Misfire Question

[tangsight]

This is a problem I'm sure every experienced shooter of muzzleloading rifles has had: I have a 45 caliber percussion Pedersoli long rifle which shoots accurately, but misfires quite a bit. I'm not sure of the exact model of Pedersoli (this is a rifle I inherited from my Dad), but the barrel is 41 1/2" long and 13/16" flat to flat. I use a musket nipple. The nipple screws into a bolster that screws into the side flat of the barrel about 11/16" from the seam that marks the back of the barrel. There is a cleanout screw at the end of the bolster.

The load I use is as follows: 75 grains FFFg Goex, about 30 grains Cream of Wheat, .440 round ball patched with .025" thick cotton muslin lubricated with Bore Butter. I use a full buckhorn rear sight with a front blade, and the groups will occasionally cloverleaf at fifty yards. However...

If I don't clear the nipple airway with a fine wire, the rifle will probably misfire (meaning the cap goes off, but the main charge does not). I am forced to unscrew the cleanout screw, pour a little FFFFg into the hole, re-install the cleanout screw(whose threads are now fouled with said FFFFg), and shoot into the berm with the contaminated load. Any suggestions?

[405]

The obvious is the nipple, cap and hammer. The cap needs to fit the nipple so that it seats all the way down on top of the nipple. The hammer needs to hit the nipple flush. Correct those things if out of wack. Generally you don't need a musket nipple nor musket cap to fire muzzleloaders. High quality #11 nipples are available for most applications including the correct metric which I'm sure your gun has. Use #11 CCI caps.

Now the less obvious. Cleaning and swabing can force bore accumulation down into the flash hole area. Study that possibility. Next, COW and BP fouling can accumulate in greater quantity. And each time you load even if you don't swab, all that crud is forced back down the bore and on top of the flash hole. Try not using the COW- just 55 gr of BP under a patched roundball. Try not using borebutter for the lube. Try a couple of drops of moose milk on the patch. If you want to try a base wad-- don't use the COW-- use a 1/8" thick felt wad also lubed with a couple of drops of moose milk.

[7of7]

Stop using the cream of wheat.. :bigsmyl2: See if that changes things.

[Hickory]

Your powder may be damp.

[waksupi]

Use a breech scraper to clean it well. Check your clean out screw to see that it doesn't interfere with the flash channel. You shouldn't remove that, or a nipple for that matter, any more than necessary.

[tangsight]

Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far. Here are my responses:

Of course I use a musket cap which is a perfect fit on the musket nipple. The idea was to insure fire was getting to the main charge. And I pop a couple of them before the first charge goes down to insure a clear airway all the way to the muzzle (you know, aim at a leaf and make sure it moves, that sort of thing).
I swab with a wet patch (both sides) and a dry patch (both sides) after every shot, and I clean the rifle with hot soapy water after every shooting session. I remove the nipple and cleanout and pump the water through until the patch comes back still clean. I should not be getting any accumulation.
The Cream of Wheat is an idea I got from an article about flintlock speed. It sits above the powder, protects the patch from burn through, and is ejected with the patch and ball. In any case, the misfires occur whether or not I use the COW.
I use 75 grains FFFg Goex per a Muzzle Blasts Bevel Brothers suggestion on how to get your muzzleloader to shoot accurately: Use more powder than you think you need (October 2010, page 43).
If my powder were damp, I'd have a misfire every time, instead of every sixth or seventh time, wouldn't I?
The possibility that the cleanout screw (which I have replaced with an Allen head screw) could be interfering with the flash channel never crossed my mind. I'll try a shorter screw.

[waksupi]

Also, when you dump in the powder, tap the side of your rifle a few times to settle the powder into the drum.

[Maven]

"I swab with a wet patch (both sides) and a dry patch (both sides) after every shot...."

tangsight, Try using a damp or moist patch rather than a wet one.

[405]

"Of course I use a musket cap which is a perfect fit on the musket nipple. The idea was to insure fire was getting to the main charge. And I pop a couple of them before the first charge goes down to insure a clear airway all the way to the muzzle (you know, aim at a leaf and make sure it moves, that sort of thing)."

Well that is an answer in itself. By having misfires with a musket cap then even the much greater power of the musket cap is not enough to light the charge. There are #11 nipples available if you desire as I posted. I'm fully aware that you can't use a #11 cap on a musket nipple.

