Some Thoughts on Cookoffs

[Eggman]

I've been shooting muzzle loaders since 1972. I've never had a cookoff. In the last year or so two of my teamates have had cookoffs beside me. Why?
The only difference I see is while I use a wooden wiping rod with jag and wet patch between relays (a carryover from my round ball/flintlock days), my teamates use the ever popular bore brush attached to a metal rod. The bore brush does not soak up the debris at the bottom of the barrel, the place where sparks lirk. The wet patch does. Bore brush guys use a scraper to get this stuff off the bottom. I had a scraper for a while but there was never anything down there to scrape up. My thought is, bore brush guys (pretty much everybody), consider using jag and wet patch now and then.

[Jim Brady Knap's Battery]

After every relay I breech scrape and then brush both done with the butt up so the crud falls out instead of falling to the breech plug. It always seemed to me that patching would drive all the crud straight to the breech plug increasing the chance of a glowing mass being created and requiring more intensive cleaning at days end. When I am cleaning the piece at day's end I plug the nipple, dump in a couple fingers worth of water base cleaner, Black Solve, then hit it with the scraper followed by the brush then dump it out. After 3-4 cycles the liquid is coming out clean and I clean the vent and nipple and patch dry and oil. In my humble view this method seems to be washing and rinsing the crud out instead of repeatly pushing it to the breech with patches. I'm sure everybody has an opinion on their favorite method but I ain't changing.

Jim Brady
2249V
Knap's Battery

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

I too have been shooting muzzle-loaders since 1972 and have only had one cook-off which occurred not long after I first started skirmishing. I was still in the army at the time and I attribute my cook-off to the military patches I was using. These patches tend to fray very easily and can potentially leave fragments in the bore where, after the first shot, they become smoldering slow matches ready to ignite the next charge poured down the barrel. Other causes for cook-offs are certainly possible. The common denominator is something smoldering in the barrel after the first shot. I can't say that the use of a bore brush contributes to cook-offs but I agree entirely that a bore brush is not a very effective/efficient way to clean a muzzle-loader unless a scraper is also used. I only use a bore brush in my breech-loaders. Some people contend that the use of Crisco in the base of Minie bullets contributes to cook-offs but I tend to disagree with that. I've been using Crisco in the base of my bullets for as long as I can recall and it makes cleaning between relays completely unnecessary.
Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[ms3635v]

Cook-offs can sometimes occur if there is carbon in the breech that is hot, setting off the next powder charge. I have also heard that loose threads can cause this as well. I have had just one cook-off since 1979 and I found the cause of that cook-off to be a carbon build-up in the breech. I use a scraper to clean any carbon build-up from the breech and have not had any since that time.

[Maillemaker]

I use a breech scraper. Usually it scrapes off about a thimble full of material from the breech face. Sometimes it gets nothing.

Steve

[jonk]

Haven't had one (yet). On the subject of what to do in between relays:

- Smoothbore gets brushed, wet patched, dry patched.
- Sharps gets brushed (not applicable to cook offs)
- Musket gets wet patched. Never saw the point of brushing a musket. If the bullets are going down easily, there's not much build up in the bore. Heck, at the end of the day, I never use a brush. Never saw the need.

As to what does or does not come off on the fouling scraper, that's entirely a function of humidity. Some days a load comes out, some days next to nothing. Though a good point is raised by the idea that that build up is what causes cook offs. Might start scraping between relays on humid days.

On the subject of patch material, I am a fan of using 'whatever.' I have so many scrap T shirts, pairs of underwear, shirts, hankerchiefs, etc., that I don't anticipate EVER having to buy patches. (I do buy them for smokeless guns as the smaller jags sometimes punch through old tired fabric). Material thickness does impact patch size, but the only time I ever have issue there is, sometimes thinner material will pull off the jag in a really dirty smoothbore.

