How to make sure Renegade is unloaded

[ekyle]

I just purchased a used .54 thompson barrel for my Renegade.

It is in rather rough condition, which like someone else said on here, if they let it rust, they might have left it loaded.

My question is,
How do you make 100% certain the barrel is empty.

Thanks
Ekyle

 

[roundball]

Some ways to check:

1) If you have access to an air compressor, remove the nipple and blow air through the nipple seat, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction...anything that's in there should come...or at a minimum you should hear & see the results of air rushing out of the muzzle.

2) Slide the ramrod down into the bore, then raise it a foot and drop it...if it's hittng the metal breech, it will actually bounce up a half inch to an inch, plus you should hear somewhat of a metallic clank...if it's landing on a lead ball or conical, it won't bounce, and it won't make a metallic clank;

3) Get a range rod and a ball puller and see if it will screw into a projectile that might be downbore;

I'm sure there are other ways to check

 

[Tahquamenon]

Some ways to check:

1) If you have access to an air compressor, remove the nipple and blow air through the nipple seat, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction...anything that's in there should come...or at a minimum you should hear & see the results of air rushing out of the muzzle.

2) Slide the ramrod down into the bore, then raise it a foot and drop it...if it's hittng the metal breech, it will actually bounce up a half inch to an inch, plus you should hear somewhat of a metallic clank...if it's landing on a lead ball or conical, it won't bounce, and it won't make a metallic clank;

3) Get a range rod and a ball puller and see if it will screw into a projectile that might be downbore;

I'm sure there are other ways to check

:agree:

You can also remove the nipple and dump some hot water in the muzzle. If it pours out the flash channel, then it's pretty well unloaded.

 

[guncobbler]

Squirting some hot water down the flash channel to soak a charge is a good idea before you try to pull the load or blow it out with air. Really don't want to get in front of a gun with a charge in it. GC

 

[flintlockmdj]

Get a wooden dowel or the ramrod and stick it as far down the barrel as you can. Mark the ramrod at the muzzel withdraw the ramrod and lay it beside the barrel with the mark even with the muzzle. If the end of the ramrod is not within about 1/2" of the nipple you probably have something in the bore. ""DO NOT"" under any condition try to shoot out the obstruction you never know what type of powder someone else loaded the gun with. Even a small amount of smokeless powder can change this from a Renegade into a pipe bomb.

 

[musketman]

Get a wooden dowel or the ramrod and stick it as far down the barrel as you can. Mark the ramrod at the muzzel withdraw the ramrod and lay it beside the barrel with the mark even with the muzzle. If the end of the ramrod is not within about 1/2" of the nipple you probably have something in the bore. ""DO NOT"" under any condition try to shoot out the obstruction you never know what type of powder someone else loaded the gun with. Even a small amount of smokeless powder can change this from a Renegade into a pipe bomb.

I agree with the above method, and if something is in the barrel, remove the nipple and soak the breech in water to saturate the charge before removing the obstacle...

 

[Tahquamenon]

Squirting some hot water down the flash channel to soak a charge is a good idea before you try to pull the load or blow it out with air. Really don't want to get in front of a gun with a charge in it. GC

Exactly right! :agree:

 

[roundball]

Squirting some hot water down the flash channel to soak a charge is a good idea before you try to pull the load or blow it out with air. Really don't want to get in front of a gun with a charge in it. GC

Exactly right! :agree:

Is this what everybody does who uses a CO2 discharger?

I certainly wouldn't waste my time and make a mess by soaking a barrel that I was going to stand behind and blow out using compressed air...no more than I'd soak a barrel that I was going to stand behind to shoot something out of it.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

A Darwin award winner a couple of years ago thought the best way to see if a gun was loaded was to look down the barrel as he flicked his lighter into the hole his nipple went in.




He never new if it was loaded or not nor will he ever... ::


Some people shouldn't ever buy a gun.

 

[2172]

rb..no, I just use the discharger. The one time I got my hands on a really old, really abused wreck, I was afraid to put heat to loosen anything and spent 3 days with Liquid Wrench and patches and worms to free the manure in the bbl...it had everything, including a mud-dauber nest in there....if I couldn't blow a load out of a strange gun, I'd probably go to the "make a mess" technique....I've seen a couple of old ones that were left loaded, and heard of a few more...even on my wreck, I'd put a bunch of"powder killing" liquids in the nipple before I tried to start clearing with the worm....Hank

 

[Tahquamenon]

I don't use a CO2 discharger.

