I preparation for the day I dry ball one

[jambuster]

Well I was thinking about how I was gonna get a ball out of my GPR if I ever "dry Ball" one and I did a search on this site. I did this cause I am a "Be Prepared" kind of guy. So after an hour of reading I ordered a few 6mmx.75 zerk fittings because I have decided to go with grease gun method. I am also about to order a grease gun with a reversible seal so I can load it with crisco instead of grease .

OK any thoughts , comments , or general BS on my "I'm over thinking this problem" plan.

The Jambuster

 

[FishDFly]

No, after an hour of reading you decided which solution is best for you..

 

[rdlowe]

It’ll make a mess, but it’ll work. Poking some powder into the breech then shooting the ball out is my preferred technique.

 

[87TT]

X2 on feeding powder in the nipple and shooting. I have lost count a long time ago on how many times I have done it. Just make sure the ball leaves the barrel or ram it back down (after adding powder through the nipple) before firing again/
Works on flintlocks too.

 

[mooman76]

Poking some powder into the breech then shooting the ball out is my preferred technique.

This is what I do. Works every time. Not just dryballs but when the powder fails to ignite also works. Sometimes takes a couple tries but beats pulling a ball. Only one I had to pull was one that was too big, I accidentally started to the point of no return. I tried to go ahead and finish loading but could only get it half way down with the tools I had.

 

[jonathan butcher]

Has anyone seen any YT vids demonstrating the pour-powder-into-the-breech method of extracting a dry ball ?

EDIT: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=extracting+a+dry+ball+from+muzzleloader

 

[bisleyjohn]

I’m not in favour of the powder in the breech end method.

Too easy to make yourself a pipe bomb.

i have dry balled twice. Made myself some barrel guides, threaded rod 24 tpi, threaded muzzle plug. Robert, as they say, is my Mother’s brother.

Some people Advocate a compressed air bicycle pump, some the grease. You pays your money. Concentration during the loading procedure is the real answer.

 

[mooman76]

You only put a few grains in the breech where powder ends up anyway. How is that the same as a bomb?

 

[1950DAVE]

Powder is cheaper than grease or crisco. Surprising how little powder it takes to extract a ball. Used powder at least a half dozen times in my .54 cal. flintlock GPR.
Dave

 

[jonathan butcher]

I also saw mention of CO2 method but couldn’t find it demo’d at YT. Perhaps the safest ?
I must admit I’ve never dry-balled before but I take no solace from that. Murphy’s Law says my time is coming.

 

[rdlowe]

I also saw mention of CO2 method but couldn’t find it demo’d at YT. Perhaps the safest ?
I must admit I’ve never dry-balled before but I take no solace from that. Murphy’s Law says my time is coming.

Good grief, man. I think I did it twice in one day. Go me

 

[bisleyjohn]

You only put a few grains in the breech where powder ends up anyway. How is that the same as a bomb?

Powder, possible gap, barrel obstruction, bomb.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

The other issue to be prepared for is the dreaded broken ramrod end in the muzzle; with our without load under it. Same "dribble in the powder" technique works for that, too. Ask me how I know!!!

Just make sure you have seated the obstruction (ball or other) down on the powder,

ADK Bigfoot

 

[bisleyjohn]

I also saw mention of CO2 method but couldn’t find it demo’d at YT. Perhaps the safest ?
I must admit I’ve never dry-balled before but I take no solace from that. Murphy’s Law says my time is coming.

scroll through a little

 

[EC121]

A drum full of black powder will never damage a barrel, but it will remove a dryball on a caplock. If the vent is placed correctly on a flintlock, the ball will bottom out on the breech plug and block the vent. I have had the dribbled powder flash right back out the vent before. I usually just pull the ball after putting a little water or cleaner down the barrel to soften the fouling. I like those tapered pullers that Track sells. They have deep cut threads for a lot of thread surface area compared to the straight threaded variety, and because they are tapered, you can screw them in about halfway and try. Then if it pulls out, you can try again by screwing the plug in farther. The first try usually does the job.
As far as blocked barrels, the Bevel Brothers just did a test on that in Muzzle Blasts, and dispelled that short start/barrel obstruction will ring the barrel myth. They couldn't damage the barrel until they loaded one ball properly and short started another. Even then it took 150gr of powder and a barrel wall turned down to 1/16" or so to ring a barrel. I'll go with their testing instead of hearsay.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I’ve used the dribbled powder a number of times to remove a dry ball and once on a broken ramrod tip. No harm was done to anything but my ego by the 4-5 grains pushed into the breech after removing the nipple or threw the touch hole to get the obstruction out. Just have it seated.

I’d only use the grease method after other methods fail. I’ve pulled a few with a ramrod too. Fortunately I’ve never had to unbreach or use the grease zerk in 40+ years.

 

[87TT]

On my flinters, I pack in the powder with a vent pick. I usually only takes a few grains or so and pop. Out comes the ball. The pan probably has almost that much powder. 4F works great. If you want to hassle with a grease gun, air, Co2, puller etc., Go for it. As for a "pipe bomb", that's ridiculous. The small amount of powder needed isn't going to blow up anything. Heck, you're lucky if it blows the ball out.

 

[renegadehunter]

I swab every shot, damp patch down and back, flip, down and back again. Cleans the fouling out well, so if I ever then dry ball I will simply use a ball puller.

 

[jambuster]

Just so you know I would probably try the powder thing first but since I never have any luck I figured I would be prepared . I also figured anything with 6mmx.75 treads would probably not be readily available at the auto parts store on Sunday morning ( the worst time of the week cause that is when all frustrating things happen). I just thought if I have the stuff to get the ball out it won't be a disaster.

 

[mooman76]

It's good to be prepared just in case. Seems like it bites you worse when you are not.