# I missed..................twice.



## Mr.CheddarNut (Jan 16, 2013)

So I just got home from hunting the last few hours of light on this years muzzleloader. My boy and I went up. Busted some does, spotted a bull elk bedded and got 50 yds from him. On the way hiking back down we stumbled upon a gorgeous heavy bodied, tall antlered buck, about 40yds away. I tried to pull the hammer back and it wouldn't stay back!!! I finally took aim with the hammer being held by my thumb and just let it go......dry fire. Buck stands there still......I manage to get the hammer to stay back and cap it again and aim and.........dry fire again!! Buck doesn't move. I cap it again take aim and fire. Kaboom! buck dances off. No sign of a hit anywhere. No blood nothing. I missed last weekend at a smaller buck about 70 yds. this year I was using a traditions .54 with a great plains 425 gr. slug. for the last 20 years I have used a 50 cal round ball and can change the sex on a gnat with that gun. Any thoughts??


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

sucks about the miss fires. Be sure to clean that pin and hammer mechanism, and make sure it moves freely before hitting the hills, it can build up rust. I know on my optima, my pin can stick and I always check it out before hitting the hills and make sure it moves smoothly, I'll even add a touch of oil on the pin and work it back and forth so it doesn't stick. Not sure if that was the problem but could be.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Sounds like a great excuse to get a new gun, if you ask me. ;-)


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## Mr.CheddarNut (Jan 16, 2013)

BirdDogger said:


> Sounds like a great excuse to get a new gun, if you ask me. ;-)


Thats just it. It was a new gun spring 2012. Bought it used from a guy who bought it in california and never shot it. Traditions hawken style .54. Shot it laborday weekend 2012 one time and it was dead on windage wise at 75 yrds. This year missed two deer. Maybe I just have the buck fever and need to settle down. I dont know. Just seems strange to me. Ill shoot some paper I guess and go from there.


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## Mavis13 (Oct 29, 2007)

I'm eating tag stew again this year; it's starting to taste very bitter. The frustrating part is I really put the time in this year; I went out all but two day of the hunt. Got well off the trails but only saw bucks when they were just too far away. All those hours and miles and I never got a good look at a buck...
I saw so many does; just last night we counted over 30 of them.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

There can be lots of reasons to have a miss fire or a hang fire with a muzzleloader. How you handle or care for your muzzy makes all the difference.

1. I know with Pyrodex (loose) that when it gets cold it balls up just a little. So in my Kentucky rifle I have to be real careful to make sure powder gets to the flash hole.

2. I have heard of guys that it turned out to be a cleaning issue. I think one guy used a little WD40 on his final patch to help with keeping rust out. The miss fire only showed up when it was cold and damp.

3. The type of cap or primer used during damp and cold weather can make a difference as well. 

4. Where and how you store your muzzy over night can make a difference as well. I have seen this as a problem when the humidity is up, not quite freezing, but cold. Moisture can condense on cold steel around the flash hole. 

Dang I love muzzleloaders.......


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## Mavis13 (Oct 29, 2007)

Nipple pick (I use a safety pin) makes all the difference for me. Before you cap you stick it in there and stir things up. I think most of my miss fires are moisture related.


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## Mr.CheddarNut (Jan 16, 2013)

The misfire issue I am certain is moisture related. It had been snowing and the trees were letting it go on us and blowing around a bit. I am mainly stumped on my misssing the shot. Anybody have issues with the great plains 425gr. bullets and accuracy. I think I was just rushing do to two previous misfires but Im just not sold on that.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

MrCheddarNut, welcome to the club!
I had a cap that didn't fire and the hammer forced it down solid on the nipple of my traditional TC Renegade. I shoot the same chunk of lead you do and have excellent results on the range. However, this year when the cap did not fire, I had to pry the thing off the nipple, all the while watching mr. buck move out to about 40 yards, from the 20 he was standing at. I put a new cap on, used a rest and fired, expecting to see a pile of deer when the smoke cleared...a clean miss.

My thoughts are these: I can always remember my sight picture when I drop a buck, always. This time I could not tell you I even remember seeing the rear sight. I think because I was flustered after the first cap didn't ignite powder that I rushed everything after that and did not even aim.

For me to hit my target, whether paper or animal, I MUST, MUST, MUST think about my sight picture or I will miss.


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## sharpshooter25 (Oct 2, 2007)

You are using a Traditions. That is your problem. I have never liked those guns.


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