.54 CVA Mountain rifle

i got a new lock for my rifle last spring and finally got a chance to try it out. Now my caps (CCI no.11) Fire reliably, but in order to get the gun to fire, every time, I had to pull the nipple and prime it w/black powder in the bolster. Didn’t used to have that issue unless my powder got wet ( or I dry balled it ) but now it’s every time I load, weather I slap the snot out of the breech or not. Dare I open up the end of the bolster hole where the charge sits with a file or larger drill? I have the style bolster that has a 3/8” hex head for a wrench.

Do you have the hammer on half cock when loading? Having the hammer resting against the nipple when loading can give you unreliable ignition. Keeping it off the nipple forces air through it and keeps it clear for the next shot.

What powder are you using? Real black powder is less prone to hang fires.
A different nipple may help, like a Hot Shot.
And maybe you need to enlarge the hole, but I would look at the other things first.

I think the lock change is incidental to the failure to fire issue. If the caps are popping. Then, as others noted, something else is going on. It would seem there may be something partially obstructing the channel in the patent style breach. Maybe pulling the barrel and the nipple and pumping hot water with a little dawn through the breach area with a tight patch on the cleaning rod will get rid of the issue. (Normal cleaning procedures)

Good luck.

I agree with Kansa. That would be the simplest and best starting point.

Yea, you probably have some crud built up in the flame channel. A simple cleaning with hot water and a little dab of dish soap as others have suggested should do the trick. Just make sure the cleaning patch is a tight fit while plunging.

Cleaning may be the solution, and yeah, modifying the bolster is a last resort. These issues started with a clean gun. The only thing I did different than I generally did, was this time I did not remove the bolster when cleaning. All other times I did. Maybe I knocked some funk in the flame channel. I’m using 2f black powder, picked the nipple before every cap went off, and only pulled the nipple when the first cap failed to ignite the charge. Someone told me CCI caps are weaker these days, I don’t know, but it was a new tin of caps I was useing. Someone on this forum said they modified their cva bolster, and so I mentioned it as a possible improvement, not as a solution to this issue. I did not remove the bolster while cleaning, because another thread here suggested not to. Guess I found out what happens when I don’t. My clean out screw is frozen in there and I can’t remove it, so I been removing my bolster instead. I guess I’m mostly curious if CCI caps are weaker like I’d heard.

You really shouldn't need to remove your bolster to clean your rifle. Remove the nipple to get the most water through the flash channel. You probably left too much oil in the breech and stored the rifle muzzle up and the oils did not drain out and dried to a gum like texture. Removing the bolster on a CVA or Traditions will void the warranty. I don't remove the drum and bolster on my guns with a drum.

What is the manufacturer of your rifle?

I was having a similar problem a couple years ago with my CVA Hawken, after changing out the nipple with a Hot Shot nipple I haven't had any more problems.

Have one myself and shoot with three people who also have one .
The peculiar fire channel on a mountain rifle is the culprit and takes some managing.

After you clean your gun look down the barrel to see of the sub-chamber is clean using a small flash light. Run a pipecleaner or a small nylon brush through the bolster clean out.

Before you shoot use 3 or 4 caps to blow the firechannel clean of oil .When shooting after about 30 shots clean the firechannel or at least snap a cap or two to check. My Pal L. actually uses a clean out screw with a hex head on his mountain rifle more reliable than the strait screw slotted one so he has quick and easy access . He also took an extremely long drill bit and reamed the subchamber from the muzzle end enlarging it being careful not to touch the rifling .

Try 3 f powder it flows better into the subchamber when loading and always smack the breech area to get the powder to settle .
They are good shooters but the breechsystem while safe and efficient from a manufacturing standpoint were and are always a pain from the shooters standpoint .
Mine came to me with a trashed lock ( the tumbler had been filed with a mystery notch) and a weak spring .It wouldn't set off caps and I ended up replacing it with the sturdier RPL lock but the barrel was excellent and otherwise pristine.

I would add do whatever you need to do to replace or fix your clean out screw . Frozen in place wont help you a bit . You need access through the drum to keep your gun running.

Ah, yes, I had the problem when a small piece of cap slightly clogged the passage. Paper clip solved the problem, but changed the nipple, never has happened again.