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Patch stuck at bottom of barrel

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Was cleaning and oiling up my new Bess today and dumb me managed to get the patch to fall off the ramrod and it's now at the bottom of the barrel. Sure I'm not the first one. Any ways to get it out?
 
Was cleaning and oiling up my new Bess today and dumb me managed to get the patch to fall off the ramrod and it's now at the bottom of the barrel. Sure I'm not the first one. Any ways to get it out?
A patch WORM that screws on your cleaning rod. You don’t have one? A ball puller will work too. If you don’t have either ya might wanna get both.
 
Like others have said a patch worm would be the proper tool. The first time it happened to me I wasn't prepared either so I made an expedient patch worm by welding a small coil spring onto the end of a steel rod. Worked just fine for me
 
I think that every one of us on the forum has lost a patch and had to retrieve it or will eventually loose a patch down their barrel.

A patch puller (worm) that threads onto your ramrod is an essential accessory. Not only will it pull errant patches, but you can wrap a ball of tow in the tines and scrub the bore most effectively.

I have used a section of clothes hangar and twisted it around my ram rod about 8 turns. I backed it out for abut two or three turns and sharpened the tip. I ran the ramrod to the patch twisted it in the direction to thread the patch on the wires and pulled the patch out.

A CO2 ball discharger will work too, but the section of coat hanger is far more economical.

A look at some of my accessories. The worm is in the center of the picture.

Accessories_2.JPG


The fork and the ball puller thread on the ramrod. You do need to pay attention the the thread diameter and pitch when you order such items.
 
I lost a patch down the barrel of one my rifles. I used a regular type cleaning rod with that patch holder attachment. Ran it down the barrel and twisted er around a few times, the patch got all wrapped around and out she came.
 
Supposing you have neither a patch worm or a ball puller, you could partially unfold a paperclip and tape it to your ramrod for use as a field expedient patch puller. Insert, twist. It should work.

YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER. Thank you!! Did just the trick.

And thanks haha, you're the first to get the reference.

I definitely need to get a worm for next time though, and a jag.

Question for anyone, does the size of the jag/ worm matter too much? Would a 50. cal jag work for my 75 cal bore?
 
You should get a proper jag for your bore size. That way your patches won’t fall off and get lost like that.
 
Supposing you don’t own an air compressor, one of those cans of air with the plastic straw nozzle might work.
 
YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER. Thank you!! Did just the trick.

And thanks haha, you're the first to get the reference.

I definitely need to get a worm for next time though, and a jag.

Question for anyone, does the size of the jag/ worm matter too much? Would a 50. cal jag work for my 75 cal bore?
Do you have a shotgun cleaning kit? A 12 gauge kit would work to clean your 75 until you get the proper sized jags.
 
Do you have a shotgun cleaning kit? A 12 gauge kit would work to clean your 75 until you get the proper sized jags.
You need at least two modern 12 gauge kits to have a rod long enough to clean a 42" barrel on a Brown Bess.

Now my worm is a bit of a generic size, but the ball of tow will attach firmly to the tines and won't get lost especially if I tie a string around the tow and can pull the ball of tow out if it becomes untangled.
 
I think that every one of us on the forum has lost a patch and had to retrieve it or will eventually loose a patch down their barrel.

A patch puller (worm) that threads onto your ramrod is an essential accessory. Not only will it pull errant patches, but you can wrap a ball of tow in the tines and scrub the bore most effectively.

I have used a section of clothes hangar and twisted it around my ram rod about 8 turns. I backed it out for abut two or three turns and sharpened the tip. I ran the ramrod to the patch twisted it in the direction to thread the patch on the wires and pulled the patch out.

A CO2 ball discharger will work too, but the section of coat hanger is far more economical.

A look at some of my accessories. The worm is in the center of the picture.

View attachment 38436

The fork and the ball puller thread on the ramrod. You do need to pay attention the the thread diameter and pitch when you order such items.
I like the squirrel cooker idea(fork). Gonna make me one! Thanks for sharing Grenadier👍
 
This is my patch come shotgun wad remover, a wine cork remover . A small brass adaptor with a 5mm screw in one end for the cork screw & a threaded screw into the other end to match the tapped hole in your ramrod. All my ramrods have the tapped hole in the end & all 5 shooting boxes have one of these. Fantastic for pulling shotgun wads & shot if you need to check for powder.
 

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Use a cleaning rod for another rifle with a brass brush attached to it. Turn to snag the patch and pull it out until you can get the correct end for your ramrod
 
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