Did something dumb

[BadHeart]

My last day of deer season this year I came home and my wife had that hunny do list out for me to do something and I put my rifle on its hooks with a powder charge and ball still in it, BUT uncapped, that was done before I left to woods. But to make a long story short I am just getting back to cleaning it and when I pulled the nipple and bolster screw and soaked it in water and put water down the barrel for about 30 minutes then tried to pull the ball. It ain't moving a bit, any help. It is ok to laugh cause I have already done that at my self. :surrender:

 

I did the same darned thing last year. I had to clamp the end of the rod in a vise and pull the ball that way. Also, try putting some WD 40 or just plain gun cleaning oil down the bore and let it soak over night then try to pull the ball. All that powder may have rusted the patch and ball in place and you will need to break that bond.

 

[BadHeart]

Thank you. What part of Pa you in? Im in Eastampton NJ about 30 minutes south of trenton.

 

[roundball]

My last day of deer season this year I came home and my wife had that hunny do list out for me to do something and I put my rifle on its hooks with a powder charge and ball still in it, BUT uncapped, that was done before I left to woods. But to make a long story short I am just getting back to cleaning it and when I pulled the nipple and bolster screw and soaked it in water and put water down the barrel for about 30 minutes then tried to pull the ball. It ain't moving a bit, any help. It is ok to laugh cause I have already done that at my self. :surrender:

If none of that works, go to an auto parts store and buy a grease gun, a tube or two of grease for it, & a grease fitting (with 1/4"x28 if it's a TC) thread...screw it into the nipple seat and start pumping...takes about 10-15 minutes...then wipe the bore and clean it out with something like steaming hot soapy water.

Tip for the future:
IMO, putting water or anything down bore that will kill the powder charge should be a last resort.
The simplist way to handle the situation you had would have been to remove the nipple, dribble in a few dozen kernels of powder, aim it in a safe direction and just shoot it out.

But once you put a liquid downbore, that option is gone.

 

[BRUN]

The guy at the gun shop told me about the grease gun trick.Never tryed it but its what he's always done in a bad situation. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

The guy at the gun shop told me about the grease gun trick.Never tryed it but its what he's always done in a bad situation. :thumbsup:

Yeah, not much can withstand hydraulic pressure...I just used it myself fore the first time a month ago when a new bore brush hung up and the adapter pulled out if the ramrod.
(I never buy ramrods that don't have pinned ends but this one had little silver dots that looked like the ends of pins but they were phony !!)

Compressed air just went right through the bristles of course ao I cut a couple patches into small 1/4" squares, and packed a lot of them down through the nipple hole into the breech so the grease would have something to push against...10 minutes later it popped right out.

If you already have a greasegun, my suggestion is to go get yourself a 50 cent grease fitting that fits your barrel NOW when you DONT need it so you'll have it in the garage when you DO.
:grin:

 

[guncobbler]

Here's a thought. How about pumping water into the bore with your grease gun. It might save you the trouble of cleaning all that grease out of your barrel. Water is darn near incompressible, is a little cheaper than grease and a lot easier to clean up. Guess I'll have to pick up a fitting the next time I go to the parts store and give a report on this. GC

 

[DanChamberlain]

Those C02 ball dischargers work like a champ!

Dan

 

[BadHeart]

Thanks for all the info. I said to myself. Self, next time shoot it before you leave the woods.

 

[roundball]

My reservation about using water for anything associated with something stuck in the bore is the potential for rust if you don't get out and you're stuck having a wet bore for a day or so while coming up with a final solution...OR NOT...and have to send it to a gunsmith, etc.

But I'd be interested in YOU trying it :grin: and giving a report though.

 

[Mad Professor]

Roundball's [/quote] Tip for the future:
IMO, putting water or anything down bore that will kill the powder charge should be a last resort.
The simplist way to handle the situation you had would have been to remove the nipple, dribble in a few dozen kernels of powder, aim it in a safe direction and just shoot it out.

But once you put a liquid downbore, that option is gone.[/quote]

Roundball is right on. I left loads in (long times) and almost all have shot ( and hit 75yd target right as sighted) convinced that if you keep the load dry you are fine. I wax my cap/nipple with melted candle wax, dribble on the seal, then put a piece of duct tape over the muzzle (not PC, I suppose they had a way then too....).

The "grease method" to remove stuck charges seems to be a fail safe (and SAFE) last resort (search Roundballs posts). If it don't come out that way you might need a breech plug wrench.......

P.S. Upon my first "dry ball" I used Roundballs suggested solution of adding powder through the nipple/snail. To my surprise I found the patent breech would accept ca. 40 grs of powder before fill ( fed through nipplehole), that charge might have been able to kill something close. The 50 yds shot was not too far off!!!

 

[roundball]

You missed that the context had changed...the discussion was already into the realm of using something hydraulic to push the object out and it was a grease vs. water discussion at that point...you'll be OK

 

[Mad Professor]

You missed that the context had changed...the discussion was already into the realm of using something hydraulic to push the object out and it was a grease vs. water discussion at that point...you'll be OK

Hey, RB sorry I'm on dialup, things are SLOW here , me sometime too..... :v

As an aside, I shoot mostly modfided TCs and you have been wonderful with your suggestions and help :hatsoff:

 

[BadHeart]

Ok Got it out finally. will shoot it out the next time. can't shoot in my yard. I have to drive to ft dix to the shooting range to shoot. I could have drove there and shot it out and a few more rounds and had more fun than i did this evening. Glad it is over. put it in a padded vice and put some wd 40 do the barrel and used a air compressore and my ball puller and a few cuss words and got it out. what a learning expreance. i will remember all the suggestions yall gave. thanks everyone

 

[Pahaska]

I used gasoline to clean the grease out with. It works great and evaporates quick. I just did this a couple of months ago, and the grease does work. Good luck. Pahaska

 

[sidelock]

Put nothing down the barrel. Just put on a cap and fire her off. Too late for that now----but next time. :winking:

 

[XXX]

Those C02 ball dischargers work like a champ!

Dan

I'm with Dan. Why would anyone want to pull a ball when these things work well and are available? Am I missing some subtle technical point?

 

[crossstick1948]

If you don't have a CO2 ball discharger the easiest way to pull a ball is to put a little cleaning solution or oil down the barrel then screw your ball puller onto a steel range rod then tie a rope to the range rod. Loosly tie the other end of the rope to a tree or the post holding up your deck or the covered shooting range. By slamming the rifle against the rope you can get more force than just pulling. The lubricant makes the task possible if your using a tight patch ball combination. Plus you don't have to get in front of a potentally loaded rifle.