# hang fire



## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

Was with my grandson on an anterless hunt this weekend. At first light we had one about 50 yards standing broadside. He took a resting aim and put his crosshairs on the chest. Pulled the trigger and got a pop. The deer moved and then the gun went off. The deer hunched up and then took off. We waited until it had gone about 1/4 mile and was still moving pretty good, going towards land that we had been told, in no uncertain terms I might emphasize, no hunting allowed!

We decided to try and take the truck around and cut it off but we got to the fence the same time as the deer and it went onto the no trespassing property.

We knew he had either gut shot the deer or hit it in the back quarters but it hadn't shown any signs of being really hurt and hardly any blood.

What would you do in this situation? (A call to the property owner to try and get permission was unanswered).


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

That is a sad story but, you made your effort. I'd let things be as they are. Your grandson and anyone else reading this needs to realize muzzy guns don't always go off like you think they should and you need to hold your aim even after it's gone off.


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## Briar Patch (Feb 1, 2010)

In my experience hang fire situations can be all but eliminated by doing three things;
a) good nipple with a clean flash hole
b) quality primers
c) fire a primer through your gun prior to loading up and heading out

I think firing a primer helps get rid of any possible moisture from condensation that may get into breech. That's just my theory, especially with traditional muzzle loaders.

Even so, still gotta do like BearsButt said and hold your aim after you pull the trigger - easy thing to forget, especially for newer muzzle loader practitioners.


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

Briar Patch said:


> In my experience hang fire situations can be all but eliminated by doing three things.....


I would agree those three things are very important, however the gun was freshly cleaned, including taking the nipple out and thoroughly cleaning it and the hole, (acetylene torch tip cleaners work great for this) the primers were Winchester triple seven primers that were bought a few weeks ago, and a primer was shot first thing that day. (I was there with him to "oversee" those things, I'd had a misfire years ago with a muzzie I had cleaned and oiled and NOT shot a primer to clear the oil-lesson learned.)

I suspect the problem was: He used a kwick loader that was charged last year. The pyrodex powder had probably absorbed just enough moisture to affect it. Those things wouldn't afford the same "protection" from moisture as keeping it in the origianl bottle. Which brings up another question, If the lid is kept tight on a bottle of powder, how long can you expect it to be good after it is opened?


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## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

CCI 209M Primer :mrgreen: 


But really, that sucks! Too bad the landowner didn't answer. I would keep badgering the landowner. If you can, try one more time and if you can't find it, tell your grandson that hunts may not always go as planned.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Doc said:


> I suspect the problem was: He used a kwick loader that was charged last year. The pyrodex powder had probably absorbed just enough moisture to affect it. Those things wouldn't afford the same "protection" from moisture as keeping it in the origianl bottle. Which brings up another question, If the lid is kept tight on a bottle of powder, how long can you expect it to be good after it is opened?


EVERYONE seems to post about moisture affecting powder over time... as far as I can tell, I'm the only one to ever test this.

I re-barreled a Hawkin one year, took the old pitted barrel, charged it with powder and ball, left the cap off so moisture could get at it... left it leaned against a wall over the entire winter and wet spring... 8 months total, took it to the range, put on a cap and test fired it. There was no discernible lag in ignition.

Now thats not to say powder cannot get wet from wet environmental conditions (ie: rain etc), or from residual moisture in the chamber. Both of which are SOLVABLE with better attention when loading the firearm.

I ran a secondary moisture test by loading the junk barrel and sealing the cap with wax and taking precautions with the load. I submerged the barrel under water for 5 minutes, exposing it to more water than any rainstorm would give and test fired it. It fired immediately.

Moisture in the chamber can be eliminated by NOT USING WATER when cleaning. Use WINDEX instead. It cleans better and evaporates completely in a very short amount of time.

Finally you need to really make sure your nipple is clean and unobstructed. I use Acetylene torch tip cleaning files to scrub the flame channel making sure its clean. Taking extra steps when loading will increase your reliability 100x. If you fire in the field you need to clean everything and start over that evening to get ready for the next days hunt.

-DallanC


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## wirehair (Aug 2, 2010)

+1 on the torch tip cleaners. I throw all of the caps in my capper away each night and reload it for the next day. Sweat, beer dribble, coffee, who knows what may get in the caps after a long day of hunting. They are cheap. Unless you use 209s.
I always plan on getting one shot per hunt. So when it comes time to load the gun for that one shot, take the extra precaution of running a brush through the barrel and a tip cleaner through the nipple before loading.Murphy will be watching.


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## ram2h2o (Sep 11, 2007)

Had same problem years ago when primative weapon seasons were just getting started. Old timer told me to take nipple out and put some fff blackpowder in nipple hole and then replace nipple. Never had a hang fire or misfire afterward. Just keep your powder dry and make sure after you clean gun that it is bone dry before loading.


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

I have never had a hang fire with my Omega. I always shoot 2-209 primers after cleaning(even just quick swabs). The oil and cleaner can gum up in the breech hole and this can happen. 
6 years ago i was with a friend that had a cap gun. We snuck in on a buck from 3/4 mile away to less than 40 yards. He pulled the trigger 8 times on a new cap every time. It did not go off and the buck walked away. We got back to the truck and he opened a new tin of caps. It fired every time for 8 shots. Later we found out that the caps had been submerged in his duck hunting jacket. :O•-:


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