Stupid, stupid, stupid

[Mike in FL]

Finally got a chance to try the new Pedersoli GPR flintlock yesterday. Just to start, I loaded 50 grns Swiss under .010 patch and .490 ball. 25 yards. Two shots from the bench dead center. "Oh boy, no sight adjustment." Moved target to fifty. Range worker came by and during chat I loaded same patch and ball over what I thought was 60 grains powder.
" Pssst!" No powder, stuck ball. I haven't done that stupid thing for many years. No ball puller with me. Another stupid thing.
Anyway, I love this gun. Heavy like a plains rifle ought to be, big barrel, great triggers, nice wood, fast lock, sights I can see. I've had two Investarms GPRs but this one is much, much better. Now, back to the range with determination to PUT THE POWDER IN FIRST.

 

[APG]

Finally got a chance to try the new Pedersoli GPR flintlock yesterday. Just to start, I loaded 50 grns Swiss under .010 patch and .490 ball. 25 yards. Two shots from the bench dead center. "Oh boy, no sight adjustment." Moved target to fifty. Range worker came by and during chat I loaded same patch and ball over what I thought was 60 grains powder.
" Pssst!" No powder, stuck ball. I haven't done that stupid thing for many years. No ball puller with me. Another stupid thing.
Anyway, I love this gun. Heavy like a plains rifle ought to be, big barrel, great triggers, nice wood, fast lock, sights I can see. I've had two Investarms GPRs but this one is much, much better. Now, back to the range with determination to PUT THE POWDER IN FIRST.

Powder in first, yea that helps. Oh and also bringing all the accessories needed to make it go boom and fix it when it goes psst. Been there, done that.

 

[Horse]

I can relate lol

 

[Nobody85]

Hey, it happens to people. You aren’t the only one

 

[JeffG]

Yeah, chatting and loading muzzleloaders can be a bad mix.

 

[Feltwad]

Finally got a chance to try the new Pedersoli GPR flintlock yesterday. Just to start, I loaded 50 grns Swiss under .010 patch and .490 ball. 25 yards. Two shots from the bench dead center. "Oh boy, no sight adjustment." Moved target to fifty. Range worker came by and during chat I loaded same patch and ball over what I thought was 60 grains powder.
" Pssst!" No powder, stuck ball. I haven't done that stupid thing for many years. No ball puller with me. Another stupid thing.
Anyway, I love this gun. Heavy like a plains rifle ought to be, big barrel, great triggers, nice wood, fast lock, sights I can see. I've had two Investarms GPRs but this one is much, much better. Now, back to the range with determination to PUT THE POWDER IN FIRST.

Never talk to anyone when loading put the gun in the rest it happens all the time a dry ball is not has bad has a double charge of powder
Feltwad

 

[rchas]

Join the club. I have noted that every time I have dryballed I was talking to another person, so now I step aside and don't speak to anyone until I have finished loading.

 

[2 shots]

well! what is wrong with all of you?? none of those things ever happened to me

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have found it easier to poke 4f powder through the touch hole than 3f powder.

 

[smoothshooter]

Finally got a chance to try the new Pedersoli GPR flintlock yesterday. Just to start, I loaded 50 grns Swiss under .010 patch and .490 ball. 25 yards. Two shots from the bench dead center. "Oh boy, no sight adjustment." Moved target to fifty. Range worker came by and during chat I loaded same patch and ball over what I thought was 60 grains powder.
" Pssst!" No powder, stuck ball. I haven't done that stupid thing for many years. No ball puller with me. Another stupid thing.
Anyway, I love this gun. Heavy like a plains rifle ought to be, big barrel, great triggers, nice wood, fast lock, sights I can see. I've had two Investarms GPRs but this one is much, much better. Now, back to the range with determination to PUT THE POWDER IN FIRST.

You can almost always trickle enough fine priming powder in through the vent to shoot the ball out. If the first try only pushes the ball part way up the barrel trickle in double the amount, then SEAT THE BALL ALL THE WAY DOWN AGAINST THE POWDER before firing again.
I have never had the above method fail for me.

 

[Muddly]

Talking and loading is as bad as a boomerang enthusiast with A.D.D.

 

[Mike in FL]

Re. trickling 4F in touchhole, isn't the ball in the way? I mean if you could look thru the hole, wouldn't you see the ball? If so, how does the powder get behind it?

 

[user 53891]

Talking and loading is as bad as a boomerang enthusiast with A.D.D.

No that's one I never heard before...."Good One"!

 

[necchi]

Re. trickling 4F in touchhole, isn't the ball in the way? I mean if you could look thru the hole, wouldn't you see the ball? If so, how does the powder get behind it?

The ball is round, the breech is square,, so there is always enough space to hold a bit of powder,
,it doesn't take much at all,

 

[bubba.50]

Re. trickling 4F in touchhole, isn't the ball in the way? I mean if you could look thru the hole, wouldn't you see the ball? If so, how does the powder get behind it?

I'm guessing that the Italian flinchlock breechplugs have the same smaller diameter recess(what TC refers to as a 'combustion chamber') as the TC's they're cloned from. Should be plenty of room for a few grains of powder.

 

[michacooks]

Finally got a chance to try the new Pedersoli GPR flintlock yesterday. Just to start, I loaded 50 grns Swiss under .010 patch and .490 ball. 25 yards. Two shots from the bench dead center. "Oh boy, no sight adjustment." Moved target to fifty. Range worker came by and during chat I loaded same patch and ball over what I thought was 60 grains powder.
" Pssst!" No powder, stuck ball. I haven't done that stupid thing for many years. No ball puller with me. Another stupid thing.
Anyway, I love this gun. Heavy like a plains rifle ought to be, big barrel, great triggers, nice wood, fast lock, sights I can see. I've had two Investarms GPRs but this one is much, much better. Now, back to the range with determination to PUT THE POWDER IN FIRST.

did the very same thing at the range thursday

 

[Jaeger]

What I have inscribed on my powder horn: (With my best attempt at all "s" letters looking like "f", a la 1700's) "Of all the leffons ye muft recall, Firft the powder, then the ball.."

 

[Grenadier1758]

Re. trickling 4F in touchhole, isn't the ball in the way? I mean if you could look thru the hole, wouldn't you see the ball? If so, how does the powder get behind it?

Depends. If you have the chambered breech described by @bubba.50, there's plenty of room for powder. Even with the traditional breech situation described by @necchi, there is room for some powder. Maybe not enough to shoot the ball out, it will be moved. Then add more powder, seat the ball. It only takes about 5 grains (volume) to have enough force to kick the ball out.

Pay attention, the ball may be blown out with little or no sound. I am personally aware of an attempt to remove a ball after about 4 attempts. The ramrod still seemed to contact an obstacle at the breech. Apparently the ball was gone after the first shot and the obstacle was the breech.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Grenadier1758, I’ve been there and done that.

 

[Artificer]

"Shooter, if for better scores you thirst,
For God's sake load your powder first."

Gus