I preparation for the day I dry ball one

[bisleyjohn]

having done that and watched it done, many times over the last 30+years. there is no way a sane person would take the time necessary to load enough powder through the nipple hole to create a danger. besides that, the ball isn'View attachment 46093t fastened in; it will blow out. I personally prefer to use a CO2 discharger, or compressed air. I make adaptors that screw into the nipple hole or vent liner threads out of bicycle tire valves.

Me too.

Tyre Valve online, two for about a quid. CO2 bicycle pump £15. Black adaptor bit of 'come in handy' steel and half an hour on the lathe.

 

[mooman76]

What danger? it's not that much trouble. You're saying it is more dangerous firing a few grains of powder compared to a full charge?

 

[bisleyjohn]

What danger? it's not that much trouble. You're saying it is more dangerous firing a few grains of powder compared to a full charge?

No

 

[Hawk78]

Have dry balled many times over the years. My Nickname in early years was "Drywall". I have always been able to pull the ball with standard screw puller without any problems. I do prefer the ones with the tapered threads grow TOW.

TOW ones are the best! I dry ball a lot too friend.

 

[jambuster]

Just so you guys know I finally dry balled my GPR LAST week. Pulled the ball with a Track ball pulling fitting on my range rod. Wasn't bad.

 

[FishDFly]

I was at a shoot last year and the guy next to me dry balled seven (7) times in a row. He had dry balled periodically prior to that.

Well this year he showed up and dry balled 2 times.

Went down there and did a tutorial with him. Showed him how to remember "if" he had put powder in the barrel and how to check to see if there was powder it he barrel if he forgot.

Some folks should not shoot black powder.

 

[mooman76]

But he's getting better.

 

[bisleyjohn]

I was at a shoot last year and the guy next to me dry balled seven (7) times in a row. He had dry balled periodically prior to that.

Well this year he showed up and dry balled 2 times.

Went down there and did a tutorial with him. Showed him how to remember "if" he had put powder in the barrel and how to check to see if there was powder it he barrel if he forgot.

Some folks should not shoot black powder.

You don't live in a glass house then?

 

[Grenadier1758]

I've dry balled often enough that I decided that I needed a procedure to minimize the likelihood of dry balling. My method is to keep the loading process visual. And its different if I am loading from a paper cartridge or at the bench using a powder container and measures. I use a funnel to aid in pouring powder down the barrel. Funnel in the barrel means there is powder at the breech. After the powder is poured, the funnel remains in the barrel until I am ready with lubricated patch and ball. Then I remove the funnel, put the patch on the muzzle and start the ball. I do cut the patch at the muzzle. Ram the ball to seat the ball and patch on the powder. If I get distracted at that time I will leave the ramrod in the barrel so I have a visual indication that the rifle is loaded. I prime the pan (or cap the nipple) as I go to the firing line to prepare to shoot.

I can still get out of sequence, but it is seldom that I dry ball. There are times at the range when I am preparing to load before I actually pour powder that the range is called cold and to bench your rifle. If the powder has not been poured, I remove the funnel from the barrel and prop my measure up to indicate a charge is ready to be loaded. If there are rifles with loads that are ready to be shot, the closing of the range is delayed until the rifles are all cleared.

 

[toot]

all these problems with dry balls, so are wet balls any better?

 

[FishDFly]

Essentially that is what I told him, substitute funnel for powder measure.

When in doubt, lick your index finger, wet the end of your ramrod, drop the ram rod down the barrel. If fresh kernels of powder on the end of it, you have powder in the barrel. No fresh kernels, no powder.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Wet balls are actually worse as the powder will be contaminated by the moisture and will have to be pulled or ejected using a compressed air or CO2 discharger. You won't necessarily be successful by adding dry powder at the breech and shooting the ball out.

I also have a sharpie pen to mark my ramrod with an empty and loaded mark so I can tell if the ball is loaded. If the rod indicates it is between the empty and the loaded mark and there are no grains of powder on the dampened ramrod tip, there's likely no powder.

 

[FishDFly]

I forgot to tell him that way.

Biggest cause of dry balling is distractions, normally visiting with other shooters.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I pulled a Power Belt a few years ago that had been left loaded for the season and would not shoot out, or so I thought. I pulled the bullet but it left the skirt (and charge) behind. I dribbled a little 3F (did not have any 4F then) under the nipple, reinstalled it and with the rifle pointed at the ground I capped and shot the mess out, BOOM. Right outside my daughter’s window. She came running out of the house wondering what had blown up!

 

[Dryball]

TOW ones are the best! I dry ball a lot too friend.

 

[rkrcpa]

I've never "dryballed" but I have on occasion had a ball get stuck on the way down. Still not sure why this is happening but it is. Anyway, had it happen again the other day, even broke my ramrod trying to force it. When I got home I tried a couple different ball pullers that I had and couldn't get it to budge.

So Saturday I ran up to Dixon's and bought a steel range rod, a new ramrod and a better ball puller. Went home and had the ball out in no time. The tapered and much sharper threads on the new puller did the trick.

Now if I could just figure out how to not stick a ball in the bore.......

 

[Grenadier1758]

You are going to have to address the fouling in the bore. If you are not wiping the bore between shots, then you are not using enough moist lubricant in your patch to properly soften the fouling as you load.

 

[rkrcpa]

You are going to have to address the fouling in the bore. If you are not wiping the bore between shots, then you are not using enough moist lubricant in your patch to properly soften the fouling as you load.

I am wet patching between shots. Lots of fouling caked on the patch. I ordered some new dry patches and some mink oil, hopefully that will help.

 

[Hawk78]

I am wet patching between shots. Lots of fouling caked on the patch. I ordered some new dry patches and some mink oil, hopefully that will help.

Try some "OxYoke" competition lube friend. I can shoot all day long without any need to wipe between shots, and still retain excellent accuracy.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I am wet patching between shots. Lots of fouling caked on the patch. I ordered some new dry patches and some mink oil, hopefully that will help.

What powder are you using? You need to get the fouling under control. Try a wet patch and then a dry patch before you load the ball and patch. Maybe a smaller ball and thicker damp patch to keep the fouling from wedging between the patch and the barrel. I would think twice about using dry patches with the ball until you get the fouling under control.