Manual

Ignition

in a Muzzleloader

Considering that Black Powder ignites easily and burns almost instantaneously, it

would not seem that ignition could create problems for the muzzleloading enthusiast. Yet,

it was in the age of Black Powder that such terms as misfire, hangfire and flash in the pan

found their origins. The problem, of course, is that the muzzleloader requires a great deal

more care in its cleaning and handling than does a modern cartridge firearm (see sec-

tion on “Cleaning Your Muzzleloading Firearm.”)

The propellant Black Powder charge may not ignite if the nipple port is blocked by

fouling, if the charge is dampened by oil or water or if the powder and/or caps have been

allowed to deteriorate by improper storage (exposure to extreme temperature changes

and/or dampness). Maintain the high quality of your Thompson/Center muzzleloader by

meticulous cleaning. Make certain that the chamber, nipple port, pan and flashhole are

free from oil, water or powder fouling. An appropriate nipple pick is a handy tool for

cleaning nipple ports and flashholes. Thompson/Center cap lock rifles, shotguns and pis-

tols use a No.11 percussion cap or in some instances, a musket cap or #209 shotgun

primer and it is important that the caps or primers fit properly on their respective nip-

ples. Use only high quality caps or primers and make certain that the cap is pushed se-

curely onto the nipple, or the primer securely into the primer pocket of the breech plug.

Pyrodex, while cleaner burning, is somewhat harder to ignite than Black

Powder. If while shooting, you should experience a misfire, hold the firearm

downrange and treat the firearm as if it could go off at any minute - it might.

After waiting at least one minute, clean out the nipple port or flashhole using

your nipple pick. Replace the priming charge(flint lock) or percussion cap (or

primer) and try firing the rifle again. Continue to point the firearm downrange

while clearing ignition ports and repriming to prevent injury in the event of a

discharge. If, after several tries, the firearm still refuses to fire, then the

charge must be deactivated and pulled (See section on “Pulling a Charge”).

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE

FIREARM AND INJURY AND/OR DEATH TO THE SHOOTER OR BYSTANDERS AND

DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.