Hang Fire Blues HELP!!!!

[love to hunt]

Tonight I had my second hang fire of the season from my Traditions inline muzzle loader and it is ticking me off. I squeeze, the primer pop's and a half second later the gun goes boom and the deer runs away, untouched.

The gun is clean and dry and and I am using 150 gr of Triple 7 Pellets, Remington Kleenbore 209 Muzzy primers and 295 Grain power belt bullets.

The only thing I can thing I can think of is that the powder and primers are from last season and that they possibly have been contaminated.

Has anybody had a similar problem with 1 year old pellet powder/primers?

Please advise ASAP there is only a week on Muzzy left.

[tealitup]

Do you shoot a primer or two off before you load your gun? Try this just to clear out the spark path.

[love to hunt]

I sure do. It's got me stumped.

[irvingdog]

Switch to powder....

It cures all ills....

[tealitup]

Maybe the pellets got wet - For just the time you have left I would go ahead and buy some new stuff.

On a side note: Nice job keeping your weapon held down range after a mis-fire.

[love to hunt]

Hodgdon Select, RS or 777 powder? Which do you prefer?

How about Pyrodex pellets? I have heard they are more consistant.

[tealitup]

Pyrodex has been my favorite for awhile. 777 loose works well also.

[huntnfish]

I have always used pyrodex powder and have never had a hang fire. You might want to try the regular 209 primer as well.

[Nova]

I am using the 777 pellets from last year and have fire my gun 6-10 times this year and have had no issues. The only thing I can think of is the spark path being partially blocked. Can you remove the breech plug and soak it for a while to make sure you have the full opening in the spark path.

[love to hunt]

Spark path is good. I use a welding tip torch cleaner to clear the hole and remove build up.

[Nova]

have you had any issues when sighting in or just the 2 on stand. That has to be very frusterating. Are you using bore butter before loading or any kind of lube? I would email or call the manufacturer of the gun. I have a TC and last year when I called them they were very helpful. Those guys are the experts, maybe they know the problem. Good luck and I hope you have used up all your hangfires for a lifetime.

[lunker651]

love to hunt-

From what you said, I think it's your primer. Try getting a hotter primer, that should cure your hang fire. I'm not putting down remington kleenbore or thier users but they are not the hottest burning primer out on the market, With this kind of weather and using 150gr. pellets, I would get my hands on the hottest burning primer. I have friends that have hang fire before and they switch primer brands and it worked for them.

If you want any recommendations PM me.

[email protected]

[HC Eye Hunter]

You hit it on the head. The temps play an important role in ignintion and with the colder temps there may be a few problems. I shoot a side lock with caps and this weekend (with a clean gun) I had a hang fire on a good buck. I am shooting Pyrodex with a patch and ball . Nothing is wet and everything is clean and clear so I am guessing the cold temps are the culprit. I also store my gun outside to avoid any condensation that may occur by temp variations.

[KOTTKE]

love to hunt,

do you bring your rifle indoors after a hunt or do you leave it in the truck or garage. These guns will collect a lot of mositure coming into a warm environment. I don't think its your primers, I've had the same box for 4 yrs now and never a problem. As mentioned earlier, I would switch to loose poweder, it makes a BIG difference. Good Luck!!!!

[love to hunt]

I talked to the tech at Hodgdon and here is what I was told.

I am using Power Belt Bullets and that is the problem indirectly. The Power belts are so slipery that the Remington primer is actually not hot enough. When the primer goes off it pushes the bullet forward before lighting the pellets creating too much gap between the flash hole and powder base. The result is hang fire.

The tech said to use a standard shotgun primer, which is hotter, and all will be well.

[love to hunt]

Ok, I went to the range tonight and here is what I found out.

The tech guy at hodgdon doesn't have a clue.

1) I tried 10 sabots and I still had the same problem. Power belt or sabot the problem still existed. A dramatic delay in firing.

2) I changed from the Remington Primer to a CCI shot gun primer and that helped in fact it almost cleared the problem with one delay fire on the 7th shot of 10.

3) Went to pyrdex granular powder and that worked the best over all. I sent 10 shots and other then a accuracy problem after the 8th shot due to a very dirty barrel all shots fired with out fail.

The combonation I plan to use from now on is Power Belt, Hodgdon Select, and a CCI 209 shotgun primer.

[irvingdog]

That sounds like a recipe for Venison....

[love to hunt]

Just add garlic, onions and butter. MMMM

[Borch]

The CCI is hotter than the Remington. The hottest out there is the Federal 410 primer with the Federal standard 209 second. Just for your info if your still having some issues. IO've never had a hang fire with the federal primers with the 777 pellets.