Boom stick frustrations!

[Spirittrakker]

#4198

So today I thought “I don’t have any work scheduled so I think I’ll take my percussion Hawken out to the cabin and fire off a couple to check things out early before I start working in the woods for bow season hot and heavy”.

A short 30 minute drive out there, get everything out of the jeep and mosey off into the woods. I found a good spot, knelt down and loaded up “Ole Bess” and popped on a primer. Found my target, shouldered the rifle, and “pop”, no boom, just pop! Never a good thing. So I squeeze it tight to my shoulder for the smoldering to take hold and what? Not a thing!

A slow minute or so ticks by, I prime it, ready and squeeze the trigger,,,, “Pop”!!!

Oh well, I went back to the jeep, extracted the slug, dumped the Pyrodex, and came home. Now I’m gonna go out to the range and shoot my longbow like I should have this morning!!!!!

Everything we do contains a lesson. This one? Why drive across town to make noise when you can sneak through the woods and not make a sound right here in the back yard!

The trials and tribulations of the human race!

[Stephen Graf]

#28730

I can sum up your problem in one word, pyrodex.

The ignition temperature of pyrodex is 800 deg, whereas the ignition temperature of black powder is 400 deg. In addition, black powder is not nearly so corrosive to the gun and your measuring tools as pyrodex. It is also less hydroscopic.

The list of advantages to real black powder is long. It’s list of disadvantages is short. Namely hard to get. Black powder is classified as an explosive (because of it’s low flash temperature), and so dealers have to store it in a case instead of displaying it on a shelf. Call around and I am sure you will find it at a good dealer.

[Spirittrakker]

#29053

Yes, I’ve been told that by someone else. I called a friend when I got home and he basically said the same as you.

I’ve not had this trouble until now, but it certainly helps to have folks willing to share their experience with me.

I appreciate the info.

I truly prefer my longbow to any firearms for the simple reason of no misfires, or hangfires.

Thanks

[Ralph]

#29232

The biggest problem I have with my longbow is the misfit shootin it. 😆

[Spirittrakker]

#29254

Amazing coincidence!

My longbow seems to have the exact same issues, LOL!!!!!!!!

[William Warren]

#29355

I only own sidelocks and they can be difficult if you don’t take precaution concerning the nipple and flash hole area. After storage and before loading you must clean this area throughly and dry it by removing the nipple and running a pipe cleaner in the flash hole, then as everyone has read pop a few caps to dry it. The first time I load it after settling powder into the flash hole I remove the nipple to make sure there is powder under the nipple. If there is I don’t worry with it any further I just shoot. But I promise if you follow these steps no matter the powder type you will not have any misfires or hangfires. Now to keep this post legal, hope your longbow fired OK at every stump. 😀

[Spirittrakker]

#29382

Haha, yes, no misfires with the longbow. That’s not to say that I did not miss when I fired a few times. I will not tell a lie.

My “boom stick” as I’ve called it is a CVA reproduction left handed percussion Hawken. The model is Frontier. I bought it at a gun show a couple years back just because I always loved the old “mountain man” stories I’ve read for years.

I have a few others, but have not been very interested in several years. I do hunt the black powder season, and occasionally hunt the rifle season, but mainly hunt private lands with my bow these days. I belong to the NRA to support our freedoms and exercise my rights. Not than gun hunting is bad, just not among my interests as much as it once was.

Hope you all enjoy a cool breeze and a warm cup.

[Jeremy Holden]

#34501

We have a similiar mentality at the firehouse. If you grab the power saw grab the sledge or axe also, they always start! I too prefer my bows over the shotgun.

-Jeremy

[codger]

#34714

Well being a longbow shooting black powder shooter this is great information i havent shot my hawken for many years but have been geting the bug to take it out. i had a problem long ago with it not firing whenit was really foggy out? never did figure that out. sometimes it would hangfire and other didnt fire at all. on the other hand my longbow always fires just some times better than others but thats my fault.

[Etter1]

#35147

I re-started hunting with a flintlock last year after a very long gap, and loved it. Missed a small doe, and killed a nice buck with it. Loved seeing that deer bounding away through the cloud of grey!!

I had really missed it. It’s the “traditional archery of gun hunting”!

[Author]

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