Got My Ball Stuck

[paco97]

Today, I shot my flinter for the second time and was hoping for 25 shots. Every 5 shots I lubed a patch with #13 Cleaner on 2 patches, then ran 2-3 dry patches down the barrel. Ball #13 got stuck. I noticed #12 was pretty tough to get down the barrel, but I thought I could get one more down the barrel. I'm kinda confused as to why it got stuck, since I was cleaning the barrel every 5 shots. I was shooting between 50-90 grains gradually working up a load. Should I have used a bore brush in addition to the patches. Also, the patch went in straight and didn't bend over on me.

As for my results, I was shooting offhand at 25 yards and was shooting about 4" groups, near the end of my shooting I was putting them 2" apart. Pretty please with my results.

Now I gotta go to Cabelas and get me one of those CO2 dischargers I'm sure that's PC/HC.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Ball #13 got stuck.

#13, #13, nah, that number could not have anything to do with your bad luck Paco. :winking:

 

[Russianblood]

Or you could just get get a bull puller and yank it out. :hmm:

 

[Many Klatch]

When a ball gets stuck, and there is no handy CO2 thingy around I'll pull the ball. To make it easy, first put water, or moose slime or soapy water down the bore and let it set for about 10 minutes. This will allow the batch to get wet and then the powder crud gets wet and soft.

Then use a screw on the tip of your ramrod to pull the ball. It really helps if you have two or three sizes of screws for the tip of your ramrod. That way if the smaller one rips out, then you can thread the next larger one in.

If you are having this much trouble loading then I think your patch/ball combination may be too tight. I can shoot my .54 20 to 30 times without cleaning and never get too much fowling. I use a .526 ball and a .018 patch. The rifle has round bottomed rifling, so that may help explain it.

Since you have just started shooting you may want to experiment with the load more and step down a size in the ball or patch.

I figure that it takes a full year of shooting, before you figure out what a flinter really likes.

BTW, a two inch group on the second time out isn't bad. Eventually, you should be able to put them in the same hole at 25 yards.

 

[Pork Chop]

A thought on the rifle getting crudded up that fast. You may not have gotten all of the cosmoline or whatever preservative they stuffed in the bore out in your initial cleaning. That stuff can get nasty in just a few shots and cna cause tough loading. Just a thought...

 

[Herz_aus_Stahl]

A few days ago I had that Problem too. I used a wooden hammer with the ramrod to get it down. Sometimes a little bit force helps :v

 

[silverfox]

Lots of good advise, In my case if that happened to me and it has I would pour a little cleaner down the barrel and drive the ball on down to the powder and shoot it out if possible. You already have a powder charge in the barrel just be sure to seat the bullet on the powder and try to shoot it out. If that doesn't work then resort to the ball puller or the CO'2 thingy. If you can shoot it out clean the barrel and continue to have a good day.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[Lone Carabiner]

was unaware that a co-2 discharger was made for flinters. ball puller screw may be your best bet.

 

[HarborMaster]

In a worst case scenerio., there is always remove the breech as opposed to taking any sort of serious damage., this would allow you a thorough cleaning anyway. After all how long has it been since the breech was removed?

 

[Birddog6]

You didn't say what you are using to lube the patch with.... If you are swabbing every 5 shots & not getting enough crud out to load the next time easily, you lube is not working or you need to swab Between shots.

Until ya learn how to handle this animal, I suggest ya get some Lehigh Lube & use it as it is very forgiving. (Toss the #13 to the back shelf)

Also I suggest you do your load work up on a bench with sand bags. Any other way is like trying to learn to race the round track in your back yard. You may accomplish something but who know what. Eliminate human error & you have a good start. Your rifle will probably shoot under 1" groups off sand bags at 25 yards. Find the best groop with one ball size, patch size & lube. Then try another charge, do it all over, then another, then another, til ya try about 10 dif charges. Then change patch size & do this all over. Then change ball size & do it all over. In about a week of daily shooting or 7-8 trips to the range, you will find the right combo. Then go to 50 yards, use the best 3 loads ya have & do it all over. If ya don't document the loads & etc., it is a total waste of time as you will get them all mixed up.

And Swabing IS critical........... how much lube, what patch, down & back one tim ? two times ? etc. ALL of this has to be Consistant......

Example: You load & shoot 5 times.... You swab... Your next shot is not going to be where the last one was, cause you just changed the barrel consistancy...... It will most likely be where shot #2 or 3 was..... That is why most guys that swab, they swab between shots so Every Shot has the Same amount of fouling....... You are not cleaning the barrel, you are keeping the fouling consistant from shot to shot.

