Long Range Hunter fails to fire

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Capt Bowty
Posts:2
Joined:October 8th, 2016, 1:41 pm
Long Range Hunter fails to fire

Post by Capt Bowty » October 27th, 2016, 7:18 pm

Hi Folks! I'm hoping to get some advice and or a possible solution to my problem. I bought my .50 cal Long Range Hunter just before the original Knight company went out of business. I love the gun! It's very accurate and with the thumb hole stock it is very comfortable to shoot. However, I am and have had several incidents where my musket caps will not fire. When I say they will not fire, I mean that the cap doesn't even pop. The pin appears to come completely forward and hits the cap, partially deforming the cap itself. But no spark. I've been using the German made RWS musket caps. I've heard good results from other hunters. But more often than not they fail to even pop. I've gone to buying new ones each year, storing then in my safe that has an electric dehumidifier rod, and even putting a silica pouch in my musket cap container. I store my gun in my truck at night when hunting to keep the gun at a more constant temperature.

This year prior to departing camp and going home I attempted unload my gun. I went through five musket caps before I had a cap pop and fire my gun. These musket caps were bought just days before the season started. There wasn't even any wet weather this year. You can probably imagine the thoughts going through my head at that point. As I do hunt in Washington state, I've had to make my rifle western legal. That being said I have the western conversion kit on my rifle. In fact, I've bought two from Knight. The newer one has a different looking bolt. That is, that it covers the opening of the cap/breach plug more and has a little opening that still makes it western legal. With both bolts and breach plugs I've had the same issues.

Please help!

rssc451

Re: Long Range Hunter fails to fire

Post by rssc451 » January 5th, 2017, 9:21 pm

If it were me, I'd go to the range and test the ignition WITHOUT a load.
I believe your musket nipple is treaded into the breech plug?
Put the nipple in with your hand, then back the nipple out 1 full turn. Then insert the breech plug (with the nipple out 1 turn), then put a cap on and fire.
I hope you get the picture?
This might tell you if the firing pin to end of nipple is the issue (head space - so to speak).

Capt Bowty
Posts:2
Joined:October 8th, 2016, 1:41 pm

Re: Long Range Hunter fails to fire

Post by Capt Bowty » February 23rd, 2017, 7:15 pm

Thanks rssc451! I do understand what you are talking about. Yes, the nipple is threaded into the breach plug. I received a response from night about the problem as well. The nipple that came with my rifle was in-line. They sent me a new nipple that is offset. Apparently there were other folks with a similar issue. So now instead of center punching the cap (which it has been doing), it is struck on the edge of the primer just like a rim fire cartridge. I still need to get out to the range and try it out. If it doesn't work, I'll try your suggestion. I am still not confident that the caps I am using are of good quality. What primers do you use in your muzzeleloader, musket caps or #11's? What brand? Here in Washington State they do not allow the use of 209 primers during black powder season .

Thanks for the advice!