I preparation for the day I dry ball one

[flashpoint]

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

Hi Hawk. A couple questions if you don't mind. At present, I use Mink Oil as a lube. As I understand it, you use OxYoke as a lube and every time you shoot, you just reload again with powder, an OxYoke lubed patch and ball with no wiping in between. Is that correct there is no wiping between shots? Also, is it a liquid or more of a paste and is it a petroleum based product or natural? How would it be for hunting in the winter? Thanks. Flashpoint!

 

[toot]

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.

now that should be included in a STICKY.

 

[toot]

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.

maybe it was because he was talking to you when he was loading? we all know that will do it in a heart beat! you have too be a snob when loading BP, at a bench / range.

 

[toot]

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.

View attachment 46237

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

it is called a FOULING RING. it can occur at any given spot in the barrel. nothing new.

 

[rkrcpa]

it is called a FOULING RING. it can occur at any given spot in the barrel. nothing new.

Well, it's new to me. In fact, it is all new to me. I'm still working my way through my first 100 balls.

What is the solution to this fouling ring problem I seem to be having? I was swabbing between every shot, removing a great deal of fouling in the process.

 

[toot]

you are doing every thing right, cleaning between shots. it may be a combination of patching and powder? it is just a ting that we have all experienced! some times it happens on the 5th. shot and on the 15th. shot. maybe some on else can chime in on this subject, we have all experienced it.

 

[mooman76]

Well, it's new to me. In fact, it is all new to me. I'm still working my way through my first 100 balls.

What is the solution to this fouling ring problem I seem to be having? I was swabbing between every shot, removing a great deal of fouling in the process.

What are you using for a load? Powder, patch, ball, lube? You shouldn't be getting allot of fouling from just one shot.

 

[William A Harland]

You don't live in a glass house then?

What is the term dry ball.

 

[jambuster]

Dryball means you seat the ball in the barrel but you forgot to put any powder in . This means you have to extract the ball somehow.

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

I've never dryballed a rifle, but I did with a pistol.

 

[FishDFly]

"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."

I was at a shoot this month and was having trouble getting the ball down the bore. I was using a damp patch followed by a dry patch to complete the cleaning. Getting the ball down the bore was a challenge.

Went to the truck and pulled out the phone and checked the weather and the humidity was 17%.

Cleaning, went to a very damp patch and no dry patch to complete the cleaning. Loading after that was much easier.

 

[Grenadier1758]

As @FishDFly found out that there has to be some more cleaning to address whatever caused the fouling in the barrel. If one wet patch comes out with a lot of fouling, then use another until you don't have caked on fouling on the patch.

 

[FishDFly]

maybe it was because he was talking to you when he was loading? we all know that will do it in a heart beat! you have too be a snob when loading BP, at a bench / range.

Nope, Range Officer told me, he was having to blow them out of the barrel for him.

He is a nice guy, but a pest and always wanting to borrow what he does not have. He was wanting to borrow my spotting scope while I was shooting a match. I gave him a four (4) page list this month of things to bring to a shoot.

When I shoot matches, practice or for the board, I do not visit. If at all possible, I shoot away from other folks.

If I have a real good target going in a match, I have to be very careful not to dry ball as the pressure increases. Leaving the powder funnel in the barrel helps a lot.. In some matches I will pre-measure my loads into plastic vials and lay my balls and patches out. Reduces duh!

There is not time in a match fro dry balling.

 

[flntlokr]

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.

View attachment 46237

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

Your patches are not wet enough to clean the bore with each shot. Grease or oil lubes will gum the bore quickly, and IMHO, are not suited for matches etc. when a lot of shot will be required. (not to speak of the fire hazard in dry months). I use patches as wet as they come out of the can in which they are soaked; only as dry as squeezing a bunch between my fingers will get them. If the weather is such that I feel a bit of fouling, I super-spit a patch, and clean the bore after the ball is loaded, thus avoiding wetting the chamber area or pushing the mud into the flash chasnnel.

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 charg

 

[flntlokr]

You don't live in a glass house then?

Maybe he's in the wrong sport? We once had a lady come out, who, after several rounds under instruction, insisted she was 'good to go'. Next shot, her ramrod went downrange. Very embarassed. etc. Took a couple more shot ok, then sent her hubby's rod into oblivion. Never came back to shoot.

 

[rkrcpa]

Went to the range yesterday, only difference was .015 patches lubed with mink oil. Far less fouling and no problems.

 

[Okie Hog]

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

Works very well for me too. Done it a few dozen times.