"I swab with a wet patch (both sides) and a dry patch (both sides) after every shot,"

Well there is another clue. Considering BOTH the BP fouling and the residue left by the COW there is more crud in the bore after the shot. By swabbing after each shot likely a bunch of crud is pushed down around the flash hole. It can be magnified by an overly wet swabbing patch. Then you have a damp bunch of fouling crud around the flash hole. And yes, that COW will leave added residue in the bore after the shot.

If you load, swab and clean the gun correctly even the mildest regular cap will ignite the charge everytime. If something is wrong in your loading, swabbing and cleaning then even a magnoleum musket cap is not enough to ignite it everytime.

[mooman76]

All good info here. I believe like someone else stated your swabs are too wet causing you to force crud down in the drum and thus causing your problem. Some one here some time ago was having the same problem only he swabbed with alcohol. He had been doing it for years but started having your troubles. Turns out he was using too much and when he corrected it, the problem vanished.
Sometimes a new nipple will help. One with a smaller hole so it concentrates the flame for better ignition. You also might want to consider switching to a nipple that takes a #11 cap. If I remember right those musket caps are more expensive and harder to find but that's up to you of coarse. I like Uncle Mikes Hot shot nipples if they still make them. They funnel the flame down to a smaller point for better fire. Hope everything works out.

[475BH]

I have a Pedersoli Jaeger, I was having the same prob. as you until a guy at a ML. club shoot gave me a SST nipple w/ a little hole in it. It fires every time now. Don't know who makes them but it did the trick.
I also don't know if those are available for your gun, just had to mention it.
BTW .54, 80 +/- gr. FFF, PRB.
BTW2 The i.d. in the breach is smaller than .22 cal. and i'm not going to try FF powder, to scared it wouldn't settle down into that tiny hole and then around the corner to the nipple (you'd think they would have put a bigger hole in them things, bein it is .54 cal.):sad:

[idahoron]

Listen to this man.

What I am thinking about your procedure is you get the bottom of the barrel a little too moist. Then you fire the caps into the moist bottom and things get sticky and nasty. You pour the powder in and maybe the first few tiny grains are into the moist sticky cap powder mixture. That is not a good mix.

Ok let me go on farther. Here is my procedure to load.
I get to the range with a gun that has oil in the barrel.
I use a jag and push a dry patch down and pull it out.
I turn it over and push it down again and leave it there.
I use #11 mag caps. Put one on and fire it into the patch. I do this 2 or 3 times.
I pull the patch out and make sure it is burnt good.
It is ready to load. I pour the powder down and lean the rifle over with the lock down. I tap the rifle on the butt of the stock to get the grains of powder to settle into the nipple area. Then I finish loading.

OK between shots I clean the rifle.
I squirt some windex on a patch but not too much. I swab it, and repeat if I have to.
Then I put a dry one down and pull it out. Turn it over and push down again.
NOW!!! I Fire 2 or 3 caps again with the patch on the jag. Check to be sure the patch is burnt. If so load again if not fire a couple more caps. I have seen sticky black thick stuff stuck on the bottom of the patch that would have fouled up the load if the patch had not caught it. I think firing caps into the patch makes a huge difference. Ron



"Of course I use a musket cap which is a perfect fit on the musket nipple. The idea was to insure fire was getting to the main charge. And I pop a couple of them before the first charge goes down to insure a clear airway all the way to the muzzle (you know, aim at a leaf and make sure it moves, that sort of thing)."

Well that is an answer in itself. By having misfires with a musket cap then even the much greater power of the musket cap is not enough to light the charge. There are #11 nipples available if you desire as I posted. I'm fully aware that you can't use a #11 cap on a musket nipple.

"I swab with a wet patch (both sides) and a dry patch (both sides) after every shot,"

Well there is another clue. Considering BOTH the BP fouling and the residue left by the COW there is more crud in the bore after the shot. By swabbing after each shot likely a bunch of crud is pushed down around the flash hole. It can be magnified by an overly wet swabbing patch. Then you have a damp bunch of fouling crud around the flash hole. And yes, that COW will leave added residue in the bore after the shot.

If you load, swab and clean the gun correctly even the mildest regular cap will ignite the charge everytime. If something is wrong in your loading, swabbing and cleaning then even a magnoleum musket cap is not enough to ignite it everytime.

[stubshaft]

I put a musket nipple on a T/C Renegade and had the same or similar problem. I would even remove the nipple and dribble powder directly into the drum and it would still misfire sometimes. My theory is that the added force of the musket cap would blow the cap off of the nipple and compress the air in the drum to the point where the flame never reached the powder. I know "back in the day" shooters would drill out the drum to insure air flow and eliminate this problem.

