Stuck Primers

[KWilliams]

I'm having extreme difficulty with my second Knight Mountaineer (bare primer configuration) . My load is the same for both rifles. 110 gr. BH 209, 300 gr. Harvester Scorpion and CCI 209M primers. I have to remove the bolt and darn near chisel out the primer after shooting a shot. Is anyone else experiencing this issue and hopefully have a remedy. I'm in a bind for an upcoming hunt. I have contacted the Knight gunsmith in Iowa and he felt it was a breech plug issue. (flash channel diameter too large). My original Mountaineer (serial # 0092) supposedly has a smaller flash channel and it minimized blowback. No luck so far with contacting Lehigh (assuming they make the breech plugs)

[a1smokepole]

Take your breech plug out and take a primer and put it in the primer pocket and see how tite the primer is going into the primer pocket by hand if its to tite and sticks with your hand take some sand paper to the sides of the primer pocket checking with primer fit as you go and use fine sand paper. and do not sand the bottom of the primer pocket as this will change the head spacing. go shot and check.

[GregK]

I have a little trouble after about 10 shots or so & just attributed it to primer residue. I can usually roll the gun over, wiggle the bolt, & the primer will fall out. I did have a couple that I had to pick at a bit to get them moving. I am also shooting 110 of BH209 & CCI MAG. Keep us posted as to what you find.

[KWilliams]

Actually the primer sticks to the boltface after firing. They drop into the slot quite loosely but after firing ... I need a jackhammer to get them out. The Knight gunsmith told me the breech plugs have been modified (opened up) for better Blackhorn ignition and consequently creating more blowback which supposedly swells the primer in the boltface. I don't have this problem with my early serial number Mountaineer. I have contacted both Knight and Leehigh with hopes of a remedy. So far, neither have contacted me for resolution. I'm not thrilled at the moment.

[a1smokepole]

Are you getting blowby if so its the head spacing is this a new gun are used.

[KWilliams]

The rifle is new. The gunsmith felt it was the flash channel in the breech plug but recommended I contact the office in Tennessee for customer service. Another gent suggested trying Federal 209A primers. As a quality engineer, one thing is for certain ... the critical dimensions clearly are different between my two rifles. I'm very new to muzzleloading and as a precision center fire shooter, "headspace" to me is different as it involves a case dimension ... usually from the shoulder to the boltface for a recessed rim case. I'm still waiting a reply from Knight customer service. Thanks gents for the suggestions.

[shessman]

I have the same problem if I shoot my mountaineer for more than 8-10 times. I am working on a capping/ decapping tool for my mountaineer. need something slender enough to get in and access the primer in the bolt face. otherwise my mountaineer is a tack driver. I like it way better than any other muzzleloader I have owned.

[GMB54-120]

Have you tried a normal Win209 primer? They work fine in all the Knights ive converted to bare primer. Its very very rare i ever have one stick

[KWilliams]

at Ed's guns shop. I ordered some Federal 209A primers. He said they seem to work better with the Knights in his experience. Thanks again for the replies. I was at the range again tonight and I'm getting lots of blow by. I measured the primer pocket in the breech plug @ .243" inside diameter and the CCI primers run from .238" to .240".

[KWilliams]

Turns out the CCI209M primers are short and not sealing. The problem was not the rifle but rather the primers I wanted to use. Knight Customer Service was awesome in diagnosing the issue. Winchester 209 primers are a better fit for my Mountaineer along with a new breech plug on the "long side" of tolerance. Thank you Gordy ! I'm happy now.