“Ruined” My First Barrel

[64Springer]

This may get remedied by page 3.

 

[45man]

Very common problem, using a puller with a huge screw. I make mine with a very thin wood screw and have dry balled more times then I will admit because someone always interupts the loading process. I made a range rod with a very large cap on it and it is very long. Once the screw is in the ball I can slide my hand to the cap like a slide hammer and all have come out.
I have also just shot many out, you would be surprised how little powder is needed.

 

[2 shots]

use a track of the wolf ball puller , not the stubby straight typeand use with a good strong rod not your ramrod.. also t.o.t.w.

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

The issue will soon be resolved, thanks for all the replies.

 

[Flint Striker]

I've shot a .50 PRB somewhat accurately from a 28 inch barrel at 30 yards with only 10 grains of powder. I would imagine it only takes a few grains to get a stuck bullet out of a barrel.

I have cleared balls from a flintlock just by removing the vent liner and cramming in about ten grains of powder. Then carefully reassemble and fire normally. Last one I remember was a Lyman Deerstalker 24” barrel.

 

[cynthialee]

I have cleared balls from a flintlock just by removing the vent liner and cramming in about ten grains of powder. Then carefully reassemble and fire normally. Last one I remember was a Lyman Deerstalker 24” barrel.

this right here

 

[Bibs]

This may be a idea .I once pulled a ball from a 1862 58 caliber rifle not sure how long it had been down there I used a 1/2" piece of treaded rod welding a coarse screw on end. A big flat washer then a nut .Once screwed in ball I squirted oil down barrel and turned nut till ball came out. It did work sill have the gun

 

[M. De Land]

Hello,
I’m sure everyone has ruined a good barrel at some point, and today I (presumably) ruined mine on my favorite percussion pistol. Or at least got it stuck beyond my current means!
For starters, there’s a dry ball down near the breech that’s been expanding pretty heavily due to a failed attempt at using a ball puller. I then proceeded to try an air compressor threaded into the drum, which didn’t work even with some oil for compression.
Then I moved onto the grease gun method, threaded it into the drum and pumped. That seemed to move the ball about a 16th or so forward, but I guess my fittings were bad and grease kept flowing out through the nozzle and “zerk clamp”. I tried at it off and on for about an hour, adjusting the fittings as I went.
After no more progress, I decided to give the grease gun a rest. As I loosened the “clamp” to pull it off the zerk, the whole zerk pulled out of the gun breaking the threads of where the nipple goes. So now I’ve got a greasy stripped barrel with a tightly stuck ball.
Looking back I should’ve tried to put some powder behind the dry ball and shoot it out, but I was afraid to try it since I haven’t done that before. I’ll have to retire the pistol to the shelf of curiosities for the time being.
I imagine it would cost more than the gun is worth to get the barrel sorted out or to purchase a replacement in the unlikely scenario I come across one. Although I could try my hand at re-threading, but that may have to wait a bit while I practice.
Oh well, failure is the best teacher after all! Thank you for reading my misadventure!

If your sure there is no powder behind the ball than it can be melted out with no harm to your barrel. I have had to melt lots of stuck lead slugs from barrels I was bore lapping. The patch does insulate a bit but a propane hand torch should produce enough heat to melt lead through it. Lead melts at 621.5 F and this heat level will not harm the barrel steel or finish in my experience.
The reason is most barrel steel is annealed at temperatures from 900 F on the low side to 1200 F on the high side (depending on steel alloy) for rifling. The heat to melt pure lead balls or bullets does not approach the level of heat that can have any ruins effect on certified barrel steel.