[waksupi]

It sounds like you have one of those infernal Knock (sp) breeches. Best solution for those, is a new breechplug. I recently refused to install one of those on a barrel, because I like the guy!

[Baron von Trollwhack]

It works with powder under the nipple, but not with the barrel charge and a cap?.

The flash channel is badly fouled.

No doubt back in history the gun was poorly maintained so that the fouling accumulated in the FLASH CHANNEL, and no one knew enough about shooting the gun to clean and lubricate it properly.

With the tiniest flash hole in a nipple that you can buy you can entirely clean and flush out a many times fired caplock WITHOUT removing the nipple, and not have this kind of failure, EVER. Combustion products will accumulate without proper cleaning and end up like actual cement in the flash channel. You have a real problem now and that is how to get it clean with out pulling the breechplug or drum. I do not think this model rifle was sold to use musket nipples. Those nipples were invented for these kinds of guns because of this kind of problem.

All I can suggest is to remove the nipple and plug the hole with a pencil eraser or similar and put a teaspoon of Kroil or Ed's RED down the barrel to set for a day or so. Make sure this liquid won't dripout on the wood as it may hurt the finish. Then let it run out of the barrel with the stopper in the nipple hole pulled. With a tight patch and jag and stout rod pump the patch up and down listening for air transfer. If you have some air hissing in and out inspect the seat of the nipple with a good light with a safety pin, probing for consolidated crud buildup where the flash was going.........the flash channel. If it's there carefully chip out what you can without gerring anything up. Inspect the bore with a focused streamlight to see if the breechplug is bright or dull dark. Dark with a good light is probably crud. You may need to plug the nipple seat with the eraser again and start with the tight patch & jag and warm water routine now to see if air volume flowing through the channel can be increased using the UNIVERSAL BP CLEANING SOLVENT------WATER. Maybe the drum cleanout screw can be removed for a similar cleanup.

Absent a complete breakdown of parts this is the best that can be done. If you get good air flow, clean & dry everything, grease the male & female threaded parts moderately and reaassemble. Hereafter, clean with water in the bore shook and dumped a time or two, nipple plugged with a toothpick. Then more water, jag and patch started, toothpick pulled and water forced through the flash channel AND nipple. This a couple of times, bore dryed, then spray the barrel out good with wd-40, it forced out the flashchammel with patch & jag. Leave a little in, clean all the exterior, and put a folded patch under the hammer to catch any oil weeping out. This is exactly how I have dealt with this problem successfully as others have brought them to me. Sometimes there is just no way around a complete disassembly. Proper cleaning and lubing is he way to avoid the problem. BvT

[Lead Fred]

"I swab with a wet patch (both sides) and a dry patch (both sides) after every shot...."
.

I go 20-30 shots, and never clean once. A well seasoned barrel with NO petroleum based oil in it can fire all day long.

[nicholst55]

I have a Lyman Great Plains Rifle that misfired badly with the fast-twist 'Hunter' barrel, unless I was absolutely meticulous with both cleaning and loading. A musket cap didn't help. It got to where if I was hunting with it, I would remove the nipple and trickle some 4F into the drum, just to insure ignition.

I discovered that the Lyman (and many Italian) barrels have a smaller diameter breech section, around .32-.36. I bought a smaller caliber breech scraper, and that helped tremendously. I ultimately replaced the Hunter barrel with a slow-twist round ball barrel, and haven't had a problem since. I suspect that particular barrel has slightly flawed alignment of the breech plug and drum, and that is what causes the problems.

[idahoron]

you season a "cast iron" pan not a barrel Not the same kind of metal. [smilie=b: Ron



I go 20-30 shots, and never clean once. A well seasoned barrel with NO petroleum based oil in it can fire all day long.

[tangsight]

I never heard of the trick of firing into the oily patch while it was still downbore on the rod, then pulling it to confirm it was burnt. I'll try that. And I've never used Windex. Who says an old dog can't be taught new tricks?

[giz189]

In my experience Windex with vinegar works better than Windex with Ammonia

[wgr]

the lyman barrel on my .54 is .54 down to almost the breech then it go ti about a 40. i use a 38cal. bore brush to clean it out

[nicholst55]

the lyman barrel on my .54 is .54 down to almost the breech then it go ti about a 40. i use a 38cal. bore brush to clean it out

Good to know; it's been some time since I've shot mine, unfortunately. The .36 scraper works well for me, but I will start using a .38 bore brush, just to be certain!

