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Hottest/Best 209 Muzzy Primers and Pellets

themedic

Junior Member
755
0
OHIO
Last time I went into muzzy season with a tag and intentions of hunting I bought a stainless steel barrel for my H and R slugger. Once I received the barrel in the mail, I took it to my back porch and mounted a scope and tried to site it in. I had nothing but trouble getting it to fire. I went as far as going to Ohio Valley and buying all new Pyrodex Pellets and new 209 primers but still was only getting maybe 1 out of 5 fires.

This was 5 or 6 years ago and cant remember the full details of what I was using but I know I had TC Fusion Primers and Hodgons Triple 7 pellets. Any recommendations on something a little hotter or suggestions of getting a muzzy to fire EVERYTIME?

Does anyone have a H and R muzzleloader?

I always swab the barrel before and after every shot and the barrel was not full of oil...in case you were wondering

Thanks
Corey
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,738
274
North Carolina
Were the primers at least going off? If so I'd say the nipple was clogged or the powder was just bad..... Run a nipple pick thru it and use new powder..... I'd even try loose powder too see if it worked any better.....
 

themedic

Junior Member
755
0
OHIO
Were the primers at least going off? If so I'd say the nipple was clogged or the powder was just bad..... Run a nipple pick thru it and use new powder..... I'd even try loose powder too see if it worked any better.....

I remember taking the nipple out several times and cleaning it. It was clean and open. I thought about drilling it out a little bigger :)
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
Make sure the flash hole in the breech plug is clear. It's a little tiny hole and if it's filled with powder residue or rust it's not gonna work. You can also make sure it's unloaded, then double check that it's unloaded, and just fire a couple primers with nothing else to burn off any oil or anything inside the gun before you load it. Point it at the ground outside over a cleaning patch and it should leave a mark on the clean patch if the flash hole is clear and it's a good primer. That's all assuming your primer is firing but not setting off the powder charge. If your primers are not firing consistently either you got a bad batch of primers or your gun needs cleaned/repaired.

A buddy of mine had a similar problem last year. He hunted for hours, finally got a shot and just the primer went off. He blamed it on the pyrodex pellets, which is possible, but I think he had a dirty breech plug. I've fired hundreds of rounds through a few different muzzleloaders using pyrodex pellets along with "Thompson Center Fusion" 209 primers and have never had a FTF.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Make sure the flash hole in the breech plug is clear. It's a little tiny hole and if it's filled with powder residue or rust it's not gonna work. You can also make sure it's unloaded, then double check that it's unloaded, and just fire a couple primers with nothing else to burn off any oil or anything inside the gun before you load it. Point it at the ground outside over a cleaning patch and it should leave a mark on the clean patch if the flash hole is clear and it's a good primer. That's all assuming your primer is firing but not setting off the powder charge. If your primers are not firing consistently either you got a bad batch of primers or your gun needs cleaned/repaired.

A buddy of mine had a similar problem last year. He hunted for hours, finally got a shot and just the primer went off. He blamed it on the pyrodex pellets, which is possible, but I think he had a dirty breech plug. I've fired hundreds of rounds through a few different muzzleloaders using pyrodex pellets along with "Thompson Center Fusion" 209 primers and have never had a FTF.

What he said. And DO NOT drill the hole out! It can cause accuracy problems and possibly blow back. Perhaps just buy a new breech plug and see how that works.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Like everyone said make sure the breach plug hole is clear and no oil. Shoot off couple caps only to clear the hole and burn off the oil present.
And as said don't drill the hole any larger. If the caps go off everytime then the ML should fire 100% unless there is oil or bad powder. Maybe weak primers. Change out the caps and powder and I feel you problem will go away.
Are you using the #11 cap or shotgun primers? Shotgun primer ML's have solved a lot of problems.
Keep us posted.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
Make sure the flash hole in the breech plug is clear. It's a little tiny hole and if it's filled with powder residue or rust it's not gonna work. You can also make sure it's unloaded, then double check that it's unloaded, and just fire a couple primers with nothing else to burn off any oil or anything inside the gun before you load it. Point it at the ground outside over a cleaning patch and it should leave a mark on the clean patch if the flash hole is clear and it's a good primer. That's all assuming your primer is firing but not setting off the powder charge. If your primers are not firing consistently either you got a bad batch of primers or your gun needs cleaned/repaired.

A buddy of mine had a similar problem last year. He hunted for hours, finally got a shot and just the primer went off. He blamed it on the pyrodex pellets, which is possible, but I think he had a dirty breech plug. I've fired hundreds of rounds through a few different muzzleloaders using pyrodex pellets along with "Thompson Center Fusion" 209 primers and have never had a FTF.

Outstanding first post Joel - welcome to the site.

Boys, so you know....
When God goes to the range...he shoots loose powder.
Just sayin.

:smiley_coolpeace:
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Make sure the flash hole in the breech plug is clear. It's a little tiny hole and if it's filled with powder residue or rust it's not gonna work. You can also make sure it's unloaded, then double check that it's unloaded, and just fire a couple primers with nothing else to burn off any oil or anything inside the gun before you load it. Point it at the ground outside over a cleaning patch and it should leave a mark on the clean patch if the flash hole is clear and it's a good primer. That's all assuming your primer is firing but not setting off the powder charge. If your primers are not firing consistently either you got a bad batch of primers or your gun needs cleaned/repaired.

A buddy of mine had a similar problem last year. He hunted for hours, finally got a shot and just the primer went off. He blamed it on the pyrodex pellets, which is possible, but I think he had a dirty breech plug. I've fired hundreds of rounds through a few different muzzleloaders using pyrodex pellets along with "Thompson Center Fusion" 209 primers and have never had a FTF.

Fortunately, when it happened to me, I was not shooting at a deer but was unloading for the season. I was pissed and could only think "what if I sat all that time, finally get a shot, and nothing!"
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I second the loose powder. I never shot pellets and never will. Don't why but it always seems loose powder just had more loose exposed areas for the powder to ignite. But hell I don't know anything really only shooting ML for 40 yrs.
 

themedic

Junior Member
755
0
OHIO
Shot the muzzy yesterday, I used the same Pellets and Primers I used 5 years ago. I got two good shots out of it and the third was a dud/no fire. After two shots the breach plug must be clogged. I didn't have time to mess with so took the breach out and emptied the gun. Its clean now and ready for Muzzy season. I guess she shoots fine for a couple shots and then requires a good cleaning. Is that normal?
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
Shot the muzzy yesterday, I used the same Pellets and Primers I used 5 years ago. I got two good shots out of it and the third was a dud/no fire. After two shots the breach plug must be clogged. I didn't have time to mess with so took the breach out and emptied the gun. Its clean now and ready for Muzzy season. I guess she shoots fine for a couple shots and then requires a good cleaning. Is that normal?

I'd get new pellets and primers before muzzleloader season if it were me. If you got it sighted in get the same thing you were shooting, just a fresh batch. I'm sure they could last more than 5 years in ideal conditions but I'd be worried they got exposed to moisture at some point and I'd be paranoid about a failure to fire the whole time I was hunting. Most likely it's just the breech plug getting dirty, but could be a combo of dirty plug and less than perfect powder. Make sure you fire a couple primers only before you load it up for the season too. Primers are cheap and it does a good job of burning off any oil or whatever you might have in the barrel.