[three under]

I experienced some misfires the other day where the only sound I heard was the "whoosh" of my bullet being pushed half way up the barrel.

I expected to at least hear the "pop" of the 209 primer. Was the "pop" silenced by the load not exiting the barrel?

 

[deerless]

Not sure what you have going on but I would think if the bullet moved the primer went off. Is your powder old or damp? Was the round seated properly? I also always pop a couple primers and swab the barrel before loading to be sure there is no moisture in the barrel before loading. Good luck and be careful misfires can be very dangerous.

 

[three under]

Not sure what you have going on but I would think if the bullet moved the primer went off. Is your powder old or damp? Was the round seated properly? I also always pop a couple primers and swab the barrel before loading to be sure there is no moisture in the barrel before loading. Good luck and be careful misfires can be very dangerous.

The bullet was seated properly; I have a mark on my ram rod that I use to gauge this. I shot two primers before loading but I did forget to swab the barrel. The first shot did go off so I assume that would cancel out any misfires due to oil or moisture? The powder sub is a year old and has been stored inside the house and dry.

I contacted the powder sub. manufacturer and was told my flash hole may need cleaning with a drill bit. I had a spare breech plug that was brand new, so I screwed it in and the first shot fired. Second shot misfired. I opened a new container of the same powder sub. and have shot seven in a row without a misfire. Maybe the original container is bad but I am told shelf life should not be an issue.

The same combination of gun, powder, bullet, and primer worked flawlessly last year for twenty plus shots.

Any thoughts?

 

[BruceBruce1959]

"I opened a new container of the same powder sub. and have shot seven in a row without a misfire. Maybe the original container is bad but I am told shelf life should not be an issue."

Shelf life isn't usually a major concern but sometimes even the slightest humidity can cause problems and to me that's what it sounds like you may be having a problem with the powder you used may have become contaminated by moisture from humidity..

 

[three under]

"I opened a new container of the same powder sub. and have shot seven in a row without a misfire. Maybe the original container is bad but I am told shelf life should not be an issue."

Shelf life isn't usually a major concern but sometimes even the slightest humidity can cause problems and to me that's what it sounds like you may be having a problem with the powder you used may have become contaminated by moisture from humidity..

The container was sitting on the shooting bench for 15 minutes between the first two shots with the cap off. There were lite flurries and a temp of 12 degrees F. Could it have become contaminated that fast?

Also, the first half dozen primers may have been re-stocked into the pack after spending some time in my pockets last hunting season. Could they have been an issue? Or does the fact the bullet was getting pushed half way down the barrel cancel out any issue with the primers?

 

[BruceBruce1959]

The bullet was seated properly; I have a mark on my ram rod that I use to gauge this. I shot two primers before loading but I did forget to swab the barrel. The first shot did go off so I assume that would cancel out any misfires due to oil or moisture? The powder sub is a year old and has been stored inside the house and dry.

I contacted the powder sub. manufacturer and was told my flash hole may need cleaning with a drill bit. I had a spare breech plug that was brand new, so I screwed it in and the first shot fired. Second shot misfired. I opened a new container of the same powder sub. and have shot seven in a row without a misfire. Maybe the original container is bad but I am told shelf life should not be an issue.

The same combination of gun, powder, bullet, and primer worked flawlessly last year for twenty plus shots.

Any thoughts?

You seem to be addressing your own concerns, all if which may be the root of the problem. if the powder was a year old then can't we asume it went bad for some odd reason thus causing the problem? If contaminated powder isn't the problem then I don't know what else to blame it on.

 

[Hunting Man]

I agree when all else is eliminated, then the flash channel may be getting debris from the primer and giving varied fire. Not too many things can be the problem so it's pretty basic to step by step locate the problem. I would change out to 209 shot gun primers and try those. I have not had a failure in the limited shooting with 209 primers. However, with the flintlocks it runs about 75%.

 

[frontiergander]

what gun, powder and primer brand?

 

[three under]

You seem to be addressing your own concerns, all if which may be the root of the problem. if the powder was a year old then can't we asume it went bad for some odd reason thus causing the problem? If contaminated powder isn't the problem then I don't know what else to blame it on.

