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Your reply reminded me of this. I got an Email from my brother today. In it is mentioned a story about a 19 yr old who used a lighter to look down the barrel of his .54 muzzleloader. He is no longer with us, sad to say.
 
Your reply reminded me of this. I got an Email from my brother today. In it is mentioned a story about a 19 yr old who used a lighter to look down the barrel of his .54 muzzleloader. He is no longer with us, sad to say.

Famous words to remenber by
Forrest Gump
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES
 
OK, I will put in a few words here. To prevent multiple chamber discharge from the front of the cylinder I believe the most important item is to have a ball diameter that is 0.001 to 0.002" over chamber bore size. Check each one, I have seen some variation chamber to chamber. When rammed into the cylinder either a lead ring is cut off or the ball is swaged into the chamber. That depends on whether the chambers are square faced or chamfered. Either one of them works. What you really don't want to find is a chamber that is tapered where it is looser at the bottom than it is at the face of the chamber. I think that only happens when the manufacturing equipment gets old and a little sloppy.
If the ball is not a tight enough fit the ball can slide forward under recoil and expose the powder to the fireball that has just been created. Then you are having multiple discharges.
I do believe that most multiple discharges that happen are from someone not using a cap that is a tight enough fit on the nipple. I have heard of too many people pinching caps for them to fit on the nipple. That is an invitation to disaster. Yes, when a cap comes off of a nipple it leaves a very small hole for a spark to get through but if you have enough sparks!!! BOOM!
I dug around and found a video you might find interesting;
 
OK, I will put in a few words here. To prevent multiple chamber discharge from the front of the cylinder I believe the most important item is to have a ball diameter that is 0.001 to 0.002" over chamber bore size. Check each one, I have seen some variation chamber to chamber. When rammed into the cylinder either a lead ring is cut off or the ball is swaged into the chamber. That depends on whether the chambers are square faced or chamfered. Either one of them works. What you really don't want to find is a chamber that is tapered where it is looser at the bottom than it is at the face of the chamber. I think that only happens when the manufacturing equipment gets old and a little sloppy.
If the ball is not a tight enough fit the ball can slide forward under recoil and expose the powder to the fireball that has just been created. Then you are having multiple discharges.
I do believe that most multiple discharges that happen are from someone not using a cap that is a tight enough fit on the nipple. I have heard of too many people pinching caps for them to fit on the nipple. That is an invitation to disaster. Yes, when a cap comes off of a nipple it leaves a very small hole for a spark to get through but if you have enough sparks!!! BOOM!
I dug around and found a video you might find interesting;


You all have fun i am done with this thread
 
Thank you Mr. 8 BORE, you input was greatly appreciated. But he is right unless we get back on subject this thread is about run its course.
 
So far I've had no one disagree with my thoughts on corn meal as a filler. So I suppose I could possibly be on the right track about it being a filler to place the ball closer to the forcing cone. I am curious about its origin though.
Yes, Eutycus, the corn meal is a filler to bring the ball closer to the forcing cone. I may have literature from the 1970's that recommended the use of corn meal or other fillers. Corn meal is a preferred filler since it is compressible sot you can keep the ball close to the end of the cylinder. I think a lot of experimentation was being done at that time to reduce the recoil adverse effects while maintaining an accurate shot placement. The accuracy was improved by using a filler to bring the ball closer to the forcing cone.
 
If you read the Geo-John articles he purposely induces chain-fires in his guns.
http://www.geojohn.org/BlackPowder/bps2Mobile.html

None of them destroy the gun.

His supposition is they come from the front of the chambers with powder being caught between the ball and chamber wall and not from caps falling off loaded chambers.

There is a lot of irrational fear of chain fires in the BP community. They don't turn the gun into a hand grenade or a stick of dynamite.
 
I can see how a chain fire wouldn't damage the gun if it were a chamber directly to either side of the top chamber. The balls would miss the frame. But doesn't the bottom chamber ever fire too? The ball would have to go somewhere and theres a frame directly in front of it. Does the bottom chamber ever fire during a chain fire?
 
I can see how a chain fire wouldn't damage the gun if it were a chamber directly to either side of the top chamber. The balls would miss the frame. But doesn't the bottom chamber ever fire too? The ball would have to go somewhere and theres a frame directly in front of it. Does the bottom chamber ever fire during a chain fire?
It can and does, it’s just that the ball doesn’t have time to gain much velocity in a 1/4” barrel.

WRT @drobs comment, the potential energy if all 6 chambers discharged at once is a drop in the bucket compared to even a 1/4 stick of dynamite. But even so, while the chambers discharge nearly simultaneously they do so each in their own chamber. They don’t threaten the integrity of the cylinder at all.
 
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I've never experienced a chain fire. Wouldnt the bullet/lead wedge in between the cylinder and frame and lock it up?
 
I've never experienced a chain fire. Wouldnt the bullet/lead wedge in between the cylinder and frame and lock it up?
It might but more often than not, the lead hits the concave face of the loading ram and expands sideways into a thin disk that is often blown apart into fragments by the violence of the impact. These fragments fly out of both sides of the gun and can hurt bystanders. That's why it is a good idea to keep people behind you when your shooting.
 
I HAD A NUMBER OF CHAIN FIRES THAT, WHILE THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO HURT THE PISTOL, THERE WAS A LOTOF HOT LEAD SPLATTER THAT GOT INTRODUCED INTO MY ARM.
.
IT'S BEEN YEARS NOW AND THE PISTOL IS LONG GONE. I DON'T REMEMBER HOW I STOPPED THEM.

DUTCH

It can and does, it’s just that the ball doesn’t have time to gain much velocity in a 1/4” barrel.

WRT @drobs comment, the potential energy if all 6 chambers discharged at once is a drop in the bucket compared to even a 1/4 stick of dynamite. But even so, while the chambers discharge nearly simultaneously they do so each in their own chamber. They don’t threaten the integrity of the cylinder at all.
 
With tight bullets and tight caps there is NO reason for chain fires in a revolver if you experience any make sure both are tight fitting you may want to add a bit of grease over the bullet ans cap for added safety
 
When I started this post it was about homemade wads. Has anyone out there figured out a practical use for the other punchs. The punch set that I bought from Harbor Freight came in a 9 piece package. There are only about 3 of them used in wad making. That leaves around 6 of them just sitting on the shelf. Too good to throw away, are they good for anything?
 
I just have the extras in the garage in the tool box. Sooner or later I'll find a use. Also, look at the sizes and then you have an excuse to search for another muzzleloader in those calibers. :)
 
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