Blown Bolster

[aspangler]

Don't ask me how. I loaded as usual, capped it, Aimed and squeezed. BOOM! Only 70 gr. ffg and PRB. Kicked the living S*** out of me. As much smoke out the side as out the front. Barrel not obstructed, Ball seated firmly on powder. I'm glad no one was with me because it could have hurt or killed someone. Scared me so bad that I was about to P*** my pants. Took it to my gunsmith friend and we made and installed a new bolster. Then to make sure it never came out again, we silver soldered the new one in. Just got back and it is too dark now to try and I won't shoot on Sunday if at all possible so will let you know Monday how it works. The Good Lord was watching over this fool today.

[fouronesix]

Glad no one was hurt! Yikes

When you say bolster I assume you mean drum? If it was a drum, those were often removed and turned back in by the owners. Sometimes they were over tightened then backed off therefore permanently loosening them. Sometimes they were turned in or out to better align with the nipple. That play and looseness sometimes led to corrosion thus failure at sometime in the future. That design was and still is the easiest and least expensive to use for mounting a nipple and were also used for many flintlock to percussion conversions.

Was that the 45 cal or 50 cal? The 70 gr FF under a PRB is not an overload of BP for sure nor would it have excessive recoil nor would the blown bolster (drum) cause excessive recoil.

I've seen some Juker (Jukar) and certain eras of CVAs that left something to be desired for quality. Was it one of those? I remember the mid to late 70s kit guns by CVA were in that category. :(

[Rattus58]

Don't ask me how. I loaded as usual, capped it, Aimed and squeezed. BOOM! Only 70 gr. ffg and PRB. Kicked the living S*** out of me. As much smoke out the side as out the front. Barrel not obstructed, Ball seated firmly on powder. I'm glad no one was with me because it could have hurt or killed someone. Scared me so bad that I was about to P*** my pants. Took it to my gunsmith friend and we made and installed a new bolster. Then to make sure it never came out again, we silver soldered the new one in. Just got back and it is too dark now to try and I won't shoot on Sunday if at all possible so will let you know Monday how it works. The Good Lord was watching over this fool today.
I know we never like to admit stuff we don't know about what happened... like how I misplaced my ramrod after a particularly heavy load that behaved the same way... it's only speculation as to the tear in the target. Double charge... I don't think that happens to anyone does it.... :grin:

[mooman76]

Yes the CVAs or at least some of them had a patent breech and the drum should not be removed and replaced except by a gunsmith that knows what he is doing. almost sounds like this could have been your problem if this was the 45.

[aspangler]

Yes the CVAs or at least some of them had a patent breech and the drum should not be removed and replaced except by a gunsmith that knows what he is doing. almost sounds like this could have been your problem if this was the 45.
It was the 45. Kentucky rifle. Was trying to work up a load that would shoot. Gunsmith said that it looked as though the threads were rusty and that is what caused the failure.

[johnson1942]

same thing happened to a friend of mine on his cva. cva gave him a new gun. i left a ramrod 25 years ago that was made of aluminum in a 42 inch barrel .45 cal, only 60 grains of powder and a round ball under it. my shoulder hurt for a year and one half. recoil was unbeliveable. ramrod went like a arrow. im glad your ok. im going to check my gun with a drum on it for corrosion, thanks for the post.

[fouronesix]

Yep, makes sense. The gunsmith's opinion about the rusted out (corroded) drum is a common weakness in that system. Especially since they are so easily monkeyed with, usually have fairly coarse threads and, in the cheaply made rifles, may be suspect from the beginning. I don't know about the silver solder thing without knowing what the smith did or what he had to work with.

Since the early 1800s, the beginning of the percussion age, that simple drum system has been a weakness- if it makes you feel any better. It was not uncommon for many of the old originals to give it up in exactly the same way.

[mooman76]

Well that was probably a factor in your accuracy problem. It was, I assume leaking pressure give you inconsistency.

[aspangler]

Well that was probably a factor in your accuracy problem. It was, I assume leaking pressure give you inconsistency.
Come to think of it... I COULD see a little smoke around that area. UMMMM. Have to ask my gunsmith. He's 75 and has been working on guns of all types now for over 40 years. Builds a lot of rimfire bench rest guns. He's trying to teach me to be a gunsmith but I think sometimes my head is just to thick!:razz:

[fouronesix]

Then the gas leakage and blow back out through the nipple (or vent in the case of a flintlock) should really kill accuracy.

[mooman76]

Sometimes if accuracy drops off suddenly it's a sign that the nipple hole is getting too big and needs replace and then accuracy returns. Also if your hammer on cap locks goes back to half cock it's a sign. This isn't always the case but it could be.

[wgr]

could have cross threaded it too

[Rattus58]

It was the 45. Kentucky rifle. Was trying to work up a load that would shoot. Gunsmith said that it looked as though the threads were rusty and that is what caused the failure.I'm a little confused here as to the events you are relating here. First you seem to indicate a huge blast, much heavier recoil than you typically experience so much so that you said that you just about peed your pants. The loud noise would be from the bolster blowing out possibly but excessive recoil is from generally one thing only... :grin:

[waksupi]

Come to think of it... I COULD see a little smoke around that area. UMMMM. Have to ask my gunsmith. He's 75 and has been working on guns of all types now for over 40 years. Builds a lot of rimfire bench rest guns. He's trying to teach me to be a gunsmith but I think sometimes my head is just to thick!:razz:

You had noticed smoke from the bolster, and you still shot it? I can not tell you just how bad of an idea that was. It had already told you it was failing. Lucky no one was hurt.

[tomme boy]

You sure it didn't have a carbon ring build up from shooting? One of my Hawkens gets this and if I am not careful about how I load it, it will not let me seat the ball or conical up against the powder. It is usually about 1/2" up from where you normally seat the whatever. When it starts to get this, mine has to be cleaned. That air gap like this between the powder and bullet could have been what happened to you.

It happened to me on one of mine and the recoil was almost double from the normal shot. Once I looked at the mark on the ram rod for the next shot was when I figured out what happened. The mark on the ram rod was about 1/2" out of the bore. That extra pressure could very well have been what blew out the drum.

[aspangler]

Well I took her out again today. I was amazed at the accuracy I got. 60 gr ffg and a PRB will shoot better than I can hold. As I was getting ready to leave my range, a groundhog ran out of the weeds and headed for his hole. The idiot stopped about 10 feet from the hole. I loaded back up and allowed for the drop ( I was sighted at 50 yds,He was at about 100 ) and shot over him. He ran into his hole and I figured that I would not see him again but he immediately stuck his head out. I loaded up again and shot just to the left but dead even in elevation. No way I was going to get another shot but lo and behold he stuck his head out again! This time I held on the right side of his face and squeezed the trigger. No doubt where it went. Blood all over the back of the hole! Stupid groundhog used all his luck at one time. I am tickled with this rifle. It shoots better than these old eyes with tri-focals can see. Thanks for all the help and answers to this thread. Albert

[mooman76]

Good deal!