[idahoron]

I never heard of the trick of firing into the oily patch while it was still downbore on the rod, then pulling it to confirm it was burnt. I'll try that. And I've never used Windex. Who says an old dog can't be taught new tricks?

I am not firing into an oily patch so to speak. I run a dry patch down and pull it out. I am kind of cheep so I turn it over and send it back down. Then I fire the caps into it. The caps by them selfs will "blow" the oil, water, or windex down the barrel. The first powder to hit that moisture won't fire. That is why I fire into the patch. It will catch the oil or moisture and get it out of the barrel. Ron

[RBak]

I am not firing into an oily patch so to speak. I run a dry patch down and pull it out. I am kind of cheep so I turn it over and send it back down. Then I fire the caps into it. The caps by them selfs will "blow" the oil, water, or windex down the barrel. The first powder to hit that moisture won't fire. That is why I fire into the patch. It will catch the oil or moisture and get it out of the barrel. Ron
Okay Ron, I'm in.....makes sense, good sense. It also makes me wonder why I've never heard of doing this before.

Russ

[tangsight]

Okay, so to review: Between now and my next opportunity to shoot (which will be next Sunday March 13, weather permitting), I need to purchase Windex with vinegar and Windex with ammonia (either of which proving unacceptable on the range can be used on the windows here at the house), and try the cleaning technique suggested by Idahoron where he pops a cap into a patch which has been sent downbore and contains fouling residue. I should expect that patch, when pulled, to be burnt.

In the meantime, I have changed out to a nipple that accepts a number eleven cap, and done my best to dry out/remove crud from the bore and the flash channel.

I will report results this time next weekend.

[idahoron]

Tangsight, I think I am confusing you. The patch I use to "catch" the fire from the caps is clean and dry.
I use a clean patch and squirt windex on it. I swab the barrel. Then I send a dry patch down and pull it back out. I either turn it over and use the back side if it is not too bad or I use a clean patch and send it down. I then fire caps into the clean dry patch and make sure the patch is burnt before I load. What you will look for when I say "burnt" is the patch will be mostly brown with a very brown to black spot on it. The dark brown or black spot might not be real big like the head of a pencil eraser. If the burnt spot is bigger GREAT!!
Like I said before. After you shoot a couple shots and clean a couple of times you will see the cap pushing the moist fouling on to the patch. The patch will also be burnt. The big thing is the clean dry patch will catch the moisture and fire instead of allowing that moisture to be blown down the barrel where it will come into contact with the powder. Let us know how it works.

Russ, I have been cleaning and loading this way for 30 years. I have always had good ignition from this method. I don't write much about cleaning since everyone does it different.
BTW, I have your results on the lead hardness test check your PM. Ron

[tangsight]

Well... I have finally returned from the range where I had the opportunity to use Idahoron's intershot cleaning methods, and I had some surprises.
1) Before shooting, I swabbed the bore with a damp patch (two squeezes Windex with ammonia from a regular windex spray bottle) both sides, and a dry patch, both sides, then fired a cap into the second side of the dry patch. Surprise number one: the burned spot wasn't where I expected it to be. I thought it would be on the side portion of the patch, like where the touch hole would be on a flintlock, but it was on the portion of the patch that covers the very end of the ramrod. Dead center.
2) Loaded 75 grains FFg Goex and 20 grains Cream of Wheat, .440 ball patched with .025" cotton, #11 cap put in place, and took aim. Surprise number two: Misfire. had to unscrew the cleanout, pour in some FFFFg under the nipple, re-install the cleanout screw, #11 cap in place, and THEN the gun went off.
3) Intershot cleaning routine implemented, as above. Surprise number three, although I had been forwarned: When I fired the cap into the second side of the dry patch and withdrew that patch, I had a gob, a lugie, if you will, of wet powder grains that the cap ignition had blown onto the patch rather than the burned spot. Put another dry patch down, and then a third, firing a cap into each, until I got a "clean burned patch. Then I loaded another charge (same as before, but no Cream of Wheat this time), and took aim. Misfire!
You know, guys, if I have to unscrew the cleanout screw every time, I might as well be using a flinter. Any and all responses/suggestions are welcome.

[405]

Frustration can steel the soul!

