wetpwdr53

I've owned a T/C renegade 5o cal for nearly 15 years. During this period I've continually struggled with misfires (charge won't ignite) and inconsistent groups. I clean barrel with hot soapy water and dry. I also clean hammer, nipple, and fire channel with t/c no. 13. then dry. I run a patch with bore butter down barrel when storing. Prior to shooting I clean barrel with hot soapy water, dry then pour a little denatured alcohols down barrel and dry. I fire a couple caps also. I've tried everything from patched round balls to conicals with no consistency in my groups at 50 yds. Sorry for all the info. Just like to hear some of your input regarding my issues. My goal is to kill a deer with this rifle before I break down and jump to an inline. Thanks again for any input.

lemoyne

Something to check for, I have run into this problem before: it turned out to be a very hard to get at burr in the fire hole through the snail, evidently the drill they used at the factory had been sharpened to many times and was about a 1/32 short which left a thin panel of metal except where the point broke through.

toytruck

I would stop the bore butter, that stuff will leave a residue. You maybe over doing it with all the cleaning, its not necessary, unless you just like cleaning. I only use triple 7 powder in my Renegade now, a few wet patches with a citrus cleaner, a pipe cleaner in the bolster/nipple, remove the nipple, an then a clean patch an good rust preventive oil and your done. I use an alcohol patch then dry patch before loading. A hot water bath isn't necessary with today's metals, won't hurt anything, but will cause flash rust if not completely dry.

Another possibility is the hammer spring might be too weak to set off the cap, how does that work when you fire off a couple caps?

I have to admit I haven't used my Renegade for some years. I won't put a scope on it and the open sites aren't easy to see anymore beyond 50 yds. Getting older sucks...

falcon

What toytruck said.

1. Trash the bore butter. Use a good oil instead.

2. Forget the soap and hot water routine.

3. Remove the nipple and clean the flame channel using a bristled pipe cleaner.

4. No need to pop caps prior to loading.

5. No need to clean the rifle before loading; run an alcohol wetted patch through the bore before loading to remove oil. Follow with a dry patch.

6. When loading powder lean the rifle with the lock side down. Give the stock a slap or two. That will allow powder to enter the flame channel.

Jack Ryan

I never would have thought of that burr thing mentioned. Now it would be one of the first things I'd check. You could open up the fire channel and shine a light down the barrel to look or try your drill index until one fits in the hole then it should go all the way through in to the bore.

The other thing I wonder about is you don't say what powder you are using. I'm guessing pyrodex pellets. Those things are the worst, if so, try switching to FFF.

When you are shooting it, store the gun muzzle lowest and necessary or not I pop a cap in it before I load one that has been stored. I've never had a misfire in the field.

While you are trying to figure this out, try just setting off a powder charge with out the ball. Just to make it a lot less hassle if you can't get one to light off and I'd only use about a half load of powder. If that much lights and burns 5 or 10 times in a row I'd say it is nothing to do with the powder, loading or components. It has to do with the way you are storing it while loaded.

If you have it loaded and don't shoot it that day, set a lead round ball on the bare nipple and pull the trigger to drop on the ball setting it to the nipple an sealing the charge against air and moisture infiltration until you take it off and recap it the next day.

grinder67

I have also seen people "tamp" the powder charge with the ramrod before loading the projectile then complain about hang fires or failure to ignite. I do not do this and almost never have an issue

arcticap

Try the hotter CCI magnum #11 caps.

Or try a conversion musket nipple & use musket caps that fit TC threads (1/4" X 28).
But you need to make sure that your hammer is centered enough for the larger musket nipple to be able to work.

Or try a new higher performance #11 nipple..

Use 3F powder [or P] to help it flow into the powder chamber better and closer to the nipple.

Or use 3F real black powder which ignites easier.

IIRC TC's patent breech may have a narrow .32 caliber powder chamber at the bottom of the breech.
Some folks clean it out using a small caliber cleaning rod with a patch loop attachment, or breech plug scraper with a spiked protrusion on it.
A metal bristle brush may get stuck down in there if it comes off the rod so I wouldn't try to use one to clean it out.

Remove the spent cap and put the hammer on 1/2 cock to help the air escape during ramming which can help powder flow into the powder chamber better.

I use Pyrodex P, but the better PRB shooters that I've seen usually use real black powder and 3F will often flow better, burn cleaner and produce less residue.
Most people say that Swiss powder is the best.
If loading 3F, Swiss or P, use 10% less than if using 2F.

Always try to ram the projectile home with consistent pressure on the ramrod.

Don't forget to use a nipple pick if needed..

It seems like many TC sidelock guns like higher powder charges. Not sure why.

If all else fails, there are new Mag-spark 209 primer adapters to replace your nipple with that use 209 primers.
But they're much slower to re-prime and require unscrewing a cap to remove and insert the new primer, and frequent additional cleaning.
Plus they're pricey.

Nothing wrong with trying sabots and bullets of a moderate weight in the 250 - 275 grain range.
Or even another conical, something is bound to work, maybe the Hornady .50 Pennsylvania Conical.--->>> https://www.midwayusa.com/product/73...rain-box-of-50

Sight in a hunting load so that the 1st shot out of a cold clean barrel will hit your target zero without fail,
and not be as concerned about where the other shots impact after the barrel warms up and gets fouled.
After all, you're not hunting groups, you're hunting deer.

Your cleaning & preparation regimen seems to be very thorough to me.

edmehlig

What powder are you using and how old is it

Idaholewis

sabotloader

Well... I disagree with your first assessment... I have never had a problem shooting T7 in my Renegades when I use #11 Mag caps or even better yet the RWS Dynamit Noble 1075+ cap. I did have problems in very cold weather early on when using a Musket cap not getting ignition. Back when Idaho required a rock sparker or cap sidelock shooter I hunted several years with Renegades and T7 and in some really cold weather and still did not have a problem. For me, and it has been mentioned in several posts, the key is to tap powder out under the cap. I would always pour what I felt was 5-7 grains of powder down the tube and then tip and tap the ML on the side to move the powder out under the cap.