You might want to check out Dutch Shoultz shooting ideas.. they work....... I don't like dry lubes but his theory is consistant & it works.

:thumbsup:

 

[davy]

was unaware that a co-2 discharger was made for flinters. ball puller screw may be your best bet.

... here ya go flintlock co2 adaptor ... :thumbsup:

Davy

 

[Horace]

What size flashhole does the adapter work with.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Today, I shot my flinter for the second time and was hoping for 25 shots. Every 5 shots I lubed a patch with #13 Cleaner on 2 patches, then ran 2-3 dry patches down the barrel. Ball #13 got stuck. I noticed #12 was pretty tough to get down the barrel, but I thought I could get one more down the barrel. I'm kinda confused as to why it got stuck, since I was cleaning the barrel every 5 shots. I was shooting between 50-90 grains gradually working up a load. Should I have used a bore brush in addition to the patches. Also, the patch went in straight and didn't bend over on me.

As for my results, I was shooting offhand at 25 yards and was shooting about 4" groups, near the end of my shooting I was putting them 2" apart. Pretty please with my results.

Now I gotta go to Cabelas and get me one of those CO2 dischargers I'm sure that's PC/HC.

Hi Paco,

Been there, done that, don't recommend it.

I use a 490 ball with blue pillow ticking from Walmart for my patch on that same gun. I would suggest that you use Strumpy's Moose Snot for your patch lube. I can shoot without swabbing until I'm tired of shooting with it. If a ball feels a little rough to load on one shot, just put more Moose Snot on the next shot. Make sure you cover the patch beyond the lands of your muzzle. This stuff softens up and moves the fouling when you load.

I mixed up a batch of this and put it in an Altoids tin. I used a propane torch and some sandpaper on to make it look like an old tin box. I keep it in my shooting bag and take it out when I'm loading. Just rub the patch material in it and seat the ball. Works great and doesn't leak in hot weather nor freeze in cold. Do a search on the site for "Stumpy's Moose Snot" and you'll find the recipe. It's great stuff.

--------------------------------
Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:

 

[davy]

What size flashhole does the adapter work with.

Mule Skinner ... my Cabelas flinter co2 adaptor mikes out to be about 0.060 on the thin narrow insertion point. :hatsoff:

Davy

 

[mbw907]

Paco, if I were you, I'd leave that no. 13 alone. If you get a chance, check previous posts on it. It is not good to use as a gun cleaner, rust follows quickly. And I sure would never use it as a patch lube. Before I knew better, I used it to clean with. But the next day showed me that I had made a terrible mistake. Maybe Thompsons makes this stuff to insure future gun sales. :rotf:

 

[paco97]

In response to a lot of your ??'s, I'm not exactly sure what type of lube or patches I'm using. Its a bag of lubed patches that I picked up and the label is missing. They are prelubed patches though. I wasn't using the #13 to actually clean the rifle, just to use it between shots to help clear the fouling. I had some given to me, so I thought I would use it as a between shots cleanser.

I'll try some Moose Snot per your recommendations.

 

[paco97]

FWIW, I do have a ball puller screw and was able to pull it out with some effort, but It would be a lot easier with a CO2 discharger.

 

FWIW, I do have a ball puller screw and was able to pull it out with some effort, but It would be a lot easier with a CO2 discharger.

Maybe not. I tried one and it didn't work, the thing just made a hissing sound and the ball stayed put. Just clean the bore and oil it well before trying to pull the ball. A stuck ball is real hard to get out of a fouled barrel.

 

[paco97]

Yeah, Ive had several stuck in my percussions, but that was mostly due to moisture in powder from sittng over night--my bobcat was extremely picky.

Luckily this ball got stuck about 12 inches down the barrel, so I was able to pull it out myself. I've had a couple get stuck where I needed another guy to help me pull it out. I was lucky with this one.

 

[Nugget]

Why I use #13. Pulling balls is much easier when everything is pretty wet. Since I can't work up that much spit and don't want to wee-wee in my rifle, I carry a small bottle of #13 to the range with me. Dump it down the bore and it wets the patch as well as making the powder a non-issue when you're getting body parts in the way of the muzzle while wrestling with a stuck ball. I do agree, though, that it's a mediocre cleaner at best. I just stick with boiling water and dry patches after that, followed with Bore Butter to coat the bore. Patch it dry again before shooting.

My neck of the woods has been extremely humid lately and I've had to pull a couple this year. My flinter looks like I tossed it in a puddle after every shot. Pan and frizzen are wet, barrel has moisture in it, all kinds of Bad Things for charcoal burners.