“Dry ball”

[Wirehair]

It’s silly I’m not alone there dog

I'm a member of the dry ball club. I've used a ball puller or shot it out. What is your recommended method of removing said ball?

 

[French Colonial]

I am not sure why trickling powder in and shooting it out is dangerous or any different than, I don't know, shooting it out if you had not dry balled?????

 

[sturmkatze]

Everyone has done it. I’ve never shot the ball out — just use a ball puller and range rod. I DID buy a co2 thing, but haven’t used it

 

[FlinterNick]

I'm a member of the dry ball club. I've used a ball puller or shot it out. What is your recommended method of removing said ball?

Refer to my previous comments

 

[Wirehair]

Refer to my previous comments

I see you're no fan of a CO2 discharger. Are there reasons why this device is not appropriate and what alternative would you recommend?

 

[Ed C.]

Ok guys I got it out first time it pushed the ball half way up the barrel I was able to funnel some more powder in the hole and reseat the ball and blow it out was a lot less horrible than i anticipated whole process took maybe 20-25 min

Good thinking on reseating the ball.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I am not sure why trickling powder in and shooting it out is dangerous or any different than, I don't know, shooting it out if you had not dry balled?????

If you are the one that did the dry balling or loading, trickling powder under the nipple or through the touch hole is not dangerous. If the powder of a used gun that is loaded is unknown then it's time for the ball puller, CO2 discharger, grease gun or pull the breech plug. Might be a bit over cautious, but if the powder is smokeless, setting it off is dangerous.

 

[FlinterNick]

I see you're no fan of a CO2 discharger. Are there reasons why this device is not appropriate and what alternative would you recommend?

Well, it’s not that it can’t work to remove a stuck ball, it’s just not every circumstance that involves a stuck ball, jag or swab is the same. Use of powder, or a CO2 charger may be the right option may not but there is certainly always an easier more efficient way.

I recently had someone send me a barrel with two stuck balls, accidental double load, the problem was there was still powder in the barrel, so the best and right decision was to unbreach the gun, dump the powder and tap out the balls… CO2, prime in the touch hole… probably not a good idea.

I’ve had people send me barrels with not only a stuck ball but also a stuck ramrod.

Not every situation is going to call for the use of a CO2 charger or dumping a small amount of powder down the vent.

Dry balling accidentally and using CO2 charger, probably not dangerous to the person but I’ve seen people make mistakes with those, where they didn’t have the gun secured and the stock got damaged, I’ve seen sights get bent somehow and under lugs break off again, probably from not being secured.

The best and easiest options are 1. Ball puller, 2. Remove the breech plug, that’s what the plug is threaded for..

My dangerous comment was more sarcasm to those who say removing teh breech plug is dangerous, because it’s not dangerous to remove the plug, it’s asinine to say it is. People that say that simply just don’t know how to do it correctly, it’s no more dangerous than using powder to remove a dry ball or CO2 to blast out a ball… that was my point.

Learning how to remove a breech plug is really essential, it should be learned. I remember when i coudln’t do it, years ago and once i started being able to unbreech guns… it’s a useful thing to know.

 

[Flint1]

I learned about 30 years ago I can't run my mouth while loading or this would happen to me. On occasions when I wasn't sure if I had poured in powder I have tilted the barrel down to make sure. Each time I have always used a ball puller; bought one of those CO2 dischargers but never used it.