Your rite, it could have gone bad for some odd reason. I called bh 209 customer service and was told it was unlikely. But Im with you, I do not trust that original can and it stinks because I drove 2 hours to get it and paid $36. for one jug.

 

[three under]

what gun, powder and primer brand?

CVA Wolf [original]-bh 209-Winchester shot shell primers-powerbelt 295 hollow point.

 

[hunter177]

Misfire Issue

Under the weather conditions you described IMO it's definitely moisture contaminated powder caused by leaving the can open on the bench. I use 777 pellets and ALWAYS close the box as soon as I put the pellets in the gun. I also swab between every shot AND fire 1 primer before loading to ensure a dry barrel.:yes:

 

[frontiergander]

CVA Wolf [original]-bh 209-Winchester shot shell primers-powerbelt 295 hollow point.

There have it then!

Get some cci 209m primers or winchester w209's. You need a #65 drill bit so you can enlarge your breech plugs flash hole to BH209's recommended .035" flash hole. You can also use a 1/8" drill bit and enlarge the plugs flash channel as well.

That will have you up and running again! Also dont get cheap on seating pressure. BH209 needs a good amount of seating pressure or else, poof!

For now though, you can find a 3mm or #32 drill bit and clean that plugs flash channel out, It carbons up fast with BH209.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

ThreeUnder, the LAST thing you want to do is be drilling out a breech plug and for anyone to suggest such a remedy is WAY off base.

Who's going to be liable for any mishaps if you're weapon explodes in your face due to the fact that you drilled out the breech plug?

FrontierGander, do you really think telling someone to drill out their breech plug is a good idea? I mean come on, If you want to put yourself in harms way then Go for it BUT you shouldn't be offering advice that could possibly have a fatal outcome.

 

[frontiergander]

ThreeUnder, the LAST thing you want to do is be drilling out a breech plug and for anyone to suggest such a remedy is WAY off base.

Who's going to be liable for any mishaps if you're weapon explodes in your face due to the fact that you drilled out the breech plug?

FrontierGander, do you really think telling someone to drill out their breech plug is a good idea? I mean come on, If you want to put yourself in harms way then Go for it BUT you shouldn't be offering advice that could possibly have a fatal outcome.

Bruce, before you stick your foot into your mouth, This is Western Powders cure for the CVA plugs that are having trouble shooting BH209. The flash hole is to small and limits the heat thats gets to the powder causing either a POP - no fire or a hissing- poop effect when the powder barely lights up and the bullet goes skipping across the ground 20 feet in front of you.

Contact Don Luhr and he will recommend drilling out the flash hole with a #65 drill bit. Western Powders will do the plug for the person Free of charge.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

IF CVA wants to be telling their customers to drill out their breech plugs, putting their customers in harms way then so be it, that's up to CVA to decide how to handle their problems but for YOU to tell someone to do something like that stupid is plain ridiculous.

 

[frontiergander]

actually CVA is working with Western Powders right now to design a plug thats 100% reliable with BH209.

Like i said, Contact Don Luhr over at western powders, he will teach you.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

If Don Luhr or anyone else tells people to "DRILL" out a part to correct a misfire, and somewhere down the road one of those weapons he had some customer drill out explodes causing someone to die then Don Luhr needs to have his head examined as much as you do for passing along such lame advice.
If there's a Breech plug problem using bh209 then you should let the Breech plug manufacturer deal with the solution...
You shouldn't offer advice that could get someone killed.

 

[frontiergander]

A .035" flash hole wont cause anything to explode. I think i read somewhere on toby bridges website that traditions uses a .034 - .036" flash hole on the vortex

 

[BruceBruce1959]

and the difference may be,,, the Traditions Vortek may have been designed to handle the larger flash hole,
the question to CVA should be, Are their weapons designed to handle the larger flash hole and are they prepared to Guarantee that by drilling out a larger flash hole, the weapon is still "SAFE" for the shooter.... BUT that's for CVA to decide not for you or anyone else including Don Luhr to decide..

 

[Hunting Man]

I would tend to agree that CVA would put out a notice, "problem with a design" and a new fix solution under warranty. If I choose to alter anything I'm not going to suggest it to someone else and it's at my own personal risk to do so. I have and do use an appropriate drill bit/small screw driver using slight finger power to clean out flash holes, primer channels ect.