Muzzle UNloading

[bpd303]

Even if your wooden ramrod is threaded for a bullet pulley it is best not to use it because it will likely break or pull the tip off. Only use a puller with a metal or composite range rod.

Huh?
What kind of crappy rods are you getting? I pull balls with my wood rod with regularity (I don't shoot out my load at the end of a hunting day). Haven't had one break yet. I did have a tip pull off on a commercial rod, but I thought I knew better and didn't install a pin, relying on the glue instead. Only made that mistake once...

I have never broken or pulled the tip off of a rod. I always pin them. I also never use them for anything other than to seat the ball. I have seen plenty of broken rods when people bring their gun to me with the rod stuck in the bore.

 

[Black Hand]

I have seen plenty of broken rods when people bring their gun to me with the rod stuck in the bore.

I believe it. BUT, people doing stupid things to crappy rods does not make all wooden rods bad. I suspect that if they are coming to you with a rod stuck down-bore, they are primarily coming from those inexperienced in muzzleloading.

 

[William O.]

So....
3. I sort of grind up the powder a little- but get it into the drum.
Just dribled a few grains into the hole and use a nipple pick or paper clip to help the grains settle into the flash channel
5. Fire gun and WAIT. You probably have crud blocking the passage and still can burn through, wait at least 3 minutes and keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
You shouldn't have to wait, the rifle should ignite that little bit of powder and fire right away. Always keep the muzle pointed in a safe direction though.

Sometimes the CO2 discharger doesn't quite get the job done or just won't get a good seal which lets the gas escape around the nipple. I've found that pulling the nipple is a quick and effective way to get back to shooting after a dry ball. I will always try to use either that or a CO2 discharger before using a ball puller as once you put a hole in the RB or conical then it's even more difficult to build up enough gas pressure behind it. 4F powder in a flintlock primer works very well and is easier to get down in the nipple hole than 2f, if your rifle gets better accuracy using it. Even 3f in a primer is easier than trying to get 2f into the nipple hole, take it from me.
Primer; http://www.octobercountry.com/products/OC-Flintlock-Pan-Primers.html

 

[Zonie]

In my opinion (for the newcomers to muzzleloading), when folks are saying "get the powder into the nipple hole", most (if not all) of them are not talking about putting powder into the tiny little hole on top of a nipple.

The tiny little hole on top of a nipple won't hold enough powder to blow a ball out of the barrel.

What they are speaking of is removing the nipple and putting the powder into the threaded hole the nipple screws into.
This threaded hole always has a hole that connects the area to the breech of the barrel.
This is often called a "flame channel" or "flame hole" and by working the loose powder down into it, enough can be inserted to easily blow out a stuck ball or slug.