Stuck jag

[bioprof]

I received the Mortimer smoothbore this week that I'm planning on restoring. I soaked a cleaning patch with Butch's Bore Shine and ran it down the barrel with a .58 caliber jag. It went down pretty smoothly to the bottom of the barrel, but when I went to pull it out, it was stuck. I've put the barrel in a vice to get more leverage, but still no luck. I have one of those CO2 dischargers, but I need to get a new cartridge tomorrow. I've heard of people shooting a ramrod out, but I'm afraid to do that if it really is stuck. Here's a picture of the lock and breech:

Any advice?

 

[Rebel]

Other than pour some water down the barrel and let it soak the patch good then try to pull it again, i don't know.

 

[Slake]

ya don't really say what kinda rod ya have in there.....I'm thinking add lube and pull it out...it looks kinda nasty around the nipple

 

[Slake]

I would never shoot a ramrod out.

I wouldn't even think about it.

 

[bioprof]

ya don't really say what kinda rod ya have in there.....I'm thinking add lube and pull it out...it looks kinda nasty around the nipple

It's a 3/8" hickory rod.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I would pour down a good thin oil to soak the patch, to help lubricate the barrel where the cloth patch is now stuck, rather than water. I hope the jag has a steel screw in the brass fitting, and not one of brass. With the steeel screw, you have a chance of getting the ramrod and jag out of the gun with the patch. You don't say what if any handle you have on the end of the ramrod. If none, try wrapping wet leather lacing around the ramrod three times, and then make a loop for your hands to pull. The wrap has to go around at least 3 times to obtain the needed friction to hold. Then only the breaking of the lacing will keep you from pulling the rod out. It will move slowly at first, and don't feel at all reluctant in pouring more oil down once it does move. Once it begins to move, pull steadily until it comes out. Next time you run a patch down the barrel move it back and forth before leaving it in there for any length of time. This will " set " the cloth fibers in the groooves of your jag, and in the direction needed to allow the patch to be pulled out. IN fact, if your patch is a little thick for the bore, reverse the direction of the ramrod several times as you run the patch down the barrel. That not only loosens up the crud, but also removes some of it so it does not make pulling the patch out the entire length of the barrel more difficult when you get to the bottom. Only when the barrel is clean, and polished, can you take the chance on running a patch down in one full stroke.

 

[arcticap]

I've used a good soaking of Slick 50 lube in a spray can and was surprised at how much it helped to ease out the stuck jag.
I might even consider placing something like tire inner tube rubber, or a piece of an old basketball around the ramrod, and then employ some vice grips, clamp or vice to gain additional leverage to pull out the ramrod.
After my episode, I started using far more undersized jags with thicker, custom trimmed patches made from old tee shirts mostly. I rarely encounter any serious problems now. With an undersized jag, the patch usually won't get wedged too tight, at least not usually without some advanced indication going in. For instance, I use a .41 caliber jag for .45, .50 calibers and up to at least .550. For .36 caliber I use a .25 jag. I may have to use a little more elbow grease, but it does seems to work. :hmm:
Good luck.

 

[arcticap]

Once the patch/jag is soaked, you might get more leverage by putting the rubber or leather protected ramrod in the vice and pulling on the barrel, (instead of pulling on the ramrod).

 

[MikeFromON]

Putting the rod in the vise and pulling on the barrel will give you a way better grip than doing it the other way around, although you might pull with such power that the jag will come right off the end of the rod (then you will really be up sh*t creek!). Try twisting as you pull. If the jag went in okay but will not come out, I would guess it loosened a bit of crud on the way down which is now caught between the jag and the inside of the barrel, wedging it in there. You could also pour boiling water over the barrel at the place where the jag is stuck. The heat from the water could expand the barrel just enough to give you the clearance you need to get the jag out. My father used this technique (under the kitchen tap) to get stubborn lids off pickle jars.

 

[Tracy]

If you can remove the nipple take it out and put in a grease zirk get a grease gun and pump it out.I have done this several times.A bit messy to clean but not too bad,I used a coffee can of gas or diesel fuel and clean it like would using hot soapy water.

 

[bioprof]

Yippee!!! I went to the hardware store this morning and bought a package of CO2 cartridges and a piece of rawhide. I was going to soak the rawhide and wrap it around the ramrod so I would have more grip. I didn't need to do that. Put the CO2 discharger on the nipple (in the garage) and the rod shot out with a crack. The wooden end of the ramrod put a 1/2" deep round hole in a piece of molding along the edge of the wall of my garage. Imagine what that would do if it hit a person! This was a lot easier than pulling, and was without the risk of breaking off the ramrod tip.

 

[Forster]

I switched over to the TC "super jags" they have a long taper behind the jag that helps prevent the patch from bunching up. Notice I said "helps" cause they still occasionally get stuck. [usually when there isn't anyone around to help]...Jim

 

[roundball]

I switched over to the TC "super jags" they have a long taper behind the jag that helps prevent the patch from bunching up. Notice I said "helps" cause they still occasionally get stuck. [usually when there isn't anyone around to help]...Jim

Jim...I use those also...but a word to the wise, the TC Superjags are one piece brass...the threaded end is soft brass...not a steel insert like some of the better jags.

If you use it while out hunting I suggest you consider carrying a spare jag in your pouch, or at least hunt with one that has a steel insert.

Last fall I shot a buck, climbed down and proceeded to thoroughly clean & lube the bore before reloading for another couple hours hunt, ened up snapping off the threaded part of the superjag just as the jag was entering the muzzle good (didn't keep my ramrod straight).

I was able to just pull the supperjag out of the muzzle cause it was still sticking up in the air...and luckly, the threaded tip that was left in the ramrod adapter end was loose enough I could just turn it round and round and with a knife blade tip and back it right out...the good news is I had a spare jag with me, finished cleaning & reloading OK.

It's a weak point in an otherwise good idea...gives that extra few inches of ramrod length too which I like...but they should have used a steel insert for strength...since they don't, I have spares of every caliber in the range box, and carry a caliber spare when hunting...just thought I'd mention it if you weren't already aware of it

 

[bioprof]

Where can you get brass jags with a steel threaded portion? I've never seen one.

 

[roundball]

Where can you get brass jags with a steel threaded portion? I've never seen one.

Most BP suppliers carry them...the text about the jag usually indicates if it has a steel insert or not.

I've bought them over the years from October Country, but they're really the same 2-3 top names manufacturers...many BP suppliers carry the same brands of jags.

Other than a few Superjags from TC, all my other jags are made by "Treso" with steel threaded ends...and they allo have the offset/taper to keepo the patches from binding up, they're just a couple inches long instead of 4" long like the Superjags.