If I'm reading your "shooting the patch out with a cap thing" correctly sounds like your breech plug has a recessed cavity (patent breech?) where the flash channel enters the bore. That becomes a collection "sump" for all the crud that acccumulates from shooting and/or swabbing/cleaning between shots. Don't give up on the project. I have a couple of those type muzzleloaders and the failsafe firing techniques only need to be modified a little. There is no magic cleaner or formula that will prevent the clogging of the flash channel if the cleaning/swabbing technique is not modified. Crud is building up from firing and/or getting pushed down into that sump and blocking the flash channel. Recessed cavity breech plugs seems to be a little more probematic than flat faced plugs. But, before shooting make sure the thing is cleaned correctly.

Hot soapy water in and out with a jagged patch, hot rinse water in and out with a jagged patch, a few drying patches while barrel is warm, a little evaporative type oil like WD40 or LPS-1 on a tight, jagged patch while barrel is warm.

AT the range, before loading, fire one cap to make sure flash channel is clear. Load and fire. Now, with a large jagged patch that has been dampened only with whatever (water, moose milk, Windex, super juice).... run it into bore and back out. Replace with a new dampened patch and run into and out of bore. Then run a clean dry jagged patch that fits the bore with a snug fit VIGOROUSLY in and out the full length of bore. With the hammer at half cock you should be able to hear the air pushed out and sucked in as you run that patch in and out of the bore. Use a good range/cleaning rod with a muzzle guard. Don't be afraid to VIGOROUSLY pump the rod back and forth. That will help ensure a clear and mostly dry flash channel. If you don't hear the air rushing through the nipple, you aren't doing it VIGOROUSLY enough or the flash channel is clogged. If you can hear the air it should be clear. Load and shoot.

Those are the steps I take for cleaning, swabbing, loading all my MLs no matter the design. I don't get misfires. I have the shaped brass cleaning scraper for those MLs that have the recessed plug but only use it after extending shooting where the fouling from the shooting really builds up in the plug recess. I have a flat faced scraper for the flat breech plugs and only use it after extended shooting where the build up is severe. Used by themselves the scrapers may even push crud into the flash channel- so should be used along with the regular cleaning/swabbing techniques.

[mooman76]

When you clean it good store it Muzzle down so any extra oil or moisture will drain down. Is it really neccissary to run a wet patch down the barrel after every shot? I'd try the old fashion spit patch sense you are shooting right away and don't have to worry about the patch drying out. After you load and shot put a patch in your mouth to wet it. Then powder patch & ball without running a cleaning patch and I'd drop the COW if you haven't already. Maybe there is someone hear you that can help you troubleshoot your method?

[idahoron]

Tangsight, hang in there I promise, you will find the method that will work.
When I load my rifles I pour the powder in with a measure. I hold the gun up with my left hand and lean the muzzle to the right. The lock will be slightly pointing down and to the right. I tap the butt of the stock with the palm of my right hand. Picture this. The powder is dumped into that breach area. I want some of the grains of powder to filter to the nipple. I lean it over and tap it to get the pieces of powder to flow to the nipple. I give it 3 or 4 swats to get the powder to settle. As the bullet or ball is pushed down the air will help that powder to push into the nipple area.
I also like to use Pyrodex P (FFFg). I was getting an occasional hang fire with Pyrodex RS (FFg) even when I was swatting the stock to get the powder to settle into the nipple area. After I switched to Pyrodex P I never have them, EVER.
I also use CCI #11 mag caps.
One thing I can't help but wondering if your powder is good?
As you saw when a guy is cleaning a lot of wet "snot" is still in the gun after cleaning. Firing a cap into the patch "catches" that snot and keeps it from screwing up the new powder being dumped in.
I know that this all seems not worth it but hang in there. My loading procedure is quick when you get the hang of it. Or you might find a method that works better. Ron

[DIRT Farmer]

Tang sight, I have been following this, and could see nothing futher to add. But I will try

! I see you are using fffg Goex. This should be good as of the lower ignition temp.
2 Swabing, I use a spit patch, unless I am shooting in public (I chew) then I use a plastic box that I put about 10 patches and use 2 sprays of my solution. For my use the dampness is wet a patch with spit, then try to chew it dry. Damp is to wet.
3 Try marking your range rod at the bottom of the barrel, then when swabing onlyswab deepenough to be just past the crud ring where the powder - ball meet when loaded, then you are not pushing anything into the narrowed area of the breeach.
4 Two schools of thought on hammer position. Most safty types want the hammer on half cock while loading to make it easy for the R/O to see if you are capped. The ball should carry some powder with it when the ball is loaded.

