The first thing you need to know is that gun going to fire when it is kill time??? ...So here is what you NEED to do!! fire 10 musket caps in a row see if it will fire ten in a row !!obviously unloaded...musket cap only no powder charge or bullet... if you can not get to the bottom of the issue ...FYI mine fired 6 out of 10 not acceptable!!!...after talking with CVA they mentioned their breech plug/nipple was soft.. they sent me a prototype and two new breech plugs ...they still did not function to the reliability I have been a custom to with knight bighorn.....long story short I really like the NW accura nitride muzzy...So I had a machinist fab a reliable breech plug and it has not failed since...