If your powder is old, replace it. Also I have a friend who's son bought a Tradition's St. Louis Hawkins. We tried everything to make that rifle shoot. I gave the young man a new hot shot nipple. Some RWS caps. Finally I went and got a can of Goex and told him to load that instead of his Pyrodex. The rifle went off like a charm using the Goex. Trouble is I ended up loosing a powder of Goex to the boy, but I hate to see a young man have troubles because he can not find the right powder. He said his Pyrodex was only a little over two years old.

Pyrodex is a great powder but it can cause problems in some rifles. I guess until that time you get this all figured out, when you load to go hunting, take the nipple out and drizzle in just a small amount of powder in there, and replace the nipple. Then you're almost 100% assurred that it will fire.

I went out this morning and saw nothing. My Thompson Center has been loaded for three days with a finger cot over the muzzle and a tire valve stem cap over the percussion cap. I've been storing it in the wood working shop at night since it is unheated. I shot it this morning and was glad to see if fired like a nice spring day. I had been hunting in rain and snow the past couple days and was getting a little concerned before heading out again this afternoon.

Good luck hunting and I hope you get a shot at that big fellow again. I know the feeling of a rifle that refused to fire at the right time. Surprised I never wrapped it around a tree.