I don't really think that threads are going to cause any issue in the cook off question. Let's say a thread DOES come off as you swab between relays. Odds are excellent that it's going to exit the bore on firing the first round. If it doesn't, consider this... fire a patched round ball. While the patch might be burnt through from the flame if too thin or poorly lubed, do you ever see the patch catch on fire? No. The flame doesn't last long enough to burn anything, be it patch, paper, etc. Patches burn through from pressure cutting, not really burning. You're never going to catch a thread on fire. Just my opinion, I know a lot of you would disagree.

[John Bly]

I also have been shooting over 30 years without a cook-off. I might have one next skirmish but it won't hurt me much as I load correctly. I don't clean my musket between relays. After the shoot I scrape the breech plug and clean it well and put it away for the next skirmish. I brush my smoothbore sometimes between relays and then clean the same as the musket after the shoot.

I think most cook-offs are caused by carbon build-up in the breech. The breech plug must fit tightly against the rear of the bore with no exposed threads for carbon to collect in. I've got a used Zoli barrel here with a good bore and about 1/4" of threads in front of the breech plug. I don't know the history of the barrel but I would bet it was sold because it was a cook-off queen. I'll get it lined whenever I plan to use it. The breech plug face should be smooth with a minimum of pitting. I've used flannel patches and knit patches with no problems with either one.

[Eggman]

I too have been shooting muzzle-loaders since 1972 and have only had one cook-off which occurred not long after I first started skirmishing. I was still in the army at the time and I attribute my cook-off to the military patches I was using. These patches tend to fray very easily and can potentially leave fragments in the bore where, after the first shot, they become smoldering slow matches ready to ignite the next charge poured down the barrel. Other causes for cook-offs are certainly possible. The common denominator is something smoldering in the barrel after the first shot. I can't say that the use of a bore brush contributes to cook-offs but I agree entirely that a bore brush is not a very effective/efficient way to clean a muzzle-loader unless a scraper is also used. I only use a bore brush in my breech-loaders. Some people contend that the use of Crisco in the base of Minie bullets contributes to cook-offs but I tend to disagree with that. I've been using Crisco in the base of my bullets for as long as I can recall and it makes cleaning between relays completely unnecessary.
Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

I think you may have hit on a primary suspect here JIm. I've only used old t-shirts for cleaning patches the last thirty years - no stray threads here. Otherwise our team is well equiped with the army patches.

[jonk]

Whenever I get a new gun, I pull the plug and buff out any pits on the plug. I also check it at the end of every season or two.

However, while I think a pit can be a culprit, the real issue is still that the gun is holding fouling that can hold an ember. Whether that be from pits, exposed threads, a less-than-flat breech plug, whatever.

[Maillemaker]

I was turned on to buy these for cleaning patches:

http://www.vitalitymedical.com/kendall-versalon-nonwoven-all-purpose-sponge.html

I buy item 9022. 4-ply 2" square gauze. You get a package of 200 for $2.44.

They will pull lint if you drag them across a screw head or other sharp metal edge, but I've not seen any problems when using them down the bore.

Steve

[Eggman]

Several have asked, "How can you get enough cleaning patches for this business just from t-shirts?" Well the key is, after cleaning the guns throw the used patches out into the lawn; the rain will then wash them out and you can reuse them. The covey of quail back there has also used them for nesting material.

[jonk]

Several have asked, "How can you get enough cleaning patches for this business just from t-shirts?" Well the key is, after cleaning the guns throw the used patches out into the lawn; the rain will then wash them out and you can reuse them. The covey of quail back there has also used them for nesting material.
I like your style! But seriously, figure about 8 shoots a year, plus practice at my own range, I go through perhaps 2-3 shirts of patches per year. Given the rate I wear out undershirts, underpants, etc. etc., I'm actually building up a SURPLUS of old shirts!

[Larry Funk, 3148V]

Plug face scrape and brush after each event. Never had a cook-off in 38 years of Skirmishing(knock-on-wood).