Yesterday, I went out and did a bit of shooting. I was primarily working with my .17 HMR but I brought along my flintlock cause it's fun. It didn't take long and I'd put away the .17 and was just shooting my flintlock. Well, after about 20 shots I pushed the ramrod down on the ball and patch just as I realized I hadn't put any powder down the barrel. Sure enough, I pulled the trigger and it didn't fire. I tried again with the same result. So at this point I realize I'm going to have to pack the touch hole and try to shoot it out. I had to this earlier this year for a stuck jag, only problem, I was out in the middle of the woods and didn't have much to put over the end of the barrel to see if I shot it out. With the jag I followed Duelist1954 YT video saying to use an old plastic cup on the end of the barrel. It worked great. So at this point my only option is mini popcan that I had in my truck. I cut it in half and put it over the barrel but it was really windy and just wouldn't stay on very good. I packed the touch hole 3 times and shot it, each time the can flew off from the pressure but it didn't have a hole in it from the ball. On the final shot it kinda fell off just from me pulling the trigger but I think I seen something come out of the barrel but I cant say for certain. It was low light in the woods. I didn't clean it last night because I wasn't sure if it was still loaded or not. I was busy with family stuff all day and just got to it with a air compressor to try and blow the ball out if it was still in there. I can't get a great seal with ac tool to the touch hole but when I get a decent one there's a bunch of air coming out the end of the barrel. So, my question is, and this may be a completely stupid question, but is the ball out? Is there anyway I can make sure before I clean it and shoot it again? My gut thinks I got the ball out. There's just too much air coming out the end of the barrel to have a ball and patch in there, but I wanted to ask the experts on here before I did anything.
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Might have a ball stuck...
- Thread starter Undertow
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If not successful with that another way is take the lock off, if can remove the touchhole liner, put a patch puller, ball puller screw something on the ramrod and stick it down the barrel. If clear, flashlight will show the end of the ramrod and good to go.
If air is passing through the barrel from touch hole to muzzle the ‘stuck’ ball and patch have left the building. Have you confirmed with the ramrod as suggested above?
Just shine a light down the bore and look through the FH.
briantllb
32 Cal
I have done that with a percussion lock rifle. It doesn't take much powder at all to shoot the stuck ball out but it isn't going to go far. Of course it is easier with a percussion gun than a flintlock to get the small amount of powder you need in behind the ball.
Felix40
32 Cal
Shining a light in there would be the easiest. Should take all of 5 seconds.
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Better safe than sorry but it sounds like you have cleared the ball especially since it was patched. I'd just pour water down the barrel and if clear the water will run out the flash hole.
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The one caveat is if it had the Traditions/CVA type breech plug your ramrod won’t go to the touch hole even if unloaded. I did the same as undertow when I first got my Traditions flinter. I even tried to pull the ball but couldn’t get the screw to bite. Only when I got home did I realize the barrel was empty. I don’t know if I completely forgot to load while distracted or if the ball barely plopped out when I first tried powder in the touch hole. I suspect your barrel is empty.
Like Jake, I thought I dry balled one time, I tried and tried to get the ball out but the puller wouldn't bite. Seeing as how I made the gun, I took it to the shop, removed the barrel and pulled the breechplug, DUH, there was no ball in the barrel.
It only takes a couple of grains of powder to have enough power to send a dry ball out of the barrel. The report will be very mild and there will be little to no smoke coming out of the barrel and you won't see any indication of impact if the barrel muzzle is elevated. Often the report is so light that you will not believe anything left the bore. Several times I have experienced someone trying over several times to expel a dry ball from a flintlock and only seeing a flash in the pan only to realize that the first charge sent the ball down range and the following attempts were only drying out the bore. If you are getting a lot of air rushing out of the muzzle from the air compressor and when you push the ramrod down the bore to reseat the ball, there is no ball movement, that ball is long gone. The light charge will have pushed @Undertow's mini pop can out and not have enough oomph to put a hole in the can.
The Appalachian
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I just have to shake my head.
1) know where your ramrod is on an unloaded barrel.
2) if ANYTHING is inside that barrel then the ramrod will not reach that point.
3) if there's a ball stuck in a barrel, how on earth can ANY air possibly pass through the barrel from flashole to muzzle?
Not trying to be a d!ck but common sense and logic go a LONG way to answering questions like this.
1) know where your ramrod is on an unloaded barrel.
2) if ANYTHING is inside that barrel then the ramrod will not reach that point.
3) if there's a ball stuck in a barrel, how on earth can ANY air possibly pass through the barrel from flashole to muzzle?
Not trying to be a d!ck but common sense and logic go a LONG way to answering questions like this.
Sidney Smith
58 Cal.
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Common sense, if air is coming out of the muzzle, the bore is clear. If you don't want to shine a light down to see, then pour a small amount of water down the bore. If it immediately comes out the touch hole then its clear.
You’re right, that is a Stupid question
David Austin
36 Cl.
I positively hate it when I've screwed the pooch...and found out I didn't. I don't know which is worse. Case in point. Thought I'd dryballed my flincher...er...flinter... Amazing how badly my flinch developed...no bang...no bang...blocked touch hole. Left the shoot..Tried again...In the house ...at the ceiling. My wife wouldn't let me have my rifle back for a month...and I had to sleep in the tipi...in the yard.
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Don't yah just hate it when Momma gets all excited about potentially shooting a smoking hole in the ceiling or floor, making a Mt. out of a Mole hill !
David Austin
36 Cl.
Try in the Big Horns of Wyoming...middle of winter...checking on 14a...closed...we're in WINTER gear...including mittens...KNITTED mittens. The wife has her Smith .38./..and we're 'f***in' around. She did a quick draw. snagged the trigger on a loose piece of yarn. BANG. bullet went between my legs. We did a forensic...she missed my wedding tackle by two inches.
Don't yah just hate it when Momma gets all excited about potentially shooting a smoking hole in the ceiling or floor, making a Mt. out of a Mole hill !
