I suppose I could do that as well but I saw removal of the barrel from the stock as easier. Though it is quite firmly wedged into the stock on my model haha.
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Newbie Looking for Advice on Failed Ignition of Main Charge
- Thread starter Newbert
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I cannot find the forum rules that prohibit discussion of this topic. I don't mean to dispute the rule. I just can't find it. The Terms and Conditions seem reasonable, but could apply to membership in any website. No topical prohibitions. We must have them somewhere. I see political content here which is noteworthy. Some forums outright ban it. Please direct me to the rules.
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Since you didn't clean the initial storage grease from your new gun, it comes as no surprise to me that your new rifle can't be fired.
The ball must be pulled. Or dispensed with compressed gas such as a CO2 discharger. Or, clean as much of the packing grease from the touch hole and fill the void with powder. Fire at a range as the powder you loaded may go off. Not a pleasant experience to have in your home. You will end up with a very fouled bore that must be cleaned to remove fouling and storage grease.
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Kinda splitting hairs, ya think. When in doubt...don't is my motto.
It's because of my poor quality powder and poorly seated ball I think.
Well, today I built a nice frame to hole the barrel and safely discharge the ball, I loaded the back with as much 4fg I could and reinstalled the touch hole liner, inserted a fuse into it, put on my hearing and got a bucket of water and fire extinguisher and lit it.
Nothing, Kaput. I waited 10 mins, cleaned it out, put more powder in, another fuse. Nothing!
I'm real stumped. I guess I will try the puller. I am tempted to remove the breech plug but I keep seeing other threads saying its a mistake to try
Nothing, Kaput. I waited 10 mins, cleaned it out, put more powder in, another fuse. Nothing!
I'm real stumped. I guess I will try the puller. I am tempted to remove the breech plug but I keep seeing other threads saying its a mistake to try
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By nothing do you mean no reaction at all?
I’d keep trying.
Try again but first make sure the ball hasn’t moved, put in more powder, then put the fuse in till it is in contact with the powder, [or put the fuse in and then push powder in around it] cut it off so that you can screw the liner back in with the fuse inside it, having done this the end of the fuse should be just inside the liner vent, cut another piece of fuse and push it in so that it contacts the previous bit of fuse, light and hope.
No, it's the grease. Poor powder and badly seated ball may contribute, but first you need to get the powder lit. Leaving the vent liner out allowed too much of the burning powder to blow out the vent and left the main charge alone. Do as @Colonial Boy suggests or get a zerk grease fitting to screw in place of the touch hole liner and use a grease gun to use grease to push all your storage grease, bad powder and poorly seated ball out. Now you will need to clean all that grease out. Not as bad a mess as it sounds.
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Sounds likely grease in the barrel....Any new gun...totally take down and thoroughly clean....But.....keep in mind....it is possible to leave enough oil/whatever, residue in the breech to prevent ignition. Before shooting, thoroughly swab the barrel.
Every muzzleloader will dry load eventually...usually sooner than later. A ball puller is vital...as is a good solid range rod...I have a nice brass t handle that threads in my ram rod also...it is very handy. Best thing about the T handle is it is easy to find something (last resort I have stood on it) for enough pull. Doesnt hurt to give it an extra shot of whatever ya got...windex, WD40, etc. to help lube it on its way. Make sure your ball puller is sized for your bore. IF yours doesnt have the spacer, it is very likely for you to thread it between the ball and the barrrel, and that dont work good. All ball pullers are not created equal..be sure what you order has a good pointy screw on the end Thompson Centers are decent.
All ML is a bit of a learning curve...flintlocks just a bit more.
Every muzzleloader will dry load eventually...usually sooner than later. A ball puller is vital...as is a good solid range rod...I have a nice brass t handle that threads in my ram rod also...it is very handy. Best thing about the T handle is it is easy to find something (last resort I have stood on it) for enough pull. Doesnt hurt to give it an extra shot of whatever ya got...windex, WD40, etc. to help lube it on its way. Make sure your ball puller is sized for your bore. IF yours doesnt have the spacer, it is very likely for you to thread it between the ball and the barrrel, and that dont work good. All ball pullers are not created equal..be sure what you order has a good pointy screw on the end Thompson Centers are decent.
All ML is a bit of a learning curve...flintlocks just a bit more.
Yeah greasy gummed up, bad powder residue, its a mess in there now.
I thought the zerk fittings only screwed into cap nipples, I dont own a grease gun but I will look into a neighbor having any maybe...
At this point I think my best bet is to try the ball puller. I have read some good advice involving attaching the bit to a metal cleaning rod which I do have and then putting the barrel in a vise and using a soft material hammer to knock the handle of the rod to prevent tearing the core out of the ball.
Another sad fact to just hear. Canada this year banned the sale of BP without a full gun license. That is unfortunate since I dont have one, I love history and I think flints are really cool but tbh if im gonna go get that paperwork filed away I might have just gone for the cap version haha...
Pulling a ball isn’t that bad. MyTraditions gets stubborn when I run to wet of a cleaning patch. Run your ball puller in and a little soap and water down the barrel to aid in extraction. I choke the wrist with a ratchet strap and lay it on my gun case in the bed of my truck bed and pull it out.
Welcome to the Forum!
Be sure to lube/ soap/ oil the barrel good prior too screwing in the ball puller..
It will help the ball too slide back out..
We use a tee handle on a range rod tied to a overhead limb or rafter…Pull straight down on the gun and the stuck ball will come out..
If at home, I like using my air compressor..
The grease fittings can be threaded for their intended use. Be sure to take your vent liner to the auto parts store so they can determine the correct thread pitch for the grease (zerk) fitting.
You should also have a proper ball puller with a collar to keep the threaded tip centered on the ball. These from Track of the Wolf are good. Get the correct thread pitch for your metal working rod. Look through the page below for the 50 caliber ball puller. It may be less stress on the barrel to put the rod in the vise and pull the barrel.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/839/1
longcruise
70 Cal.
I have seen this too.
Probably a good idea but if it doesn't work, any powder that was not contaminated Probably is now. So that and the possibility of a hole through the ball precludes shooting it out. A hole through the ball might prevent the grease gun method as well as pressure from a co2 discharge or air compressor.Be sure to lube/ soap/ oil the barrel good prior too screwing in the ball puller..
It will help the ball too slide back out..
Some of these methods can make the problem worse to the point where breech plug removal is the only solution. I'm not a flint shooter but having seen how some vents are installed it's probably possible to dryball with the ball blocking the vent. That leaves ball puller or plug removal.
Since I'm (not yet) a flint shooter I'm broadly disqualified from commenting and I could be way off.
I have an air compressor at home that I used for working on cars for years. One of the tools is an end that has a cone shaped rubber tip. I put that tip in the touch hole and pull the trigger on the tool to shoot a quick burst of compressed air anywhere between about 80 and 100psi down the barrel and it shoots it right out. So be sure to point in a safe direction.
If you don't have an air compressor, or a friend that has one, buy one of those hand held unloader tools that uses a CO2 cartridge to do the same thing. Those work fine and I keep one in my shooting box should I need an immediate solution while away from home.
You can find them in lots of places and also on line. Heck I think even Walmart has them. Anyhow, here's a link to one of them at Log Cabin:
Log Cabin - Co2 discharger/unloader
At Walmart, they are sold as bicycle tire inflators.
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Luckily, I've only had to pull one ball. I've watched many do it, usually new to the hobby without proper tools, and it rarely went well.
How many have posted here about disasters while trying to pull a ball??
I think there are easier ways to fix this particular issue, like unscrewing the vent liner.
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