deer655

Last week during Virginia's bp season I was hunting in a light rain. My mk85 barrel hates rain so i came in at lunch, fired it, and proceeded to do a quick clean on it. It was about 35 outside and my cabin was about 65. After doing a quick clean I reloaded the gun. The next morning was perfect-lite wind, about 29 degrees and the bucks were chasing does. I had a monster chase a doe right in front of me. He stopped broadside at 25 yards. I was already mounting the rascal in my mind. Pull the trigger and only the musket cap fired. He ran about 100 yards off. I sneak another musket cap on and thats when I realize the doe is 20 yards off staring at me. She trots past me which brought the buck back out of the thick woods and heading toward me again. Fired again with the same result. They run off for good this time. I went back to the cabin and fired 5 or 6 caps in it and finally it fired. Reloaded and it didnt fire again. This time I took it totally apart. The breach plug was absolutely clogged up with hardened t7. I was amazed that I got a spark through that stuff when it did fire without setting off the clogged breeched plug. I assumed when I fired the gun and brought it inside that condensation filled the hot breech plug. Never had that happen to me before but it was a learning experience.

arcticap

That's too bad.
It's not a bad idea to cover the muzzle with a weather guard, balloon or tape to keep out the rain.
It's not good to let near freezing rain enter the barrel and come into contact with even colder steel which can freeze and possibly cause a barrel obstruction under certain circumstances.
After the muzzle is protected and the gun is totally clean and loaded, there shouldn't be any need to fire and reload during the middle of a hunting day.
Usually there's no real need to reload during our entire 2 week season, if the gun is kept at a constant temperature without any condensation build-up.
A weather guard on the muzzle can help to accomplish that, as well as using a nipple pick and soaking the nipple after each shooting session.
I have a feeling that the misfire will pay you back with another opportunity to shoot another deer eventually, considering Karma and all.
Bad luck often means that good luck is just around the corner.
Better luck next time, perhaps that deer needed some more time to finish its business.

deer655

I have one of the earlier mk85s with the Walther barrel. When I was a rookie bp hunter back in the 80s I hunted a week in the rain. When I got home the barrel had rust spots all over it. I quickly discovered birchwood casey sheath. It was great at protecting the barrel from further rust.My brother put a barrel condom on my gun after I got the misfire problem fixed. I noticed the white condom turned orange over the day. I actually formed a rust ring around the end. The bore is in great shape. I found a place in NC that will reblue the gun with a much better finish then it has now.

bronko22000

So when you said you did a "quick clean" and judging from your investigation it looks like you never pulled the breech and all you did was push the fouling down the bore and packed it against the breech plug. Yea I could see where that would cause an ignition problem. Especially with the fouling being dampened with whatever solution you used.
I guess your lesson learned is to take the couple extra minutes and remove the BP. I know its a pain in the butt. But look on the bright side. if you would have done it you likely would have a taxidermy bill!

mackesr

Been there, done that! Thats why I ALWAYS pop a cap or two off with my rod and cleaning jag down the barrel so I can see the sparks are hitting the patch. Then I load and hunt with confidence. I keep the barrel pointed down whenever I put up my gun up for the day so any condensation, oil, etc.. drains out of the barrel and not down into the breach. Lost one nice 8 pointer after shooting a coyote the day before. I had reloaded after shooting the coyote and kept it loaded until the next day and the 8 pointer came walking broadside at 20 yds with his head down, walked into the opening I had chosen to shoot, and the gun had a hang fire and I shot right over its back! The buck never picked its head up and just kept the same pace as he walked out of my life forever, LOL. I know, it does suck.