Stuck ball in a Thompson Center Hawken flint

[Britsmoothy]

I am a little surprised that some are suggesting to the OP to shoot out a load that is blocked by a single preluded patch under the powder.

Wonder what will happen if that 70 grain ‘main’ charge of 3F ignites sometime after the suggested kicker charge starts the main charge down the bore but before it exits the bore as pointed out by @Art Caputo in the second post of this thread? First damaged barrel I ever saw was caused by a normal load of powder under a patched roundball that was only seated with a short starter. Barrel was ‘saved’ with a rebore.

I have an idea. Take your most precious muzzleloader, drop 10 grains or so of powder down the bore, followed by a patch. Then load your normal hunting load and light it up. Try maybe a dozen times and report back. Just doesn’t seem safe to me, but I’d love to learn what happens. Maybe I’m just a Nervous Nellie?

Your worrying to much.

 

[jhgray]

Air compressor. It works and somebody you know probably has one if you don't.

 

[Nor'Easter]

if the "main charge" and ball are already moving down the bore, propelled by the "kicker charge, and then the main charge ignites , you already have a drop in pressure with the load expanding the combustion chamber. nothing untoward should happen.

That's the way I inderstand it, also. It's the inertia that causes the pressure spike. That's why it's not safe to seat a round on the lands in those wrong ended guns.

 

[Hiddeninsmoke]

Acquire a small hardwood dowel that is about 2/3rds the diameter of your bore that is at least 6 inches longer than the length of the barrel. In quick succession, apply a drop of Super Glue on the end of the dowel, insert it in the bore and into contact with the charge in the barrel. Put a bit of downward pressure on the dowel for about 2 minutes, then wait 10minutes or more and pull the dowel out. The ball and patch should be firmly attached to the charge.

 

[59sharps]

He got it out so stop stop stop w how to dos

 

[J. Paul]

How many breech plugs have you removed from traditional muzzleloaders?

Friend of mine removed his every time he cleaned. After about 3 years, he could no longer get breechplug to seat properly. Gunsmith told him he had damaged the threads on something that under normal conditions might be removed 2 or 3 times in the barrels life.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

He got it out so stop stop stop w how to dos

It doesn't matter! This forum is obsessed with stuck balls & how to remove them. At 46 posts I'd say it's about half way to it ending. Don't even try to understand it. BTW, there will be another one within a month,

 

[deerstalkert]

 

[FishDFly]

It doesn't matter! This forum is obsessed with stuck balls & how to remove them. At 46 posts I'd say it's about half way to it ending. Don't even try to understand it. BTW, there will be another one within a month,

I'll take that bet, it won't last a month.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I think it's a scam.
They make it up to get us all on the boil again. Wake us up if you like, push our buttons etc.

 

[45man]

Jeeeze guys . . . .

Just remove the breech plug and push it out to the rear.

Need the special tool and a 10# sledge on a barrel wrench.

 

[Archer 756]

This subject is like our government, just get going on and on one subject

 

[deermanok]

Nobody mentioned the drill bit trick yet.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I am a little surprised that some are suggesting to the OP to shoot out a load that is blocked by a single preluded patch under the powder.

Wonder what will happen if that 70 grain ‘main’ charge of 3F ignites sometime after the suggested kicker charge starts the main charge down the bore but before it exits the bore as pointed out by @Art Caputo in the second post of this thread? First damaged barrel I ever saw was caused by a normal load of powder under a patched roundball that was only seated with a short starter. Barrel was ‘saved’ with a rebore.

I have an idea. Take your most precious muzzleloader, drop 10 grains or so of powder down the bore, followed by a patch. Then load your normal hunting load and light it up. Try maybe a dozen times and report back. Just doesn’t seem safe to me, but I’d love to learn what happens. Maybe I’m just a Nervous Nellie?

That 6 to 8 grain charge will burn through that lubricated patch seated on that T/C chambered breech and ignite the powder charge before the ball starts to move. Too much theory and nor enough practical experience.

 

[BadDaditood]

Nobody mentioned the drill bit trick yet.

Yeah, I’m also disappointed that no one tried to get him to break off a drill bit….

 

[Cpt Flint]

The part about the super glue on a dowel rod has me wondering if this is real.

 

[flntlokr]

Hi all, got a patch stuck under a load in my .45 T/C hawken. (.440 lead ball under T/C pre lubed pillow ticking, 70 gr 3F Schutzen) I already tried shooting it out, pulling it out, and inertial removal. So far nothing. Im from PA and the season starts on Monday so im in a rush. My question is: I removed the touch hole liner. If I dribble some BP into there and re-screw the liner back in. Will it be safe to shoot? Or should I take the loss and buy a co2 remover? My problem is where i’m from real black powder is almost impossible to find and I only have 3F and I couldnt fit any into the touchhole without unscrewing it. Thank all of you in advance.

Make one of these for future use. If you can't make one just yet, the rubber tip on a compressor blowgun wuill work just fine. Don't mess around with grease if you can help it. Best bet is to get as much fine powder (grind some FFF finer in a ceramic, wood or brass mortar, or just between a couple of pieces of wood) run as much as you can into the hole, and screw in a rifle nipple (1/4x28), and set it off with a cap. That should move the ball some way up the barrel if not all the way out, and you will be able to get much more powder in. Put the nipple back in, and ram the ball home again, then use a cap and shoot the ball etc. out.

 

[Flintlock]

Has anyone tried the toilet plunger method yet.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Make one of these for future use. If you can't make one just yet, the rubber tip on a compressor blowgun wuill work just fine. Don't mess around with grease if you can help it. Best bet is to get as much fine powder (grind some FFF finer in a ceramic, wood or brass mortar, or just between a couple of pieces of wood) run as much as you can into the hole, and screw in a rifle nipple (1/4x28), and set it off with a cap. That should move the ball some way up the barrel if not all the way out, and you will be able to get much more powder in. Put the nipple back in, and ram the ball home again, then use a cap and shoot the ball etc. out.

Did you not read the post where the OP said he GOT THE BULLET OUT? Please can a moderator STOP THIS INSANITY!!!!

 

[Flintlock]

Did you not read the post where the OP said he GOT THE BULLET OUT? Please can a moderator STOP THIS INSANITY!!!!

Or , just stop reading the post and don't bother moderator or mommy yet. Some are just blowing off holliday steam.