Ball puller drill

[deandeib]

Does anybody make/sell a fixture to attach to a rod that will drill a pilot hole in a stuck ball before turning the ball puller screw into it to pull it out? Seems that without removing some lead to make way for the screw, you could be making the ball even harder to pull. And with a pilot hole, I'd expect the screw to be a much more effective tool.

 

[FishDFly]

Never had the problem you describe. The lead in the ball flows up the ball puller as it is screwed in.

Down side to your idea, if you drill a hole all the way thru the ball by mistake doing what you want, you will not be able to shoot the ball out if you cannot pull the ball out. Ditto also using grease to push it out.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The Hawken Shop has the puller you are describing. I would make a collar to keep the drill and the puller centered in the bore.

Extension Jag Set - The Hawken Shop

 

[ZUG]

I make my own ball puller and use a drywall screw that is silvered brazed to a brass collier that can be threaded to a steel range rod. I drop the range rod into the bore then give it a tap and start screwing it into the projectile. Once it grabs the projectile I slowly start pulling the projectile out of the bore - works for me.

 

[flntlokr]

Make one of these: save yourself the agony. Thread the small end to match your nipple or liner thread. Use a compressor or bicycle pump.

 

[deandeib]

You guys are great. Thank you all.

Dean

 

[Red Owl]

I use one of the co2 dispensers. Not PC but easy.

 

[lou puleff]

Just blow it out with a co2

 

[Howard Pippin]

Does anybody make/sell a fixture to attach to a rod that will drill a pilot hole in a stuck ball before turning the ball puller screw into it to pull it out? Seems that without removing some lead to make way for the screw, you could be making the ball even harder to pull. And with a pilot hole, I'd expect the screw to be a much more effective tool.

By trying a dumb combination, I stuck a ball halfway down the barrel last summer in a 50 caliber traditions, and it was tight. Came home and took a 7/16 steel rod long enough to go clean to the end of the barrel, drilled a short 1/8 hole in the center of one end and a 3/16 in the other. Braised it 1/8 bit into that hole and a sheet rock screw into the other. Wrap the rod with electrical tape, went down the barrel drilled a hole by hand into the ball at least halfway. Turn the rod around, and using a pair of vise grips on the rod screwed it in until it just came through the ball. Placed a six-inch piece of inch pipe on the rod, attached a small pair of vise grips ahead of it, and three taps later I had the ball out. Made the rod long enough to work on my other guns too. It was a fairly easy operation to make the ball puller, and I hope I never have to use it again but I will. I wasn't aware that there was anything commercial made, but I wouldn't of waited for it anyway.
squint

 

[Grenadier1758]

Oh, I knew that I would need a ball puller sooner or later. Due to past experiences, I determined that the Hawken Shop drill and ball puller was just the combination I needed.

 

[EC121]

I have had good luck with the pullers sold by Track. They are tapered with deep threads and have a collar to center the screw. After wetting the bore, I screw it halfway in and pull. If it slips out, I can turn it deeper because of the taper. I know some folks use a wooden rod for ball pulling with good results and that their choice, but I am not brave enough to try it. I use a metal rod.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Does anybody make/sell a fixture to attach to a rod that will drill a pilot hole in a stuck ball before turning the ball puller screw into it to pull it out? Seems that without removing some lead to make way for the screw, you could be making the ball even harder to pull. And with a pilot hole, I'd expect the screw to be a much more effective tool.

If you have a good sharp taper skirted (some are more blunt) ball puller and apply a hard continuous pressure, it will work just fine. A poor ball puller with no hard downward pressure will only scratch the top of the ball. Another good point: Before screwing the ball puller in, pour in a dab of your favorite patch lube or some WD40.
Larry

 

[bisleyjohn]

Had no luck with CO2 so I made this.

Brass end threaded, grips on the bar, tapped out with a nammer

 

[ord sgt]

My friend accidently dropped a minie into the barrel of his unloaded Zuave. His first attempt to pull the minie resulted in failure. He worked the screw through the nose of the minie, all the way into the hollow base. Further attempts to remove the minie with any screw pullers failed. Next , an attempt to shoot the minie out of the barrel failed. Most of the needed pressure went through the hole in the nose of the minie. He cut some slivers of lead and was able to pack the hole with enough lead to seal the hole. Some powder was packed under the nipple and the resulting shot went into a towel on the floor of his basement. Towel was set ablaze but the minie was finally out of the barrel.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

One of my old friends and I were out shooting our blackpowder rifles down by the river. My friend loaded his Zouove Musket; and the minie ball got stuck half way down the bore...No problems, we were done shooting for the day.

I tried everything out in the field to get that ball seated, to no avail. I told him to stop by the hardware store on his way home and pick up a wooden dowel that fit the bore, and to drive the ball home and then shoot the gun and clean it.

Couple years later I was at his house, there behind a rocking chair was that ole Zouove rifle. Ball still stuck in the bore and the insides of the barrel completely rusted and corroded. It made me sick that such a fine rifle had been ruined by ignorance and neglect...Dang.

 

[ZUG]

Order of operations : 1 - get some powder in behind the projectile and shoot it out, 2 - If that don't work and you have a CO2 discharger then you try it which "should" do the trick if not then go to #3- the screw ball puller.
I carry all three items just in case

 

[pwbsmokey]

Use a ball puller from Track of the Wolf. It tapers to a fine point, unlike the one from T/C and some others that don't have much taper and end in a more rounded, blunt point

 

[renegadehunter]

I've also never had an issue with the ball expanding and holding tighter after running a puller into it. I have one with a tapered screw and bore centering brass ring above the screw. I often pull a ball out with it after hunting when I have reason to want to freshen the charge, I just pull it so I don't have to fire it and do a full cleaning. When the ball comes out it is as FishDFly said, the excess lead displaced from the screw going into it has been pushed up and is no issue.