Charge not going off, help

[tallpine]

Pretty much any oil will work for a few days, also letting it soak will make pulling it easier. The first thing a fellow needs to learn about muzzleloaders is how to clear the barrel, I promise you this will not be the last time you find yourself in this situation.

 

[JohannesKepler]

You can make yourself a ball puller with a #8 or #10 machine bolt, cutting it off, and welding or brazing screw on the other side.

Plan B would be to pull the plug and push it out.

Don't have the means to weld or anything unfortunately, don't really have a shop. I think I'm stuck till it gets here. I just really hope it won't be too long with all the fouling in there.

 

[JohannesKepler]

Pretty much any oil will work for a few days, also letting it soak will make pulling it easier. The first thing a fellow needs to learn about muzzleloaders is how to clear the barrel, I promise you this will not be the last time you find yourself in this situation.

Ok yeah I'll swab put the bore and dry it as good I can when I get home then coat it in Ballistol. Shouldn't be too long till it gets here, early next week at worst.so hopefully all will be ok. Then I'll just clean it out real good once I get the ball out.

 

[tallpine]

If you can find someone with a compressor you can easily blow that ball out. Just lube it up good and be careful where you point it. That how I unload my smoothbore when I don't want to shoot it.

 

[Grenadier1758]

No need to make a ball puller. Hustle on down to the local hardware store either a big box or small independent store.

Ask for a #8 or #10 hangar bolt. Its half machine threads and the other half coarse threads.

This is a link to Lowe's:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-8-x-1-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Hanger-Bolt-8-Count/3010297
This one has 8-32 machine threads.

 

[JohannesKepler]

No need to make a ball puller. Hustle on down to the local hardware store either a big box or small independent store.

Ask for a #8 or #10 hangar bolt. Its half machine threads and the other half coarse threads.

This is a link to Lowe's:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-8-x-1-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Hanger-Bolt-8-Count/3010297
This one has 8-32 machine threads.

Oh yeah, that would definitely work... Only the female-female adapter for my ram rod that allows a male thread... Is in the order with the ball puller. Kicking myself repeatedly right now lmao.

 

[tallpine]

That's a great idea Grenadier, That will work better than a ball puller.

 

[SDSmlf]

No need to make a ball puller. Hustle on down to the local hardware store either a big box or small independent store.

Ask for a #8 or #10 hangar bolt. Its half machine threads and the other half coarse threads.

This is a link to Lowe's:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-8-x-1-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Hanger-Bolt-8-Count/3010297
This one has 8-32 machine threads.

Used to use these bolts/screws to install toilets. Handy for a lot of applications.

 

[Gonetocamp]

When you have a ball puller, and if your range rod has a T handle, place the T between two close together trees and pull the rifle off of the rod and ball.

 

[Carbon 6]

Never pour oil down the barrel if you have a charge that won't go off.
If the charge was sullied by water pour pure ethanol or methanol down the barrel To remove the moisturize, then shoot it out. If it runs out the flash hole your good to go, just don't set yourself on fire. Let is flash off first.

 

[JohannesKepler]

Never pour oil down the barrel if you have a charge that won't go off.
If the charge was sullied by water pour pure ethanol or methanol down the barrel To remove the moisturize, then shoot it out. If it runs out the flash hole your good to go, just don't set yourself on fire. Let is flash off first.

What's wrong with putting oil down the barrel with a charge?

 

[Carbon 6]

What's wrong with putting oil down the barrel with a charge?

Because then you ruin your chance of getting it to fire if you sully the charge with oil. Even a dry balled gun can usually be fired with a little patience. Even if i have a ball puller I still don't try to sully the charge, I've had ball screws pull out before. I like to keep all options on the table.

 

[smo]

Are you sure the ball is completely seated? If not I would not try shooting it out...

 

[JohannesKepler]

Are you sure the ball is completely seated? If not I would not try shooting it out...

Yeah it's fully seated on the powder

 

[smo]

I would definitely try poking a little powder thru the touch hole and shooting it out...

Pulling a ball can be a PITA, if it strips threadeds out then your really in a fix....

There's a post somewhere on here where on here where Spence talks about firing a gun with a wet powder charge...

 

[Sidney Smith]

Because then you ruin your chance of getting it to fire if you sully the charge with oil. Even a dry balled gun can usually be fired with a little patience. Even if i have a ball puller I still don't try to sully the charge, I've had ball screws pull out before. I like to keep all options on the table.

Carbon 6, I suggest you read the entire thread. He said he used some water, presumably via a soaked patch to assist in getting the ball to seat. This more than likely soaked his powder.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Help a newbie out. Got a bit too much fouling and before realizing it was too late, ball was on the barrel. It was tough to get down, but I did get it seated, I used a small amount of water to help. Now the charge won't go off, just flash in the pan. Is the main charge water logged? Is there another issue. And if so do I wait for it to dry before pulling out the ball and cleaning it?

There are patch lubes that will prevent your present problem. You can shoot all day without swabbing the bore. A mixture of ballistol and water does a darn good job of preventing this problem. Never ever put oil, or any product containing petroleum in your bore.

 

[JohannesKepler]

There are patch lubes that will prevent your present problem. You can shoot all day without swabbing the bore. A mixture of ballistol and water does a darn good job of preventing this problem. Never ever put oil, or any product containing petroleum in your bore.

I'll definitely keep that in mind next time, don't want to ever go through this again lmao. For now though I've gotta see about getting this ball out

 

[Crow-Feather]

I'll definitely keep that in mind next time, don't want to ever go through this again lmao. For now though I've gotta see about getting this ball out

What I might try is flushing the bore behind the ball out with a pick and syringe. Let the bore dry or use a heat gun (never a torch). Just to be safe, use the heat, (if you do it that way) OUTSIDE. Then drop a couple of 22 long rifle shells of 4F into the space behind the ball. Set the ball on the powder and shoot.

 

[JohannesKepler]

What I might try is flushing the bore behind the ball out with a pick and syringe. Let the bore dry or use a heat gun (never a torch). Just to be safe, use the heat, (if you do it that way) OUTSIDE. Then drop a couple of 22 long rifle shells of 4F into the space behind the ball. Set the ball on the powder and shoot.

Flush it through the touch hole?