 

[Stumpkiller]

There have been some pretty complicated answers to this one.

How about: take the ramrod and lay it from the nipple (or vent) to the muzzle on the outside of the barrel and squeeze it with your fingers at the muzzle, then place it in the barrel and see if it goes the same distance down inside. If not, the barrel is obstructed at least, and you should assume it is a live load. Note that T/C uses the patent breech that is smaller at the breech, but still allows the ramrod tip to enter.

You could also remove the nipple and drip alcohol or WD-40 in the muzzle and see if it comes out the nipple hole immediately. Or, squirt WD-40 in the nipple hole with the barrel muzzle down on newspapers.

 

[Mulebrain]

I may be crazy, but I would throw a cap on and letter rip! Or just remove nipple, and try to blow through the barrel.

 

[Old40Rod]

I may be crazy, but I would throw a cap on and letter rip! Or just remove nipple, and try to blow through the barrel.

:what: No offense to anyone... but I'm crazy and even I wouldn't use the "shoot it out" method. You don't know what may be in the bottom of the barrel, if there is an obstruction, etc. You could seriously injure yourself, someone else or ruin an otherwise salvagable barrel. In addition, I suspect you have a higher likelihood of getting a hang fire if there is some old powder in there... you could pop the cap and the bang may come a few seconds later... hopefully not after you are looking down the end of the barrel to see what the heck the problem is... so don't do this.

Be safe. Remove the nipple and clean out screw and soak the breech in a bucket of hot water for about 30 minutes (or longer) in addition to pouring some down the barrel. You'll probably know right away after pouring water down the barrel if there is powder and/or a ball in there... You have to clean it anyway... If you suspect there is something in the barrel, dump everything out of the barrel you can and use a CO2 discharger or compressed air to blow everything out. If that doesn't work, and you are sure you have removed any powder/residue from the breech that you can get (or saturated it thoroughly), use a ball remover on your ramrod.


:m2c:

 

[thehorn]

If this isn't deja vu all over again....
A couple of months ago I bought a used renegade for a great price thru an online auction. When I received it, I found that there was a load still in the barrel... about 4 inches up from the breech end so it was really easy to tell. Pulled the breech plug and found it plugged solid with solidified pyrodex that had turned a rust red color! So, I soaked the breech end in water and picked away until I got most of the pyrodex out and could see the base of the bullet... a saboted round. Sprayed WD40 down the muzzle end to prepare for a bullet pulling. Screwed into the projectile with my t-handled steel range rod, stood on the handle with both feet, wrapped the barrel with an old towel and commenced to pulling upward on the barrel. Wouldn't budge! Soaked the whole dang thing in kerosene for 24 hours. Came back to it, tried it again and finally was able to remove it. Bore was badly pitted throughout, testament to the use of pyrodex and a lack of owner care. I worked the bore with green pads, bore paste and steel wool and it improved markedly, but couldn't remove the pits; they'r there to stay. But it shoots well! Moral of the story is to treat every gun as a loaded gun, especially those purchased from others via the internet.

 

[Mulebrain]

That is what I mean! Treat every gun as loaded, so you have to put a cap on and try to shoot :crackup:

If I discover a gun I buy is loaded, and the ball is seated on a correct charge, I would try to shoot it!

Now I would not do this, if I discovered more than one load in the gun.

 

[Rebel]

Only problem with that is, what if the moron that left it loaded, left it loaded with smokeless powder? No going to be a fun experience pulling the trigger on it with 100gr of Bullseye down the bore.

 

[roundball]

Hand grenade

 

[Rebel]

More like long pipe bomb. ::

 

[bpbrs]

T/C renegade, if the ramrod drops into the barrel and just a tad sticks out it is empty. If the rod is up a few inches it is loaded.

Remove the nipple and squirt in some sort of penetrating oil. Then pull the ball..best to get a puller with a drill on the end makes pulling easier. Keeps teh ball from expanding.
If no luck, pull the breech plug..:m2c: