my first dry ball

[Old Ironsights]

Most of the non-removable-breech flint people I know just pull the touch hole liner and dump in as much powder as they can get behind the ball.

If you have a nice clean bore and your ball goes all the way below the touch hole, you are well and truly screwed unless you have a ball puller... but even then, rather than fight it, most folks will just pull the ball forward of the touch hole enough to pour in some 3F, reline, flash & bloop.

 

[dlemaster]

Stone Bridge
I did the exact same thing several years ago.
Went to the range witha few friends and told everyone how I had been shooting muzzle loaders for 25 years and never dry balled, and then just like you did it twice in the same day. We were having so much fun and got to talking which broke my train of thought, which is very easy to do.

Regards, Dave

 

[Goldhunter]

ronrryan, Ya I did that. It was stuck amazingly well. :cursing: I think what I found out was that I used a ball that still had the sprue on it and didn't center the sprue quite right. Never again.

 

[David Teague]

I hate when a patched rod gets stuck at the breech at the range... :redface:

I haven't dry balled in 30 or so years... but a dry patch after a wet one has got me a few times when swabbing between shots... and I've had to pull my flinter's breechplug to knock it out. :shake: (I even carry a cool little tool for pulling stuck rods, but sometimes I can't get it out and have to head home for the day) :cursing:



The more I know, the less I know about this sport. :redface:

Cheers,

David Teague

 

[dmills]

When a dry patch sticks your ramrod in the bore, add some liquid and that dry patch will loosen and slide out.

 

[davy]

When a dry patch sticks your ramrod in the bore, add some liquid and that dry patch will loosen and slide out.

I agree I have had to do the same thing! It makes things a little messy, but the stuck patch came right out! :thumbsup:

Davy

 

[David Teague]

and then I have to dry the bore...

with a dry patch. :shake:

:winking:

(I just swab with a lighty coated patch with bore butter on it now... no dry patching until clean up at home... I just might start using olive oil instead)

Cheers,

DT

 

[Rebel]

Why not use rubbing alcohol? Wet going in but dries fast.

 

[David Teague]

How much stuff do you guys carry to the range? :hmm:

Water, rubbing alcohol... lattes?

I only have so much room in my possable bag.

Nice idea on the rubbing alcohol Rebel. :bow: When it comes to alcohol, it's the type I can't bring to the range that I have at home.

Cheers,

DT

 

[Rebel]

I carry a small squirt bottle of alcohol in my bag all the time. Not only is it good for wiping the flint, frizzen, pan and bore, but it is also good for cleaning out the fingers you cut while wiping the sharp flint. :grin: I haven't done that yet, but i know others have.