tactikel
Member
i always used Crisco in a cake decorator syringe to top off the chambers of my cap and ball pistols. Never had a chain fire and the fouling was soft.
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- Thread starter red rick
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.38 Special
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Your mention of that gun is one reason why I'm no longer confident in claiming that chainfires don't happen from the front, or that grease over the ball doesn't prevent them. Yet I have to wonder what it is about that gun that causes the problem.
hawg
Member
I never measured the chambers. They've got be pretty round at the mouth to cut a ring but they must get wonky. All of them will chain. Not always all at once but sometimes they do.
No idea. I do not think it was mentioned in the other thread and the OP of that thread has not been around for a while.
Kevin
“…All of them will chain…” I am unsure, are you speaking of the chambers in that cylinder or all c&b cylinders in general?
Kevin
hawg
Member
That one. I've ran experiments on others without lube, wads or caps and none of them chained.
I'm gradually forming a theory that a loose cap forms a reflective "umbrella"
under whose edges the flame finds its way to ignite the primer compound.
That might be one way to explain why no cap/primer at all rarely chains.
&THEORIES`R US here . . . )
under whose edges the flame finds its way to ignite the primer compound.
That might be one way to explain why no cap/primer at all rarely chains.
&THEORIES`R US here . . . )
hawg
Member
I don't think so. I was pinch fitting #11 caps on it.
If you pinch fit, that means the cap has two opposing sides standing
"more clear" of the nipple barrel than the two pinched sides.
Otherwise nothing else I can think of makes sense ... when the ball is
a tight/shaved fit in the mouth and also slathered in sealant grease.
`Tis a puzzlement
"more clear" of the nipple barrel than the two pinched sides.
Otherwise nothing else I can think of makes sense ... when the ball is
a tight/shaved fit in the mouth and also slathered in sealant grease.
`Tis a puzzlement
Chain Fire worries are over done. I find it's really hard to get a BP revolver to chain fire unless it has some sort of internal defect - like tool chatter in the chambers.
Even when it happens, it doesn't hurt the gun, nor will it hurt you as long as you keep your fingers and body away from the front of the cylinder.
I like shooting lube under ball for best accuracy.
I'll load powder, wool felt wad, lube, and ball. That way the lube goes down the barrel vs all of your hands / the outside of the gun.
However, it's a tedious loading procedure. While I might start that way, I'll switch to lube over ball and then alternate with no lube at all.
Even when it happens, it doesn't hurt the gun, nor will it hurt you as long as you keep your fingers and body away from the front of the cylinder.
I like shooting lube under ball for best accuracy.
I'll load powder, wool felt wad, lube, and ball. That way the lube goes down the barrel vs all of your hands / the outside of the gun.
However, it's a tedious loading procedure. While I might start that way, I'll switch to lube over ball and then alternate with no lube at all.
hawg
Member
It won't chain if I use lube or a wad. If I leave those off it chains.
This is true. The only ball that has any real force behind it is the one that goes down the bore. The rest just go a few yards.
.38 Special
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That is my view, in general. There do seem to be exceptions, though, as Hawg demonstrates.
Joshua M. Smith
Member
I'm conducting an experiment.
I have a black powder revolver loaded, capped, and put up safely.
I poured warm beeswax over the balls before putting it up. It's packed in a case alongside a dessicant pack.
It's been untouched for about four years now, except I inspected it for rust a couple times in that period.
Between now and next summer, I'll be taking it out and firing it. The bet I have going with myself is that all chambers will fire just fine.
hawg
Member
That's pretty much guaranteed.
Joshua M. Smith
Member
I think so, too. I've had folks tell me that you can't leave a BP gun loaded because it'll attract moisture and not fire. That's the experiment.
hawg
Member
That's horse hockey. BP isn't hygroscopic until its been fired.
Ugly Sauce
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Hawg is right, it will fire, as long as it was cleaned properly first, and it is capped with tight fitting caps. The idea that black powder will "absorb moisture from the air" is a myth for sure. It's left over cleaning solvents, oil, or soapy water that will kill the charge. Before loading my revolvers, I clean them again with denatured alcohol, and then give them at least a couple of hours to "dry out", or load them the next day.
If the pistol was loaded with lubed wads under the ball, it will contaminate the powder, but should not completely kill/deaden it. I have left revolvers loaded with wads under the ball for long periods of time, and it seemed to reduce the power by about 50%. Still fired though, but weak.
I'm sure that pouring melted bee's wax over the seated ball is very effective, but that sure is doing it the hard way. Try "lube pills" next time.
If the pistol was loaded with lubed wads under the ball, it will contaminate the powder, but should not completely kill/deaden it. I have left revolvers loaded with wads under the ball for long periods of time, and it seemed to reduce the power by about 50%. Still fired though, but weak.
I'm sure that pouring melted bee's wax over the seated ball is very effective, but that sure is doing it the hard way. Try "lube pills" next time.
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Joshua M. Smith
Member
I didn't think so, but I don't know nearly as much about BP as I do smokeless.
I thought it was at least possible since Bill Hickock used to fire off his Navies every night before cleaning and reloading to ensure reliability, but am 90% sure the stuff should last indefinitely given its makeup.
Ugly Sauce
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Perhaps more for the target practice, or practicing a quick draw?
Joshua M. Smith
Member
That's always what I suspected. Or hell, maybe it's a myth that came out of the 1800s that you had to shoot the load off every day or two that Hickock bought into. I flat don't know. It was an older guy who told me this, so maybe it's what his grandpappy told him
hawg
Member
I don't think it's recorded anywhere that he fired them every day. I can't find any recorded evidence that he did. There are instances of people being killed from loaded rifle barrels and artillery shells that have been buried since the war.
