ball I am getting 100% reliability and good accuracy.

The 32 cal maxi ball weighs 110 grs substantially heavier than the round ball but ballistic wise superior both in power, trajectory and effective range not to mention easier to load. I am using a recommended load of 40 grs of the same 777 powder. 

I know the 777 is a bit harder to ignite so I have ordered a hot shot nipple that is supposed to give a slightly hotter spark, if that does not work I will try a musket nipple conversion which gives a hotter spark yet. 

I would really like to make this rifle reliable with those maxi balls as it will open things up from being short range Squirrel hunting gun to something that is effective on animals as large as Coyote out to 100 yards.

Now as to screw in bullet pullers I do have a couple those in different sizes and tried to use them first. Problem was two fold, the ramrods that are threaded for the bullet pullers I have will not fit down the small bore of the 32 cal and also the brass bore guide on those pullers will not fit in the 32 bore.

So as of now I am totally sold on the CO2 gizmos and would use it even if I have a puller that I could.

Al

[RangerClay]

I have one more trick for a misfire.  Unscrew your nipple, then pack some powder underneath it.  Screw the nipple back down, cap it and fire in a safe direction.  Works for me and my T/C Renegade.