Stuck ball but with a twist

[mckutzy]

there is that too, so the woods would be a good idea.

 

[AlexFolino]

What im going to do tomorrow(since i live next to about 6acres of woods) im going to cut up a homemade gun rest out of foam that came in the new tv box, rest it in there. Tie rap the barrel and rear stock to the ground using tent stakes. I took a 1/4" extremely long extention and put a bolt in the hole of the ball. I vaccummed/blew out anything thats currently behind the ball. Im going to put 5grains of FFFF that was mentioned in an earlier page of this thread behind the ball. Load the flash pan. Then im going to stick a huge piece of flexible lexan plastic around the back and side of the gun(like a hockey rink) to act as a shield incase something does go wrong. Im going to run a string from the trigger to my nervous fingers and let her rip! :thumbsup: Stay tuned... The reason im just worried is because im new to Mloading and i heard so many horror stories of stuff happening and i dont have the best of luck plus its not my gun. But when the ball does come out, im going to clean this gun and drop it off at this guys house, then run home and have a few cold ones and use this as a learning experience hahaa

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here's a general rule of thumb to set your mind to rest about muzzleloading. If YOU can push it down the barrel with a wood rammer the powder can push it out with no problem at all upon ignition.

 

[hornetk4]

I've lost a few objects down the barrel of some of my guns. the thing I did learn is you dont need very much powder to shoot them out. I pulled a nipple out and put a few grains of fff , when
I shot it I put a wadded up rage over the muzzel and the jag still went thru the floor . Use a couple grains if that dsont do it use a couple more on the second try . Better to be safe than sorry personaly I would atach one of those self tapping srews they sell at home depot the kind that have a drill point and a hex head with a washer molded on it that would act to center the drill point allthough you already have a hole in the ball now just pull the ball out . which ever way you decide be careful and good luck

 

[Protrucker]

I shot it I put a wadded up rage over the muzzel and the jag still went thru the floor .

:shocked2: How'd you explain that one to the wife? :haha:

 

[AlexFolino]

Nothing but a total success! I did exactly what i mentioned above and it worked! Id like to thank everybody here for all your help!

Alex :hatsoff: :grin:

 

[jtmattison]

Nothing but a total success! I did exactly what i mentioned above and it worked! Id like to thank everybody here for all your help!

Alex :hatsoff: :grin:

Glad it worked out for you.

:thumbsup:

HD

 

[davemcg]

SWEEEEEET!!!!!!!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

 

[Pork Chop]

Well, that is great news, but sort of anticlimactic. I expected more of a story than it just shot out fine... :wink:

 

[mckutzy]

im happy to hear it. now remember.. powder patch and ball. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

I too am glad you got that lead ball remains out of the gun. Congratulations. Instead of being in a hurry the next time, put some patch lube, or lead solvent down the barrel FIRST, to soak into the patch around the ball. Pour out the excess after 1/2 an hour, and THEN, use the ball puller; But only after you see if you can't push the ball down onto the existing powder charge now. If you dry-balled a PRB, you will need to put some FFFFg powder under the nipple, or behind the ball by removing the vent liner, using a lever to move the PRB a bit forward, so as to give room behind the ball for some FFFFg powder. Then replace the vent, and fire the ball out the barrel as you did this time( without the tire, fishing line, etc.)

I watched a friend fire his .62 caliber RIFLE, with a 325 grain PRB in it, in front of MAYBE 5 grains of FFFFg powder I was able to get behind the PRB, and at 25 yards, he hit the center of his target. The ball was so big, and moving so slow that all of us "spectators" could actually see it flying through the air( as if in slow motion) from the muzzle to the target.

None of us would have thought the ball would have traveled more than a couple of feet out the muzzle, BTW. We were expecting that small amount of powder to get the ball out the muzzle where it fall immediately to the ground. I think the shooter was even more surprised that he hit the target than we were.

 

[AlexFolino]

Im unsure on how far the ball went but with 5grains of FFFF it went some distance. I wouldn't be suprised to say it went atleast 30yards. When loading a ball would anybody recommend bore butter?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Yes. I have been using either prelubed Ox-Yoke patches with bore butter in them, or lubing my own patches with the stuff for years. I do lube the patches the night before I go shooting, to give the lube time to migrate into the threads of the fabric. This makes a more consistent lubed patch, and better accuracy, IMHO. I never got used to lubing patches out at the range, and certainly never when hunting! Its not the mess- I carry towels, water and soap, etc. to clean up before, during and after shooting. I just don't like the distraction of having to lube a patch before each ball is loaded. I did that for years using spit as my lube, and when I decided to try the Wonderlube( bore butter), I also decided to grease up the patches the night before. Otherwise, I might stick a lubed patch on my tongue, out of an old habit! Yich ! :barf: :nono: :rotf: :surrender:

 

[Kelhammer]

Glad you got your ball out. I dry balled a load once, tried every ball puller combo I could think of. At that time I had never heard, or thought of, putting powder down the nipple or vent liner hole. I was sure there was no powder in it so... Now I'm not suggesting this but, I got out the propane torch, and slowly heated the barrel, at the breech plug. It does not take much heat and melted the ball out. I was scared of ruining the barrel, but with the muzzle down and some fire on, and fire off the barrel, it poured right out. It did not discolor the barrel or damage it in any way, as far as I know. I do not know what the melting temp of lead is, but if all else had failed, I would do it again, but only as a last resort.
:shake:

 

[paulvallandigham]

At roughly 650 degrees F., the melting temperature is far below that of the steel in your barrel. You have no worries about the barrel. The Steels begin to melt at over 1550 Degrees F.