Stuck bullet

[Elkhorse]

The only thing I haven't seen is a gunsmith on here explaining how they do it. Unless some of you are smiths but won't tell us.
And I can see how you could use a spent ball again after it's been shot before cuz you use a patch and it will protect the barrel. I wouldn't use a conical though.............

 

[bigstick6017555]

Most fully machined shop gunsmiths that have been in the business for a number of years have the machinery and tools to do the job, if not they will make the tool. Bore scopes really help,they also think it out before they react, some ask other smiths their opinion if it is a new issue to them, they are usually helpful to each other, sort of a tight knit group.

 

[deermanok]

Pulled it with a ball puller, but I'm also still of the thought that they didn't load as tight a combo as many do today..

Or,,,, even better,,,,,, didn't get it stuck in the 1st place. (Again, maybe loads weren't as tight?)

How did the guy in 1750 pull that ball? Not a lot of evidence for rod tips that took screw in accessories like ball pullers, being common.

Just a wild guess, but I think that they had someone shoot a arrow down the barrel to stick in the bullet. Then they would tie a string to the arrow and the other end to the tail of a jackass. You can guess the rest.

 

[LME]

The only thing I haven't seen is a gunsmith on here explaining how they do it. Unless some of you are smiths but won't tell us.
And I can see how you could use a spent ball again after it's been shot before cuz you use a patch and it will protect the barrel. I wouldn't use a conical though.............

The reason you haven't seen a gunsmith tell you how to remove a ball, bullet or anything stuck down a rifle barrel is they are smart. When someone has already tried to remove the object it most likely will require a different procedure than it would if not disturbed by their failed atempts to remove the ball. I already mention before to take it to a machinist or gunsmith before you create a costly mess or possibly ruin the barrel. They have the tools needed and the expertise to do the job. No gunsmith worth his salt would tell anyone how without first seeing the problem first hand!

 

[Grenadier1758]

At our range on match days, we will have an occasional dry ball. We have a tank of compressed CO2 with an adapter for nipples. That is often the quickest method to discharge a ball. The other plan is to get powder behind the ball and shoot it out. There are times with a 4 grain clearing charge, that you only hear the cap going off. You may think that the ball is still in the barrel. A quick test with the ramrod will verify if the ball has left or not. I am aware of one case where the CO2 did not remove the ball. Several times the nipple was removed and powder used to try to blow the ball out. The ball puller wouldn't grab the ball. It wasn't until the metal rod was dropped down the barrel that the shooter was convinced by the ping of the rod striking steel at the breech that the ball wasn't there in the first place. By the way, only one person ever left the range with a ball at the breech.

We have three procedures.

1. CO2 compressed gas.
2. Powder behind the ball.
3. Ball puller.

The one person that left the range with a dry ball was me. Dry ball in my flintlock. The CO2 gas didn't have a rubber nozzle to seal off the touch hole. I couldn't get a good grip on the ball with my ball puller. I stripped out the ball puller and had the notorious hole in the ball. I could hear the air rushing through the touch hole, so I decided that using powder wouldn't work. I had the breech plug wrench at home along with the sturdy vise on my bench. Yes, I used never seize lubricant on the threads so removal was easy and a few taps on the remnant of the ball removed it.

My problem was I went straight to using the ball puller and I didn't get enough thread engagement in the ball before I tried to pull it out. At the time I had a nonremovable vent liner, so removal of the vent liner was not an option.

 

[Okie Hog]

The only thing I haven't seen is a gunsmith on here explaining how they do it. Unless some of you are smiths but won't tell us.

None of this muzzleloader stuff approaches the complexity of rocket science.

Removing a dry ball or stuck ball from a percussion muzzleloader is easy. i've done it many times, so have others here. i've seen the CO2 thing fail several times, ditto for pulling the ball. The the grease gun works every time.

As for consulting a "gunsmith": Few of those who claim the title "gunsmith" know anything about muzzleloaders. Furthermore, very few so called "gunsmiths" have ever attended a gunsmithing school. A friends inherited high grade model 12 Winchester shotgun was trashed by local "gunsmith". First thing the "gunsmith" did was remove the magazine tube with a pipe wrench; it went down hill from there.

 

[LME]

None of this muzzleloader stuff approaches the complexity of rocket science.

Removing a dry ball or stuck ball from a percussion muzzleloader is easy. i've done it many times, so have others here. i've seen the CO2 thing fail several times, ditto for pulling the ball. The the grease gun works every time.