[waksupi]

I'd bet a dollar this has a Nock breech in it, and the only cure for those is to change breeches.

[tangsight]

Thanks to everybody for the sympathetic ear.
Ron, I have waffled between FFg and FFFg, but the current problems have all been with double-eff. FFFg sounds like a good thing to try. It also sounds like, even though I'm much less wet than I was on the first patch, I need to be dryer still. I'll spritz the patch once with Windex, then wring it out, see how that does.
The caps I'm now using are CCI, but the regulars, not the magnums. The powder is stored indoors in a safe in an air conditioned, de-humidified environment, and is less than two years old, so I don't think that is the problem.
Sounds like I need to "de-snotify" between shots to insure a clear flash channel?
And finally, I'm in serious need of an education on Nock breeches. What's the knock on them (pun intended)?

[idahoron]

I think your on the right track with wringing out the patch it does not need to be soaking wet.
The FFFg is fine to use. I backed it off a pinch. I use 80 gr of Pyrodex P with a 460 gr bullet.
I also think that trying to get the powder to settle into the nipple area by tapping the butt will also help. If you can find the magnum #11's I like them. The are a lot hotter cap. Ron

[waksupi]

Some info on Nock and patent breeches. These will show the problem.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/partdetail.aspx?catid=4&subid=38&styleid=141&partnum=plan-nock&as=1

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/200108/

http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/topic/9689

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/black-powder/314439-cleaning-sidelock-muzzle-loader.html

[tangsight]

I have returned from the range again, this time with success. I posted the story, then it was lost in transit, and I'm loath to bore everyone with a repetition. Suffice it to say I'll give the rifle a true test tomorrow, but I have high hopes, because I had NO MISFIRES today (This is me dancing a jig around the shooting bench).[smilie=s:

[idahoron]

Good for you. Post a report what worked. Ron

[wellfedirishman]

Very helpful thread, thanks guys.

I had the same problem today with a TC Hawken 45 I just picked up from a member here. Very frustrating, every second or so shot would requre the nipple to be removed, some FFFg poured in, and the nipple screwed back in. Then it would ignite properly with a cap.

I was shooting CCI Magnum caps, through a new Traditions stainless nipple, using Goex FFFg. I know the powder and caps were good because I was using them on a CVA 54 cal and it ignited perfectly every time.

When I got home I unscrewed the nipple, and poured very hot water soapy down the barrel. Nothing came out the nipple end! So I pumped up and down with a tight brush several times until I could hear the air whistling in and out, then pop, it cleared and then the water gushed freely out of the nipple hole.

I also will use a dryer patch for cleaning. I think that I had used too wet of a patch and that caused goo/crud build up near the flash hole.

Has anyone tried pipe-cleaners for cleaning out the flash hole? I think they would work way better than a pin or nipple cleaning spike.

[RBak]

I think that I had used too wet of a patch and that caused goo/crud build up near the flash hole.
I think you're assessment is probably right on the money.
By the way..."goo/crud" is a very descriptive word for the mess that builds up. I like that word, gotta use it more.

Russ

[mooman76]

I have used pipe cleaners and it works pretty good. The pipe cleaner metal is softer though but should work well unless the crud is really packed in there.

[DIRT Farmer]

If you go to a tobacco store they sell a pipe cleaner that has bristles in it. The brand I use is Ream and Clean.
Most of the ignition problems I have helped with came back to either oil in the flash channel or to wet a swab, or a combation of the two.
I have used two origonal shotguns with Nock breaches. They are a bit tricky to clean but the idea on a shotgun was to provide a central ignition point simular to a patent breach in a caplock for better patterns. Wether it works or not I cannot say, I love 200 year old shotguns but they do not fit me.

[tangsight]

A bit of time has passed. Probably no one is reading this thread any longer. My wife and I have returned from Brady (where the Texas State Muzzleloading Championships were held in June), where I used the Pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle to compete in the Sixty and Over Aggregate., and the His and Hers with Sheri my wife, who is the real shooter in the family.

I am very pleased to report that, using the recommendations given primarily by Idahoron in this thread, I had absolutely no hint of any misfire throughout the event. I am so grateful for all the help everyone gave me it is impossible to properly express.

We left for home Saturday, one day before the end of proceedings. At that time, Sheri and I were second in the His and Hers.

Thank you again, everyone.

[idahoron]

I was wondering how you did with that. I am glad that it worked for you. Good job on the shoot. Ron