HF Maynard ignition problem

[Top Notch]

I just bought a HF reproduction Maynard and am having a hard time getting it to fire. At first the main spring was so weak it would not pop a cap. I had a friend give me another spring and it made it a little better. Still have some miss fires sometime. Big issue is that the reg RSW 1081 caps will not ignite the charge. I happen to have a few of the old CCI 6 wing caps that work, do to being hotter. I am using new plastic cases for the round.
Any one have any ideas? I am kind of new to the N-SSA and carbines.


Thanks,
Scott

[RaiderANV]

Flash hole may be drilled slightly off center. Put white tape on back of a case and fire it to see where it's burnt in relation to the hole in case.

[jonk]

Another possibility- despite the generally excellent ignition of the Maynard- is that you happened on a nipple with a very small hole. I know that in the Smith and Sharps, I had to chase a No. 52 jobber bit into the nipple to open it up enough to get good ignition with the RWS caps. If the flashhole is centered, I'd try starting with a No. 60 bit and going one size at a time larger until you get reliable ignition. Worst case, it costs some drill bits (good to have anyhow) and a nipple or two.

[Top Notch]

Thanks! Sounds like some good ideas. I really like the gun and it does seem to hold a tight group.

[bobanderson]

Are the caps going off and the charge isn't?

I've found that you need a larger hole in arms with so many twists and turns before the flash reaches the charge. A friend gave me some shot out musket nipples for my first Sharps carbine, for instance.

Another thing to check is that the cap is going all the way down onto the nipple. If it's a snug fit, you could be robbing some of the strength of that mainspring.

[Mike McDaniel]

Flash hole may be drilled slightly off center.

About one-third of the brass tubes have off-center toucholes.

[John Holland]

There is always the possibility that you may have one of the very early H.F. Arms Maynard Carbines. One of the reasons, among others, those carbines were not originally given "Production Approval" in 1975 was because the flash hole did not line up with the center of the bore. The H.F. Maynard Carbine was only given "Production Approval" in 1976 after a number of problems were corrected and the arm was re-submitted to the SAC and the Board. The approved examples have the date of "1976" or later stamped on the frame. If any H.F. Maynard Carbine does not have the date 1976, or later, stamped on the frame it is required to have a SAC Individual Approval Card issued to it.

John Holland
Chairman, SAC

[Eggman]

It's the caps. Get some RWS musket caps. I recall (around '69 my first "Replica Arms" Navy revolver that would not fire at all using the old Itallian caps. I had to use the expensive Remingtons which always worked. Mind you here the flash only has to pass thru a nipple - no flash channel at all.
Am I wrong but aren't the flash holes in the Maynard nipples bigger? Sure look bigger.
John's post jumped in ahead of me so sounds like Pat was right on the money. I've had a few misfires with my original with brass cases but the cause was obviously obstructed touch holes from fouling or corrosion. So I wire probe each case now prior to reloading.

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello, Topnotch:

Larry Romano can solve any Maynard mechanical problem, including accurately determining IF the flash hole is not correctly centered. He can also repair it - to be very durable. I have been in his shop and observed him repairing some severly buggered ones. Some aspects of HOW he does this work he prefers not to share. They are ingenious!

Mr. John Bly is another respected Maynard wizard. He's close to Ft.S, too.

Suggest you call both for their wisdom.

Regards,
Kevin Tinny