Chain firing... Anyone here had it happen?

[Suntiger]

I am using. . 375 balls and lubed wads...haven't had a problem... Just wondered if it's a real concern

[DoubleDeuce1]

I had it happen with my Walker. That was many years ago, and my own fault. I didn't get hurt, but I learned a thing or two about loading it properly... especially getting the caps on for a snug fit.    It took place during a night shoot. It was truly spectacular and a thing of beauty to behold...    It happened to me and one other individual who wanted to shoot it. I have never had any since then. 

[Captainkirk]

My buddy had it happen...twice...with a Lyman Navy someone had "bubba-fied". I was a wonder to behold from where I stood but scared the living shit outta him...

[99whip]

I haven't been shooting cap and ball for very long and have had no issues.  I think good fitting caps and a shaved ring of lead really minimize the chances of it occurring. 

[Hawg]

Had a lot of them with my first revolver back in 69. It's the only one I've ever had any with but it will still do it if I don't use either wads or over ball lube. Cap fit doesn't matter. I can leave them all off save the one I fire and it won't chain. A chain fire isn't particularly dangerous as the only ball with any force behind it is the one that goes down the bore, The rest just go a few yards and drop.

[wicket]

I had it happen once, when I thought it would be a good idea to press some "bullets" out of powder and load them into a navy Colt to shoot off for the 4th of July,  not one of my better ideas!

[Fingers McGee]

Other than when a teenager & was using tin foil wads for bullets, Only happened once when I capped the wrong chamber.

[Electric Miner]

I had it happen once, when I thought it would be a good idea to press some "bullets" out of powder and load them into a navy Colt to shoot off for the 4th of July,  not one of my better ideas!

Wow...

Just...wow...

[Suntiger]

So if I use the right size ball , get that ring on loading  and have the caps down tight ... It shouldn't be an issue

[Hawg]

So if I use the right size ball , get that ring on loading  and have the caps down tight ... It shouldn't be an issue

It "shouldn't" be a problem. It has been theorized and it makes sense that particles of powder can get trapped between the ball and chamber wall and leave a trail right into the charge. It's a good idea to use lubed wads or over ball lube JIC. Plus the lube helps keep fouling soft. 

[omarkw]

had 1 chamber chain fire in a 60 army, no big deal. sounded like a 2 shot burst from a machine gun.      mark

[AntiqueSledMan]

Suntiger,

There is an article written about how they occur, http://www.geojohn.org/BlackPowder/bps1.html (a whole series of good reads).

I also read on a forum where a guy had a brass framed Colt, with the Ring on the front of the frame all hammered up from the cylinder slamming into it, caused number 2, 3 & 4 chambers to go off when he fired it. He showed pictures where you could see the capped nipples hit the frame because the Ring no longer supported the cylinder. He then removed the Ring, soldered in a washer of some sort (which I thought looked like a good fix) then decided to scrap out the revolver. This was caused by overloading the brass frame revolver.

I think the article by John Fuhring makes a good argument for combustible cartridges.