Passing down a smoke pole

Melnic · Dec 30, 2018

Passed down a T. Hawken to #1 son this Xmas
We took it out to the range today to get him more familiar with loading a BP.

Was sighting it in at 25 yards

We did have an ignition issue at about #10 I had just run 2 wet cleaning patches thru it before a cease fire and maybe I got the breech end wet or something. I had to load up BP after removing the nipple to get it to go off. I actually had to do that twice. I reloaded it and after 2 more shots it happened again . My thinking is the flash channel was blocked or something

Will have to break it down real good and pull the bolster screw.

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j8064 · Dec 30, 2018

Melnic said:
Passed down a T. Hawken to #1 son this Xmas
We took it out to the range today to get him more familiar with loading a BP.

Was sighting it in at 25 yards

We did have an ignition issue at about #10 I had just run 2 wet cleaning patches thru it before a cease fire and maybe I got the breech end wet or something. I had to load up BP after removing the nipple to get it to go off. I actually had to do that twice. I reloaded it and after 2 more shots it happened again . My thinking is the flash channel was blocked or something

Will have to break it down real good and pull the bolster screw.

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Good on you for passing down that thunder stick, Melnic! Shooting BP is a ton of fun. While I'm no expert, over the past few years I've learned a lot about keeping my ML's shooting correctly.

My first recommendation is to thoroughly clean the rifle. That includes pulling the nipple and bolster screw, cleaning the flash channel, scraping any BP residue buildup on the breech face, in the bore - and (if it was my rifle) I'd replace the nipple.

We Hooligans usually swab the bore between shots on most BP rifles. Even if we don't. it only takes a few shots to foul the gun. The spark from the cap has to travel down the nipple through a tiny hole and make a right angle turn before it reaches the main powder charge. That won't happen 100% of the time - especially with a dirty rifle.

Perhaps one day you'll visit us at the Hooligan range. We could show you and your #1 Son some of the things we've learned...

Good luck and Happy New Year!

:thumbsup:

Threeband · Dec 30, 2018

Let the word go forth... the torch has been passed to a new generation..

Melnic · Dec 30, 2018

Yes
I need to travel out west this spring!

I realized the issue. The breech on this TC sidelock collects crud down low really easy, I found a note in a book reminding me to run a cap on it unloaded when getting it wet on cleaning. I have those patches in the round container that are pre soaked and I usually squeeze the solution out of the patch before swabbing. I likely did not do it enough.

Honestly , when I started a few years ago, I had trouble getting BP locally so I duplexed 15gr of FFG and then 50gr of BH209 on top of it. I could I recall 5-10 loads without swabbing.

I had him pull the barrel out, nipple and run hot water in a bucket and pump clean it. Then wD40 then moose milk and finally rust inhibitor

I pulled the bolster screw and put a light down and channel was nice and clean.

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Art3 · Dec 31, 2018

Melnic said:
Yes
I need to travel out west this spring!

I realized the issue. The breech on this TC sidelock collects crud down low really easy, I found a note in a book reminding me to run a cap on it unloaded when getting it wet on cleaning. I have those patches in the round container that are pre soaked and I usually squeeze the solution out of the patch before swabbing. I likely did not do it enough.

Honestly , when I started a few years ago, I had trouble getting BP locally so I duplexed 15gr of FFG and then 50gr of BH209 on top of it. I could I recall 5-10 loads without swabbing.

I had him pull the barrel out, nipple and run hot water in a bucket and pump clean it. Then wD40 then moose milk and finally rust inhibitor

I pulled the bolster screw and put a light down and channel was nice and clean.

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That's the key. Personally, I don't wipe until I absolutely have to. It pushes all the crud down where you don't want it. At some point, it's inevitable. I always pop a cap after wiping. If it was really bad, or seemed too wet, I do two. :shrug:

I also pop one before my first loading.

That's a great Christmas present! My first rifle was a CVA Squirrel Rifle in .32. Back in the day, my dad always said TC was top of the line. He also said that I wouldn't look back at muzzleloading once I got my first .22. :sad20:

He was right for a while. It's taken about 20 years or so...and I can't fit my grown up face down on the kid sized stock of that Squirrel Rifle to see the sights anymore...but I've gathered a few TC Hawkens

4570inMD · Jan 1, 2019

Melnic said:
Yes
I need to travel out west this spring!

...run a cap on it unloaded...

I pulled the bolster screw and put a light down and channel was nice and clean.
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A few other pointers will help you two make white smoke easier:

o At the start of the day, run an alcohol patch to clear any oils or preservatives in the barrel (Drug store individual packages of 1"x1" presoaked)
o Before loading/shooting, fire a couple of caps to ensure a clear path to the powder.
o After loading powder & before the patch & ball, turn the rifle with the lock down, gently tap the rifle to send powder into the nipple bolster canal.
o Consider a nipple-charger with FFFFg powder http://www.possibleshop.com/s-s-nipples.html
o Ampco nipples are worth the investment for reliability & durability
o Experiment with your patch lube until you find one that 'seasons' the bore & allows easy loading, repeated shots without wiping, and easy clean-up.
o Use the smallest touch of anti-seize on the nipple threads for ease of disassembly.
o Never sleep with a dirty black powder rifle. Clean it and preserve it before the end of your day.

And above all, come shoot with the Hooligans........

Threeband · Jan 1, 2019

Does anyone else keep misreading the title to this thread?

I keep thinking of the old Russian trick for cleaning Mosins...

I guess it would work for a Hawken, too.

Pale Ryder · Jan 1, 2019

More than a 3% chance you get your hands wet.

. One at the least.

Threeband · Jan 1, 2019

More than a 3% chance you get kicked off the range, too.

Don't ask me how I know...

Brickman301 · Jan 5, 2019

I love seeing post like this. Nice to see your son shooting a caplock, as well. Everyone I see hunting now uses inlines, except for me, and my son. We still use caplocks. I think it’s a lot more fun.
My son shot his 1st deer when he was 10 years old with my old Hawkins carbine. Since then that’s the gun he has always taken deer hunting with him during the muzzleloader season. The problem is that was MY favorite one to, as it is so short and handy. It was also the 1st muzzleloader I ever owned, I bought it when I was 14 years old. Lol, Oh well, I won’t be handing this one down to him, as he has already claimed it for himself. He’s a picture of him with his 1st deer. Take notice that the carbine he is holding is left handed. I’m a left handed shooter, but my son is not.

Doco Overboard · Jan 5, 2019

After wiping the bore out to dry it of oil, before snapping a cap, put a tight dry patch on the loading rod and seat it nearly down to the bolster/snail. Snap one or two caps to dry the breech and deposit carbon in the flash channel.
When you pull the rod it will be blackened on the jag and nearly burned through, dry and the breech completely primed for powder.

Melnic · Jan 5, 2019

Threeband said:
Does anyone else keep misreading the title to this thread?

I keep thinking of the old Russian trick for cleaning Mosins...

I guess it would work for a Hawken, too.

Yes
When we were having him clean it in the bucket i mentioned he could just do what the Russians did. He said, “what, Pee in it?”

I took it back out during lunch this week and cleaning it between shots and clearing out with a cap, after 2 adjustments to the windage, it was planting 3” groups pretty well centered at 50 yards from bags using the all lead cheap sabots. I’m sure it would do better with PRB and fine tuning but that is good for now.

Now I am eager to get back out my Lyman GPR kit I got from Threeband years ago and put some time back on it.

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