stuck ball

[redkayak]

Got in a hurry and rammed a ball home with no powder :shocked2: struggled with a ball puller forever and then remembered a remedy I had read about a while back. Went back to the range, unscrewed the nipple, filled the hole up with powder (which wasn't much) screwed the nipple back in, crushing powder as it went, and popped a cap. I really didn't think it would work but the ball flew out about five yards. My question is, why would you need a ball puller in your kit at all?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Basically, it's just a good backup piece to have. sometimes the powder trickle trick just won't work and the ball puller my be the way to go, in that instance.

 

[redkayak]

Yes, I guess so .. at least I have one but not sure if I could ever actually pull the ball out with it .. almost ruined my ramrod using a pair of locking pliers.

 

[Wes/Tex]

I totally understand. Have often wondered what was done back in the day when this happened, though those old hands probably dry-balled a lot less often with their hineys on the line! :haha:

The CO2 units are a life-saver sometimes and well worth the money when they're needed. I can honestly say I've never dry-balled in nearly 50 years of muzzleloading but have done enough other idiotic things through the years to make up for it...in spades!!

 

[bpd303]

Yes, I guess so .. at least I have one but not sure if I could ever actually pull the ball out with it .. almost ruined my ramrod using a pair of locking pliers.

Never use the wooden ram rod when using a ball puller. A steel range rod with a handle will get a stuck ball out, providing you can get a good purchase on the ball with the screw.

 

[Zonie]

The old powder under the nipple trick has always worked for me.

Course, it's a good thing that I'm always very careful about pointing the gun at a safe target when I do use this method of removing a stuck ball.

Once, when I tried it, I found that I hadn't dry-balled the gun after all and with a mighty roar the gun fired when I "popped the cap". :redface:

 

[M. De Land]

That's why you need a steel range rod with a big knob on the end. I screw the ball puller into the ball and hook the knob over a car bumper or more often a rafter brace on the range cover. This allows you to keep the muzzle protector in place while you lean your weight on the barrel and pull the ball. Mike D.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Beat me to it, as this is just what I do.

I can't for the life of me understand WHY folks go to a range without a Range Rod. I don't think I've ever actually used my ramrod--it's just there for "show", lol!

Dave

 

[Snakebite]

One thing I found helpful when trying to pull the ball is to shoot some solvent down the barrel and wait a while. I once had one really stuck and after doing this it pulled pretty easy. But by far, if possible, the powder thru the nipple channel is the way to go. Just make sure the ball goes all the way out the barrel.

 

[Billnpatti]

Okay, so I've been lying about never having dry balled a rifle. But, then everyone probably knew that anyway. So, just last Thursday I was at the range when something strange happened......I dry balled my rifle. Must have been that a witch flew over the range that caused it. I know it wasn't my fault. I was shooting my .54 cal. mule ear plains rifle. The nipple is located such that if you dry ball the rifle, the ball comes all the way down and obstructs the nipple hole making it impossible to get any powder behind the ball. I put a cap on the nipple and snapped it. It was enough to move the ball an inch or so giving me room to work some powder behind the ball. After working some powder behind the ball, I re-seated the ball and shot it out. I don't count that as a real dry ball because it was the fault of the witch that flew over the range just as I was loading.......or maybe it was some kind of curse put on me by some evil person. I don't know :idunno: but I know it couldn't have been MY fault. :shake: .... :haha:

 

[Rifleman1776]

:rotf:

Beat me to it, as this is just what I do.

I can't for the life of me understand WHY folks go to a range without a Range Rod. I don't think I've ever actually used my ramrod--it's just there for "show", lol!

Dave

Because the rifle rod is the one that came from the factory and the owners are in love with it. Plus, a steel/delrin/brass/whatever rod just "ain't authentic".
Those reasons good enuf fer ye? :wink:

 

[M. De Land]

Be that as it may, once you've used a good range rod while in a "pinch" I doubt one will not embrace them whole hardly. Mike D.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Got in a hurry and rammed a ball home with no powder :shocked2: struggled with a ball puller forever and then remembered a remedy I had read about a while back. Went back to the range, unscrewed the nipple, filled the hole up with powder (which wasn't much) screwed the nipple back in, crushing powder as it went, and popped a cap. I really didn't think it would work but the ball flew out about five yards. My question is, why would you need a ball puller in your kit at all?

