T/C Triumph Bone Collector Mis-fires
 

I have a Triumph Bone Collector and I am trying to work up a load for Elk for my Wife and I am all over the place. Three times to the range now and mis-fires each time. Figured it has to be the breech plug and I cleaned it and soaked it and cleaned with a drill bit (twisting with my fingers). Went to the range, 80 gr. Blackhorn 209. Fed. Bore Lock, Winchester 209 Shotgun Primer. Pow, nice shot. Remove breech plug, look thru hole is clear, pre-soaked patch, two dry patches, install breech plug.

Loaded as before, Pow, 1-1/4 in from first shot at 100 yds. Same routine as above, and reloaded.

Misfire. Bullet in the grass 40 yds in front of me. Re-do above routine. Same result.

Switch to Pyrodex. Fired every time but I'm not grouping that well. I hear how awesome Blackhorn 209 is and I love it when it works.

What am I doing wrong? Please advise. Seems like problem has to be breech plug fouling. New gun, just broke the seal on the 209 powder.

That is normal with BH209. You might get away with Federal 209A primers. You need to get the plug modified to be 100% consistent/reliable. And quit swabbing after shots when using BH209. No reason at all to do that.

I had similar problems with my Optima shooting BH209. I was told all sorts of things to fix it. Finally I had to purchase a breech plug made to shoot blackhorn 209. Then I changed to a hotter primer. Also like Grouse said, stop swabbing. BH209 if you do swab had to be with solvent, no water based products. Also I found the more I shot BH209 the better the accuracy got.

Your problem with accuracy might be the powder charge your shooting is not stabilizing the bullet choice you're using. Try shooting them with a stronger powder charge.

There is a chance the swabbing is fouling the breach plug. It does not take much solvent in the flash channel to make it misfire. As mentioned, there is no need to swab with BH209 between shots. If you think you must try a dry patch only.

Some, like me, can get away with Win 209's in their TC's. Others cant. I have an older TC Pro Hunter barrel. Haven't had a misfire yet with ANY powder. I have been hearing the same problem with SOME that have the bone collector with BH. I just recently switched to BH myself. If the Win's aren't working out for you, try the FED209A. The Win's are a smidge longer and I myself get a little less blowback from them. Your results may vary. As the others noted, there is no need for the swabbing. BUT after around 10 shots you will definitely need to break out the drill bit to clean that carbon from your breech plug. BH doesn't foul the barrel hardly at all and you don't get that horrid gunk ring around the breech like T7 but it does carbonize the hell out of it.

Thanks for the help. So...no swabbing, hotter primers, and possibly modify the breech plug. Works for me I will give it a try soonest.

Swabbing: Thought I was helping to get consistent groups. I have tried without swabbing between shots and still had trouble with the BH209.

Hotter primers: Thought the Winchester 209 Shotgun primers were hot. If the Federals are hotter it sounds like a good fix. I didn't really understand the Win being a little longer...less blowback.

Modify the breech plug: This something you have done or does TC offer one? Or do I do it myself?

Thanks again for the help.

Make sure they are Win209s and NOT WinT7 primers when shooting Blackhorn. Winchester primers are slightly longer than the others and they seal better. Less blowby means all the energy from the primer is going down the flash channel.

IIRC that plug takes a 1/8th inch drill bit to clean the flash channel.

Yep, same flash channel size as mine. Might even be the same breech plug. Not sure which one his bone collector has. IIRC there are 2 different ones they used.

Don't swab between shots. Try 85g of Blackhorn. If she is fine with that, try 90g. Do use the 1/8" drill after 10 shots. Don't use 777 primers. W209 primers should work. Federal 209A are hotter. The breech plug is just fine as is; needs no modification, unless you want to shoot the rifle when it is below zero.

I believe the bone collector breech plug is the same as the plain triumph.

Never had a misfire in my sons shooting 80-110 gr BH209. Only used CCI209M primers. Temps around 0*F to 80 while hunting and at the range.

When u seat the bullet/sabot combo against the powder, do u firmly seat it or just stop when u feel the powder? I would firmly seat it.

Any blowback around the primer? Do they come out shiny or sooty? If sooty, maybe too much leakage and not enough heat and pressure to the powder.