TC Northwest Explorer not firing?

[Scottystyle]

I have the same loader, was using #11 caps and about 20% wouldnt ignite.... Switched to #11 Magnums and all is good.  Another problem when I started out, was ramming the bullet down on the powderpellets to hard, this caused the superfine power to fill the air-gap or whatever its called. also, i will clean the nipple after every 2 or 3 shots.... And never store it uncleaned.

[Chinook73]

I have the same gun.  #11 CCI Mags., 100 gr.  of Pyrodex pellets.  Goes bang every time.  I do keep the hammer springs and the firing pin well oiled and free from debris.

[whitetailslyr]

I have the same ml also, i've heard only loose powder with the #11 caps. Triple 7 fffg with magnum caps works great in mine. Has anyone found any good loads for their NW Explorer? mine shoots a pretty tight group with 250g hornady sst with 100g 777 fffg. Don't think I would ever hunt with this round though, I've seen some bad reviews.

[Scottystyle]

I have the same ml also, i've heard only loose powder with the #11 caps. Triple 7 fffg with magnum caps works great in mine. Has anyone found any good loads for their NW Explorer? mine shoots a pretty tight group with 250g hornady sst with 100g 777 fffg. Don't think I would ever hunt with this round though, I've seen some bad reviews.

thats the exact load i use in mine, i can usually shoot groups of 5 ina 4in group at 100yds. I use the pellets as i get familiar with the gun, the switching to loose powder when those are usedup. I was getting my hornadys from sportsmans guide for $12 a box , dunno if they still have them.  Ive also tried maxi ball, and those would fly on me in all different directions , so i wont use them anymore

[MountainDevil54]

why all the pellet users  Most times you get way better accuracy since you can fine tune with loose powder and since you all are limited to #11 or musket caps, you'd have much more reliable ignition using loose.

[Scottystyle]

Im finishing up the 2 boxes of pellets i got with the gun.... Being new to muzzleloading, i didnt want to mess with loose powder.

[Kowsrule30]

I like the pellets better.....       

[Wash.hunter]

Went out shooting again and this time my friends muzzleloader only did not fire once but we discovered it was due to a bad cap. This time he extensivley cleaned everything before we went shooting, verified he is using the magnum caps, and cleaned the gun after every 3 or 4 shots, and fired a couple caps after cleaning. Gun worked as it should and even put up some decent groups on the target at 100 yards. He was using 100 grains of pyrodex pellets this time and hornady bullets, should make him feel a little more confident now that the gun will actually fire before going hunting! Lesson learned that blackpowder is very corrosive and you need to keep the gun clean for it to work properly. Lol

[Sabotloader]

Went out shooting again and this time my friends muzzleloader only did not fire once but we discovered it was due to a bad cap. This time he extensivley cleaned everything before we went shooting, verified he is using the magnum caps, and cleaned the gun after every 3 or 4 shots, and fired a couple caps after cleaning. Gun worked as it should and even put up some decent groups on the target at 100 yards. He was using 100 grains of pyrodex pellets this time and hornady bullets, should make him feel a little more confident now that the gun will actually fire before going hunting! Lesson learned that blackpowder is very corrosive and you need to keep the gun clean for it to work properly. Lol

Switch to T7 - not near as corrosive... And in a cap gun I would suggest T7-3f...

[bobcat]

Switch to T7 - not near as corrosive... And in a cap gun I would suggest T7-3f...

 

[MountainDevil54]

corrosive only comes into play when you don't feel like cleaning it.

Pyrodex pellets IMO are the best pellets to use. A lot more reliable and better consistency as well.

[bobcat]

I've never used pellets in in 27 years of hunting with muzzleloaders, and I don't think I ever will. I just don't see the advantage to them, and they are a lot more expensive than loose powder. The loose powder also ignites more reliably.

[MountainDevil54]

i agree 100% bobcat.  When it comes to pellet users though, pyrodex hands down is going to be the easiest/most reliable to ignite with #11 or musket since it has real black powder on one end of the bullets to make them light up.

[Sabotloader]

Wash.hunter

Just asking a question... when you put the Pryro pellets in... you are putting the dark black end in the barrel first and against the breech plug correct?

[Wash.hunter]

Wash.hunter

Just asking a question... when you put the Pryro pellets in... you are putting the dark black end in the barrel first and against the breech plug correct?

Yes, dark end in first. He seemed to have good luck with the gun firing today, we verified he was putting the pellets in with the "fire side" dark end in first toward the breech.