RE: muzzleloader problems
Since it is a traditional style right, take the nipple out and with your nipple pick push that down through the bolster snail as far as it will go. Then take some powder in your clean dry fingers, and start to pack powder down that nipple hole into the bolster area. When you have it packed to the threads, replace the nipple.
BEFORE YOU FIRE THAT ROUND OFF take your ramrod and re-seat the projectile as far down the barrel as you can. With all the digging and such you might have pulled it off the old charge. Now take that outside and aim it in a safe direction and fire. You should either get a loud full charge going off, or it is going to move the current charge in the barrel up the barrel.
If you saw the round go down range, your clear. But just to check, take your ramrod and drop it down the barrel to make sure. If you drop that down the barrel and it does not disappear, that means the old powder or something is still in there. You will have to repeat the process until you can clear it. Remember to seat that load each time before you try to blow it out or what you have created is a barrel obstruction and it could damage the rifle and you.
The other alternative is to get a CO2 discharger and blow it out that way. Sometimes if you have a good air compresser and the right nozzle, you can take the nipple out and blow the charge out of the barrel with air.