NEW CVA Accura V2 - Intermittent success w/ Percussion caps

[brianmtsinc]

I went for my final shooting today before my WR Muzzy hunt - just to make sure I'm all set.  It's a good thing I did because my first first shot...well, didnt go off.   

I pulled the hammer back a second time, and it fired just fine.  Shots 2-4 all went well.  But then, unfortunately, several more episodes of the caps not firing.   

So, what could it be?  I stopped on the way home and bought some more caps (German Vorderlader No. 1081)  These are the same type I had been shooting (shot over 35 shots my first day without a single fail to fire)  and all the store had.  I brought it home and shoot 5 caps all were good to go so I thought, problem fixed!     ... Decided to go back out and try a couple more, and attempt # 6 - no fire!   

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Keep in mind - I am not a muzzy guy, nor a rifle guy.  The was the first gun I ever cleaned, so maybe I did something wrong the first time I cleaned it??   

My hunt starts Saturday, but I head for camp on Wed, so I am basically out of time.  Hoping someone has a quick easy answer. 

Thanks in advance! 
Brian C.

[medic6]

Does the hammer slap the cap ( entire cap) or punch the cap ( single point of contact). Cva muzzle loaders that punch the cap have been an issue for them for a couple of years.

[brianmtsinc]

To be honest, I am not sure.  I had one that did not fire that I pulled off the nipple, that had like a "half arc" across the top of the cap ??

I just spent 1.5 hours cleaning it.  Should I go try another dozen caps or will that just cost me more cleaning time? 

[carpsniperg2]

The first ones that came out had a bad batch of hammer springs. It has been posted on the net on other sites, maybe even this one? They have since upped the power of the spring and the new guns hitting now, should have the problem fixed. You might give cva a call and maybe they will send you a new spring?

[trophyhunt]

that would make sense to me, I've never had a misfire on my muzzy.  The cap should go off every time shouldn't it? Even if it's dirty??

[brianmtsinc]

Here is a pic.   I tried it one more time and it did not fire.    The one on the left, was the misfire.  The one on the right, new. 

Maybe this will help ??   

This gun was just purchased about 2 months ago - brand new.

[trophyhunt]

We can use my gun Brian if you don't get this figured out, no problem.  I just don't want you to stress out too much, it will be a good hunt either way!

[h2ofowlr]

I had the same issue last week.  I purchased some new ones and it solved the problem.  I think my older ones must have attracted moisture or something.  A good sign is if it is not popping once fired, given you have good contact with the nipple and the cap is being striked.

[h2ofowlr]

Brian,

Flip the cap over and take a picture of the inside.  If it is not black in color from firing, I would look at some new caps.

[carpsniperg2]

Looks like it's hitting it pretty hard You might still call cva. A lot of the guns got bought up by cabelas/sportsmans etc. Even though you got it 2 months ago. It might be one of the older rifles that had the issues when it left the factory.

[trophyhunt]

He bought brand new caps today on the way home, I don't think it's the caps.   

[brianmtsinc]

Inside, both of the caps are green.  It did not fire. 

But like Carp said, it looks like it is striking pretty hard.   

[trophyhunt]

You call them yet?

[brianmtsinc]

I called Muzzle loader .com and CVA.  Both very friendly.  Unfortunately both were stumped as to what the problem is. 

CVA recommended that I loosen the breech plug and only lightly finger tighten it and try again.  Which I did.  5 perfect fires and I thought, problem fixed.  He suggest I shoot a few more so, number 6 - good to go!  ... number 7 - NO FIRE    number 8 - NO FIRE 

He suggests that I clean the firing pin again and repeat the above thinking maybe it is blow back    ... and that if I can at least be confident that I can get 5-6 shots before it fouls, I can go hunting with it      Not exactly the answer I was hoping for but I guess I understand the confusion since the firing pin is striking the cap properly   

NOT what I need to be dealing with 3 days before I am scheduled to leave....   

[Sabotloader]

Here is a pic.   I tried it one more time and it did not fire.    The one on the left, was the misfire.  The one on the right, new. 

Maybe this will help ??   

This gun was just purchased about 2 months ago - brand new.

OK - I am going to throw this out there for what it might be worth....

1. if you were shooting #11 caps I would bet the farm you would not have any problems with ignition!

2. Why.... a cap is not like a primer - punching the middle of the cap will not cause ignition - all you are doing is pushing the ignition material in the primer stack on the nipple.  Looking at your examples - I think it is obvious that you hitting the caps very hard causing the almost perfect depression in the middle of the cap.  The get a cap to fire you must jamb the ignition material in the cap into a hard object like the rim of the cap.  The compression then starts ignition...  If the DIAMETER of your firing pin were a little larger than the diameter of the cap you would certainly get ignition.

Knight often has/had the same problem and to solve the problem they are making and shipping a Musket nipple with an offset stack so the hammer/firing pin drives the edge of the cap into the leading edge/top of the nipple stack.

Again will a #11 you would not have this problem because the hammer covers the diameter of the cap.

Here are a couple of pictures to show the offset stack..





Hope some of this makes some sense...