You need the ball puller for the time the ball didn't get fully seated. Some lubrication is also needed. If the ball is separated from the powder, you risk causing a bulge in the barrel or bursting the barrel.

Shooting the ball is a great way to get the ball out, but only when the ball is set on the breech.

 

[galamb]

I use the ball puller after a day of hunting if I'm "less than inclined" to clean the rifle when I get home (normally if it's cold/wet/dark and I just want to go to bed)

 

[hawk driver]

Okay, so I've been lying about never having dry balled a rifle. But, then everyone probably knew that anyway. So, just last Thursday I was at the range when something strange happened......I dry balled my rifle. Must have been that a witch flew over the range that caused it. I know it wasn't my fault. I was shooting my .54 cal. mule ear plains rifle. The nipple is located such that if you dry ball the rifle, the ball comes all the way down and obstructs the nipple hole making it impossible to get any powder behind the ball. I put a cap on the nipple and snapped it. It was enough to move the ball an inch or so giving me room to work some powder behind the ball. After working some powder behind the ball, I re-seated the ball and shot it out. I don't count that as a real dry ball because it was the fault of the witch that flew over the range just as I was loading.......or maybe it was some kind of curse put on me by some evil person. I don't know :idunno: but I know it couldn't have been MY fault. :shake: .... :haha:

I have been shooting black powder since 1988 and I dry balled one for the first time last weekend. I let the mind wander and was watching that witch fly over the range, and 3 caps later, I realized what had happened.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

:rotf:

Beat me to it, as this is just what I do.

I can't for the life of me understand WHY folks go to a range without a Range Rod. I don't think I've ever actually used my ramrod--it's just there for "show", lol!

Dave

Because the rifle rod is the one that came from the factory and the owners are in love with it. Plus, a steel/delrin/brass/whatever rod just "ain't authentic".
Those reasons good enuf fer ye? :wink:

Please don't take offense, but in a word, NO! I can't count the number of times I've had to put up with the distraction of someone either having trouble seating a ball in a dirty bore (that the owner was neglecting to use a simple spit patch), or pulling a ball and being interrupted by someone who was "in-love" with their ramrod. I don't know who the bigger fool is: the idiot who's interrupting the entire line during a Match (looking to borrow a Range Rod)or ME, since I'm such a nice guy and want to use my Range Rod with ball puller so as to NOT make as big a SCENE disturbing everybody else....LOL!

 

[Dphar]

Got in a hurry and rammed a ball home with no powder :shocked2: struggled with a ball puller forever and then remembered a remedy I had read about a while back. Went back to the range, unscrewed the nipple, filled the hole up with powder (which wasn't much) screwed the nipple back in, crushing powder as it went, and popped a cap. I really didn't think it would work but the ball flew out about five yards. My question is, why would you need a ball puller in your kit at all?

This is why I use FFFF or Swiss NullB for priming a FL. It will pass a small vent.
However, on some rifles putting powder behind the ball is impossible if the vent or drum is put in too far from the breech face. So we need a ball puller sometimes.
I never had a range rod for a very long time, never needed it. But I use one now for wiping between shots and it pulls balls better if needed.

Dan

 

[nchawkeye]

Anyone that shoots muzzleloaders should know how to pull a ball and have the proper equipment to do so...

Suppose you are hunting and get caught in a downpour??? Trickling powder won't help that situation...

 

[oldude]

I have and use a CO2 unloader and love it. I use mine not only to unload or clear a dry ball but also to insure the nipple is clear before loading after popping a cap.

 

[M. De Land]

I think they are a great idea also, most of the time, but the truth is they do not work in every case.
I have seen them fail but I have never had my 5/16 stainless steel range rod fail to pull a ball. MD