uncletj

me and my son lined up our black powders my shoot 209s and went off every time his uses musket caps and had hang fires and wont go off all the time we used 777 pellets do the musket caps work better with powder form powder might be a couple years old so are the musket caps

graveyard zombie

I've been using muzzleloaders for some time and I've rarely had a misfire with loose powder and #11 caps, musket caps or 209 primers. Most of the time it was weather related or I left the powder in for several days before shooting it. However, I have had too many misfires with pellets; even a couple with 209's so I'm strictly loose powder nowadays.

cayugad

Welcome to the forum. As a general rule, if I want to shoot pellets then I use a 209 primer or one of the other adaptations of cartridge ignitions. Musket caps and #11 caps are best served in the loose powder market. I have a black mountain magnum and it is supposed to shoot pellets with musket caps. But I would not be upset when it failed. I would just use loose powder.

If your son wants to shoot pellets with his musket caps, have him dump 10 grains of Black Powder down the barrel first, then load the pellets. By duplex powderingthe load, the musket cap will flash that back powder and in turn ignite the pellets.

But actually have him switch to loose powder and all his problems will disappear. What kind of rifles are you shooting?

uncletj

i have a traditions pursuit he has a knight of some kind he got from his gramdpa it says t blot on the barrel do you think the powder is better for all rifles?

lemoyne

There are certain powders and powder forms which were designed for each other and work well together and certain ones that are very marginal; #11 and black powder will always work when used properly together, Musket caps and pyrodex will work well together; 777 loose FFF works but on an electric timer it has a delay that more or less impreceperable to humans 777 FF loose will work but some of use have had preceperable hang fires with it.
I have yet to see pellets work really well with out either a priming charge or using 209 primers or the 25apc type set up. Ignition is onethe reasons some people never get good groups, the other main one on sabot guns is not getting the right fit between sabot bullet and barrel. [ other than the ones that shake or wiggle while shooting]

cayugad

If you're getting good accuracy with pellets I hate to tell you to change. But I personally like loose powder better and have excellent results with it. No matter what kind of of ignition system I use.

uncletj

i wouldnt be that big of deal going back to loose powder i went to pellets 2 years ago with my rifle just cause its easy but with speed laoders it not that big of deal but i will try it with my sons rifle its really not good wearher here in nw iowa to line up but season monday im off thursday for 12 days i alway plan to line up in the warmer weather but never do well my son has to mines good to go thanks for your input

uncletj

thanks cayuqad we lined up the rifle nicely with loose powder worked every time no delay i think i will use itim mine next year the pellets do work in mine but the looseignites better so i think its a good choise

sproulman

I HAVE NEVER IN 47 YEARS HAD MY MUZZLEOADER NOT GO OFF DO TOO GEOX2F POWDER.

now, dul flint or frizzen not hard or wet pan powder, yes, i had miss fire.

mostly it was TOO SOFT FRIZZEN but never 2 f powder in barrel.

i leave my powder in gun for about 1 week in flintlock and never had it not go off.

i do leave gun in my garage in cold and never put it in front seat of warm truck going hunting, i have a gun case,plastic ones in my truck bed to haul it out to hunt.

stalkingbear

There's no question that you trade supposed convienence for accuracy/reliability/more positive ignition when you use pellets instead of loose powder. The age of the powder has absolutely nothing to do with it still being good-moisture/air exposure is what makes powder go bad. Try going with loose powder and I'll bet your problem is resolved.