Stuck ball in a charged rifle

[Grenadier1758]

Glad the scraper is out. Now you know where to relieve your scraper or rather what size bore brush to get one size smaller to use to clean out the chambered breech. No more scrapers in that Renegade.

 

[PaJerry]

You are correct. Lesson learned.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

jtlancer, how did you make out with your stuck ball?

Jerry

 

[Don H]

Glad you got it out! Thanks for posting, I learned a lot.

 

[PaJerry]

Thank you. I did as well...and the barrel looks real good now .

ATB
Jerry

 

[fjb]

Awesome!

 

[PaJerry]

Thanks, it felt good when I saw it drop out of the barrel.

I looked but could not find if jtlancer, the OP, got his stuck ball out. Anyone know if he did? Did he end up shooting it out?

ATB
Jerry

 

[jtlancer]

***Update***
So the C02 discharger was useless in my situation. I ended up using a ball puller which immediately dislodged and removed the stuck ball and patch. My last issue is removing the hard. caked powder/ballistol mixture from the breach. Even with the ball out I was unable to blow out the gunk with the discharger. Any suggestions on what to use to break up that gunk? Or should I try shooting it out now that the ball has been removed?

 

[deermanok]

Maybe look at getting a small portable steam cleaner. I got one on Ebay for about 30 dollars. Does a great job of loosening up the crud in the barrel.

 

[jtlancer]

Maybe look at getting a small portable steam cleaner. I got one on Ebay for about 30 dollars. Does a great job of loosening up the crud in the barrel.

Hey that is a great idea and luckily I already have one!
Silly question but...you don't think there is any danger of ignition with the heat applied from the steam? I know its water vapor not a spark but I had to ask because this is my frist time trying this method.

 

[Zonie]

Hey that is a great idea and luckily I already have one!
Silly question but...you don't think there is any danger of ignition with the heat applied from the steam? I know its water vapor not a spark but I had to ask because this is my frist time trying this method.

Black powder needs temperatures well over 400°F to ignite. The only way to get steam that hot is to boil the water inside a pressurized tank with the steam under hundreds of psi of pressure so no, your steamer won't set off the black powder.

Now, if you were using a steam locomotive from the 1940's that used superheated steam for your steam supply you might get steam temperatures like that.

 

[jtlancer]

Black powder needs temperatures well over 400°F to ignite. The only way to get steam that hot is to boil the water inside a pressurized tank with the steam under hundreds of psi of pressure so no, your steamer won't set off the black powder.

Now, if you were using a steam locomotive from the 1940's that used superheated steam for your steam supply you might get steam temperatures like that.

Good to know!
I am going to try it now. With my little steamer not a locomotive.

 

[deermanok]

All that powder is contaminated and probably wouldn't ignite with a blowtorch. Steam on brother.

 

[jtlancer]

My little Shark steamer loosened up and then blew out the gunk in under 5 minutes.
Thank you, all for your help.

 

[deermanok]

Glad that it worked out for you. I clean up my guns with the little steamer periodically. It does a great job.

 

[jtlancer]

Almost forgot to include a pic of the crime scene.

 

[SamTex1949]

Now that he got the ball out and cleaned with steam. I got to wondering ? Had steam ever been attempted to be the "force" to push a RB out a barrel intentionally ? I did a quick search with no immediate results. I know we have had interesting examples of compressed air being used (ie; Lewis and Clark Expedition) 🏕

 

[Whitworth]

Almost forgot to include a pic of the crime scene.
View attachment 67101

Was that a ball or stuck conical. That is gnarly looking

 

[jtlancer]

Was that a ball or stuck conical. That is gnarly looking

A .440 ball. The ball puller screw did the damage.

 

[Woody Morgan]

Almost forgot to include a pic of the crime scene.
View attachment 67101

Jeez. Looks like a pregnant tick that puked.

Glad you got it sorted out safely!

wm

 

[PaJerry]

Glad you got it out. Did the steam get the gunk behind it out? I've used a bullet puller alternated with a patch puller to break up and clean out gunk that was left in a barrel.

ATB.

Jerry