As for consulting a "gunsmith": Few of those who claim the title "gunsmith" know anything about muzzleloaders. Furthermore, very few so called "gunsmiths" have ever attended a gunsmithing school. A friends inherited high grade model 12 Winchester shotgun was trashed by local "gunsmith". First thing the "gunsmith" did was remove the magazine tube with a pipe wrench; it went down hill from there.

Some people are not mechanically inclined and would be better off taking the rifle to some one that is. If a gunsmith uses a pipe wrench on a weapon he isn't a gun smith! I could write a book on pistols, rifles and shotguns that were damaged by inept people trying to fix a minor problem.

 

[deerstalkert]

None of this muzzleloader stuff approaches the complexity of rocket science.

Removing a dry ball or stuck ball from a percussion muzzleloader is easy. i've done it many times, so have others here. i've seen the CO2 thing fail several times, ditto for pulling the ball. The the grease gun works every time.

As for consulting a "gunsmith": Few of those who claim the title "gunsmith" know anything about muzzleloaders. Furthermore, very few so called "gunsmiths" have ever attended a gunsmithing school. A friends inherited high grade model 12 Winchester shotgun was trashed by local "gunsmith". First thing the "gunsmith" did was remove the magazine tube with a pipe wrench; it went down hill from there.

but its sooooooooo messy! (said with a Whine)

 

[deerstalkert]

OH shoot! i wasn't going to post on this thread again!!

 

[Omahkapi'si]

When I get a ball stuck should it be sprue up or down?

 

[deerstalkert]

being North of the Medicine Line i'd say down. or am i thinking of Australia? it's hell getting old. i think

 

[Springerpanhead]

If you had a stuck ball in a 46 inch 62 caliber barrel, how many pumps on a grease gun handle would it take to push the bullet out?

Don’t know but it has to be considerably less than it takes to tension the tracks on an excavator

 

[Muskeelover]

SUCCESS!!!!!!! Built a wrench that held the plug-lug, 10 days of Kroill Oil through nipple/clean-out side, and 50/50 ATF-Acetone poured in barrel. Put wrench in vise, set barrel/plug on it, wrapped LARGE crescent wrench with my hand, and it MOVED! Couple more light taps, and it turned out like butter. Used ramrod to hit tip of bullet, and dead-charge/pullet came out plug end!

THANK YOU all for your comments! This is a WONDERFUL service to shooters!

If anyone is interested in seeing the wrench, let me know.

Muskee!

 

[Muskeelover]

SUCCESS!!!!!!! Built a wrench that held the plug-lug, 10 days of Kroill Oil through nipple/clean-out side, and 50/50 ATF-Acetone poured in barrel. Put wrench in vise, set barrel/plug on it, wrapped LARGE crescent wrench with my hand, and it MOVED! Couple more light taps, and it turned out like butter. Used ramrod to hit tip of bullet, and dead-charge/pullet came out plug end!

THANK YOU all for your comments! This is a WONDERFUL service to shooters!

If anyone is interested in seeing the wrench, let me know.

Muskee!

Here's the beast!!!!

 

[Josephg]

Now let me get this straight. You have had a stuck ball in a rifle starting August 8th and you just got it out the 20th of September........... That right there has to be a stuck ball removal world record if there ever was one!
Congradutations!

 

[Muskeelover]

Very funny!!
I finally got around to posting the pic. Whoever tightens the plugs on, has to be on steroids!!!!!

 

[Winchester97]

When I get a ball stuck should it be sprue up or down?

Clearly Sprue up. Gives you a level flat area in which to get your drill bit stuck.

 

[Billy Boy]

Bullet is fully seated! Prior to killing the charge, I added 10-grs powder in nipple-hole, didn't phase it! I soaked barrel in Kroil for 3 days, then in WD-40 for 2 days. Bullet was casted, with lube-grooves. When loading it, I lubed the bullet well, and it went down relatively easy, considering it was my third shot, without cleaning.

I can easily weld my own range-rod (3/8") with T-handle. If I can locate a 10-32 female coupling/nut, I will weld it to the end, then can screw on my bullet-puller (with brass guide).

You could drill and tap a 10-32 hole in the end of the rod…..I have a 10-32 on one end of my ramrod and an 8-32 on the other…

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Here's the beast!!!!

That's the way to go, make your own tools. Not too many can these days.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

I had a foul up yesterday, forgot to put the powder in! That was the first in a lot of years, anyway the ball puller I had with me didn't want to grab the ball, too wide of a thread, I think? So, when I got home I looked around and found another puller with a narrower thread on it and that was much easier to thread into the ball, I still had to put the rod into my vise the get the ball out. Got it out though...yew!!