Rain

[Sparkitoff]

On a hunt far from home that cost a lot of time and money I had a few very nice opportunities to take birds well within range - what would usually be a "gimme". However, my shotgun went "snap"! It was raining. I kept the barrels pointed down, so that was not the point of entry of H2O. The musket caps were tight on the pegs. So...it must be where the pegs are screwed into the breach - there's just no other access to the powder. I put some powder in the peg and lowered the hammer on a cap. It went off at the next attempt. Then I got a few more "snaps". I did bring another shotgun, a twin to the first one. It wasn't out in the rain as long but it seemed to work. Each has anti-seize on the threads of the pegs. I guess I should put something around the pegs where they touch the barrels. What do you recommend for that? It's pretty frustrating to loose opportunities after so much effort due to wet powder.

 

[64Springer]

Word of the day: Nipple.

If rain is directly hitting your Nipple, the water will put out any flame the cap generates.

The trick is covering the area with a water repellent rag.

But when you go to shoot and remove the rag, water can still put out that flame.

The hammer cup that covers the cap is only so effective.


PS: I've heard of people sealing their flintlock pans with wax. I suppose the same thing could be done at the cap/nipple/thread area.

 

[Okie Hog]

There are waterproofing devices for #11 caps but not musket caps.

The little rings waterproof the cap.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

balloon over the muzzle, worked in the jungle, but we didnt use balloons.

Not having a cap gun since the 70s, dosnt the cap keep the water out?
Being it rains here during the hunting season, I use crayon around the frizzen,
which seems a lot less water proof than a capper.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Did you clear the fire channels before capping?

I have noticed, when shooting off my porch in humid and rainy weather, whatever I'm firing produces gobs of sludge just waiting to be pushed out during the next loading.

Is it a split, 4 wing musket cap? That would be no where near as waterproof as a well fitting number 11 or non-winged musket cap. 4 big slits for moisture to get closer to the priming compound.

 

[SOLANCO]

A cows knee is thought of as a flintlock waterproofing device. No reason you could not use it on a caplock.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I'd stop using anti seize on the threads. Any migration of its carrier if oil based is going to spell fail.
In rain my locks go under my arm.

 

[Trigger]

Ground blinds is nice for the rain...

Wear Large poncho to and from. tuck the gun under it...

 

[Brokennock]

Ground blinds is nice for the rain...

Wear Large poncho to and from. tuck the gun under it...

Doesn't work real well for the bird hunting the o.p. is speaking of.

 

[SOLANCO]

On a hunt far from home that cost a lot of time and money I had a few very nice opportunities to take birds well within range - what would usually be a "gimme". However, my shotgun went "snap"! It was raining. I kept the barrels pointed down, so that was not the point of entry of H2O. The musket caps were tight on the pegs. So...it must be where the pegs are screwed into the breach - there's just no other access to the powder. I put some powder in the peg and lowered the hammer on a cap. It went off at the next attempt. Then I got a few more "snaps". I did bring another shotgun, a twin to the first one. It wasn't out in the rain as long but it seemed to work. Each has anti-seize on the threads of the pegs. I guess I should put something around the pegs where they touch the barrels. What do you recommend for that? It's pretty frustrating to loose opportunities after so much effort due to wet powder.

Never had much luck with upland birds in any kind of real rain. Never tried for waterfowl in steady rain. Did not seem a likely hunt.

 

[TDM]

You can dribble candle wax over the caps and nipples to water proof.

 

[Nav]

Some of my greatest duck killin’ days were in rain, sleet, and snow. Weather often moves birds.

 

[SOLANCO]

Some of my greatest duck killin’ days were in rain, sleet, and snow. Weather often moves birds.

My loss. Cold rainy day I would not do the 100 mile drive in the dark. Should have.

 

[TDM]

My loss. Cold rainy day I would not do the 100 mile drive in the dark. Should have.

My cold, rainy hunting days are over as well. Can’t believe some of the weather I used to hunt in when I think back.

 

[Britsmoothy]

If one could be bothered to make an animal and plant based grease for lube and gun preservative one can also smother it around a capped nipple ( not uncapped!) on rainy days .

Bizzarly though I never have had to! And I do still hunt on rainy days.
In this picture I was sheltering from a heavy down poor. I found a dry stick to check the nipple of moisture.

When called upon it fired. Look how wet the bird a Jess are! There is also a pigeon in the bag.

 

[Okie Hog]

Not having a cap gun since the 70s, dosnt the cap keep the water out?

Rain cost me a 180 point B@C buck. The muzzle was covered but the cap had a long hangfire.

 

[Sparkitoff]

The anti-seize is a cream consistency, non-petroleum with suspended metal particles. I've used it for years and never had an issue with it in dry weather. The musket caps are no slit or slotted, it is a solid top-hat that should have helped keep water out of the actual peg. The only place water is likely is where the pegs thread into the breach. I thought the anti-seize might help to an extent but alas it did not. I do not upland hunt in rain often, but this was a trip a long way from home and it was 70-degrees and hardly any wind - not the freezing rain scenario someone mentioned. I have real pure bear grease. I also have waxes. Both sound logical. Next time I will put a dab of bear grease around the base of the peg and over the whole capped peg as well. I'll also experiment with putting wax around the base of the peg either on my second gun or on another rainy day. There are times when I have too much invested to sit in the truck or camper and am willing to take a chance in the field, wet or not.

 

[Nav]

That copper anti-seize for spark plugs is magical stuff. I use it on the threads on my firearms that get hot and take carbon. It makes breaking down and cleaning suppressors a cinch. Learned it from the gunners mates in the armory.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Loctite 567 works wonders for sealing all things threads. I keep a can of it with me in the farm truck. Tapered threads, straight threads, water, petroleum, it does a great job. Soft and non setting.

 

[TrophyGuy]

The straight cut machine threads on a nipple are not water proof, unlike taper sealed pipe threads. That said, a petroleum carrier based anti seize compound should inhibit dripping non-pressurized water a bit. The carrier is a light grade emulsified grease. All my percussion caps have very small corrugating on the shank to add flexibility and add a bit of spring to hold the cap on the taped nipple. Each corrugating is a wicking channel to suck moisture to the priming compound or past it into the nipple. Tough job to seal all that up on all sides of a nipple. Maybe I’m dreaming, but I recall some brands of caps that have a membrane over the priming pellet.