Stuck Minie - Live Charge

[acsutton]

Is there any way to post pictures? I have a pic of where the bullet and powder are.....

 

[R.M.]

There's a couple of posts here.
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/46/

 

[acsutton]

Thanks, here it is:

 

[varsity07840]

Forgot to mention. An alternative method for pulling the ball-get a metal range rod with a bore guide and handle. After you run the puller screw deep into the bullet, put the rod in the vice with the handle behind the jaws-yank on the barrel.

Duane

 

[acsutton]

Not a bad idea. I just have no vice (tool that is). Nor do I really know anyone who does around here. As for the range rod with T-handle, I don't know where to get a quality one. I've become paranoid about all this stuff ever since I started reading this forum :shocked2:
I just have a a pretty sturdy steel ramrod:
Threaded end:

And jag-end:

 

[varsity07840]

I'm not being sarcastic, but given your lack of tools, I believe your best bet is to get a brass rod as noted in other posts and pound the bullet down until it seats. I still think you should take the barrel out so you can seat the breech end on something solid before you start pounding.

Duane

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Here is a club near you, call them . . . may be fun to meet other muzzleloaders too.

Jefferson Longrifles.
Dave Anderson,
2409 Mexia Ave.,
Tallahassee, FL 32304
http://www.jeffersonlongrifles.com/

There meeting tomorrow for a shoot . . .

 

[Jason Lewis]

oh, it's only got an inch to go. get a brass rod pound it down and shoot it out. that'll fix the problem.

 

[larry wv]

A hammer and brass rod will put it down. That's what I and several others would do. But I would tie it off to be safe and also being that tight its going to have more recoil. Larry

 

[Tumblernotch]

A hammer and brass rod will put it down. That's what I and several others would do. But I would tie it off to be safe and also being that tight its going to have more recoil. Larry

I'd like to add that he may want to put some padding of some kind behind the hammer to protect the stock in case the hammer is blown back past full cock. I've seen it happen.

 

[Jason Lewis]

what was the powder charge?

 

[123.DieselBenz]

You can find brass or steel rods at Home Depot, Lowes, Ace . . . just so you know.

Get a hammer there if you need one.

It sounds to me that you (FLReb) are just a little apprehensive, since you have never dealt with something like this before, but go ahead, and pound it in, and shoot it out.

That bore needs to get cleaned soon, it's going on two weeks . . . take it to a gunsmith if you don't want to do it.

Think of this little bump in the road as a learning adventure, soon you'll be an old hat at this, and be helping others you have found themselves in such a predicament!

 

[acsutton]

Alright. Got it out.

1. Tried to ram it down further. Failed.
2. Tried to pull it. Failed miserably.
3. Primed it, and pulled the trigger. Easy peasy.

Yes, I was very apprehensive about it. Just had to keep telling myself an engineering maxim: "The worst decision is no decision." I needed to get the bullet out, I felt as though I had learned about as much as I was going to.

Fortunately, I was able to meet up with someone at a range who was able to help. He told me to just go ahead and shoot it :thumbsup:

It came right out. The breech was a mess and there seems to be some slight leading, but other than that, no problems. Got some more cleaning to do and I need to get some proper lubricant and wadding and I'll be set!

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to advise me!

-Alec

 

[Jason Lewis]

oh good, glad to hear it.

 

[Dphar]

The more a lead slug in a bore is pounded on the tighter it gets.
A push will not upset it once in the bore but pounding with a rod or with a rod and a hammer will.
If upset in this manner there is no way to get any liquid past it to soften the fouling to lubricate around the bullet.
Shooting it out has its problems as well unless within 2" of the powder charge and even then its scary with well fixed bore obstruction.

Dan

 

[Trot]

Glad to hear you got it out. You may have some work ahead of you getting the lead out. Make sure to lube your minies, even crisco will work. No need for wadding.

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Glad to hear you got it out, new things make us doubt were doing it right, nice to have somebody on hand to confirm, or re-assure us.

 

[Tumblernotch]

what was the powder charge?

70 grs. behind a 560 gr. slug. Blew the nipple out and broke the stirrup limb off a newly made tumbler. I have to admit that when I casehardened the tumbler I allowed that particular part to harden all the way through so it was brittle. Learned my lesson.

In this case, the bullet, though lubed was driven too tight to pull. The gun had a patent breech and could not be unbreeched. No other choice but to shoot it out with the slug about a foot from the breech. The nipple blew out because the previous owner had not properly cleaned it and allowed corrosion to act on the bolster weakening the threads. Luckily I fired the gun from the hip with the nipple turned away. I can certainly vouch for the quality of Birmingham barrel steel!

 

[Piotr20]

How many grains of powder did you use to blast that Minie out?? Also, how deformed was it?? I ask because Im in exactly the same situation lol

 

[Tumblernotch]

It wasn't a Minie. It was a 560 grain .451 slug. Never found it.