Powder Contamination in Hunting Muzzle-Loaders?

[Dwayne]

For typical range shooting, the duration of contact between such liquids and powder is fairly short, so this is probably less of a concern. However, I have experienced perceptible delays between cap firing and powder detonation (a "snap-bang" sound, if you will), some possible explanations for which were partially clogged flash channels, weak cap detonations, or contamination of powder that was near the flash hole. With two "Northwest Edition" inlines that I've owned (inlines modified to fire exposed caps rather than 209s in order to comply with WA, OR, and ID hunting regulations), complete misfires were very common, and snap-bangs were the rule. I suspect that many of these snap-bangs and misfires were caused by poorly designed NW modifications because both of mine seemed to have incredibly weak hammer strikes, but some could have been caused by contamination. With my Renegade, it's happened only twice - once on the first shot after cleaning when I forgot to clear the flash channel by firing a couple of caps, and once, just yesterday, when I fired the Renegade after it had been loaded for 8 days while I was hunting.

For hunting, powder contamination is a much greater concern because rifles are commonly left charged for weeks to months, and so residual cleaning, lubing, and rust preventive liquids and pastes have a long time to work their way into the powder. Before I loaded up for my latest hunt with the Renegade, I therefore wet-swabbed the bore and powder chamber as thoroughly as possible with Hornady Muzzle-Loading One Shot, which Hornady claims will not affect the performance of powders or caps, dry swabbed with many patches on a very tight jag and then dry swabbed with a jag that has a rounded end in hopes of drying the hemi-spherical powder chamber, and then fired a cap to clear the fire channel. Nevertheless, when I fired the Renegade 8 days after loading, I got a snap-bang rather than the clean single detonation which is typical of this rifle. There was aksi an unusually large amount of powder residue left in the barrel when I swabbed it after firing. So... I'm thinking that powder contamination is the probable cause, and that's a big concern because it will result in slower bullets and loss of accuracy on that critical first shot.

Have you experienced any probable powder contamination issues? What are your procedures for getting your muzzle-loader ready to be loaded for hunting?

Thanks!

I think you are missing out on the very thing you are posting....

You only have 2 fires in a gun.
1. Primary charge/fire (Flash fire/Cap fire/209)
2. Secondary fire (Main Charge).

What you have between those fires is a channel. Your primary fire goes
through this channel and hits your secondary charge and ignites it.

Anytime you start to clog the channel (Even a little bit), that means less fire will go through it
and ignite the main charge. This also means one of three things is happening when you are
firing your piece and nothing happens or a snap bang is the result.

1. The Channel is Partially clogged. (So many folks get the idea that firing a cap to "Clean out"
the channel is the right idea) WRONG. firing a cap dirties the channel. The only time you want
to "Clean out" a channel, is when you want to take a second shot the same day. This will help
out with any back pressure residue from the FIRST shot. Usually this is not necessary but why
not?

2. Your powder was contaminated BEFORE you placed it in the Barrel. Inside that barrel, it is
very well sealed off from the elements...As long as you have a spent cap on the nipple, or a
toothpick in the flash hole. Keep this in mind. Not only that, your powder can be good, but
if you use a Black Powder substitute, the ignition of the substitute takes about a 80 percent
higher temperature to ignite. Instead of igniting at 400 to 450F, Substitutes ignite around
700 to 750F. Thus a much hotter cap is needed. This is why Real Gun Powder is so
reliable in all guns. ignition temp is much lower, easier to ignite, and quicker to respond to
a lower temperature fire. This is why pyrodex is usually not used in Flintlocks and percussions.
It "usually" causes a snap-bang. In flintlocks many folks (like me) put a 10g base charge of
GOEX (real Black Powder) as an igniter of the Pyrodex charge. This will get rid of most of
the snap-bang, but guarantees a ignition.

3. Putting black powder in your chamber will usually slow down your fire reaching the
main charge, but also almost always guarantees ignition. The idea of the channel, is for the fire to
go through it and ignite the main charge. When you put powder in that channel, the
fire cannot go past the powder effortlessly as it can a clean channel. Thus, the powder
in the chamber will be ignited and pass the fire down the chamber. This will sometimes
cause a snap-bang, but could also cause misfires if any of the small grains are contaminated.
Filling the chamber with powder will guarantee a snap bang.

Not all powders are 100 percent non-contaminated. Some granules may have absorbed
more water than others, making them a little less susceptible to heat.

There is a reason why you hear of Grandpa's old muzzleloader that has been sitting in the
closet for 30 years loaded, will still go bang when flashpan is loaded or cap is placed on
nipple and fired. It is sealed from the elements.

I would look at a few things....

1. Keep that channel clean. That is the most important thing you can do.
2. What kind of powder are you using? Substitute? Or Real? Big difference.
3. What kind of cap are you using? The hotter, the better.
4. And of course...Keep that powder dry. Sealed from the outside air as much
as possible. There is humidity in the air, and Black powder loves humidity.