That kind of week...in a good way!

[Daryl Crawford]

Last Saturday I was finally able to head up to New York and complete the transaction on a new to me .32 CVA Varmint that was in great shape. Got to meet @GregK , a great guy, who showed me the the basics as I've never had a caplock (3 flintlock rifles and 1 smoothbore on my rack). He sweetened the deal with some extras and home I came.
On Sunday I took the short ride to Dixon's Muzzleloader Shop to get the new toys I'd need (cleaning jags, capper, caps) and had great service and conversation with Greg Dixon. I set to tearing it down and cleaning in hopes of getting to know the little rifle better.
This afternoon I got the rifle out to shoot a few rounds. Remember, I've never owned or even fired a caplock. Two decent shots at 25 yds and started my reloading process for my third shot and I got a little distracted by my capper and refilling it...when I did it. Thought I'd turn 50 before I ever dry balled but nope, missed it by weeks. I had driven the dry ball only as deep as my short starter when I realized I hadn't moved my powder flask. Cue my cavalcade of errors.
Pulled the nipple, put some powder in the drum, shook it over into the barrel, finished ramming the ball, capped the gun, walked close to the target to make sure I saw evidence of the ball exiting the barrel and...misfire.
Well, walked back to my kit, recapped and fired...without walking close to the target. No hole in the paper, no dirt flew...did the ball come out? I dropped the rod down and too much of it was sticking out (oh yeah, because I left my jag on it!) So I got my pulling screw out. That's when I noticed the jag on the ramrod, but kept doing what I was doing.
It was strange, I couldn't get the puller to start in the ball, couldn't even get any lead residue on the puller's threads. That's when I figured out the ball wasn't still in the barrel. Loaded a powder load and fired that off to confirm what I knew, and settled into putting a few more rounds down range.
Hope ya'll can get a laugh out of my stupid, and it's ok because I'm having a great week! Dry ball doesn't even matter, and my lack of attention to detail doesn't matter either. I'm having a great week and looking forward to shooting some more soon.

 

[mushka]

If you can laugh at yourself, your'e gonna be ok.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I can recall several instances where there was a suspected dry ball. Nipples were pulled. Powder added and fired with only a tiny pop. Shooter was convinced the ball was still at the breech as the ramrod stopped at the same place each time. A ball puller was located as no one had a CO2 discharger. Sure enough, the ball puller would not start in the lead ball. Finally, some one suggested that we dampen a patch on the jag to see if the bore was blocked. The whoosh of air through the nipple finally convinced us that the ball was indeed gone.

 

[Dibbuk]

We are laughing with you, not at you. We have all been in a similar situation, whether we admit it or not. Such occurrences are always funnier in retrospect.

 

[Nazgul58]

Thank goodness I have never dry balled one of my guns......except for that day when I did it twice...in a row....

Hey I was alone so it doesn't count!!

Don

 

[No Deer]

To paraphrase, there are two kinds of muzzle loader's, those that have dry balled, and liars.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I struggled with getting my ball puller to screw into the ball when I thought I dryballed, I worked on it for quite a while. Finally I took the gun to the shop and pulled the breechplug only to find an empty bore, no dry ball, sure makes one feel stupid.

 

[hanshi]

Been there, done that. Aaaarrgh...

 

[griffiga]

Some time ago when I was young into muzzle loading, I was at a shoot and it was one of those days where I wasn't doing very well. Before you could quit, you had to fire 5 shots at the target. I was in the process of doing this when the gentleman next to me asked to barrow my short starter. The ball had came off from his. and in the course of finishing the target, we struck up a pretty good conversation. I pulled the rifle to my shoulder, aimed at the target and pulled the trigger. The BOOOOM was accompanied by a heavier than usual kick. Thinking I may have double charged it while talking, I proceeded to reload only to find that my ramrod was missing. Yes, I shot it down range. Interestingly enough, an eight inch section of it struck the paper target dead center tearing the paper in half right through the bullseye. Not having a spare rifle at the time, shooting ended for me early that day, and explaining to the range master my target was a bit embarrassing.

 

[GregK]

I guess I should have included the CO2 ball discharger with the package, Thanks for the kind words Daryl, enjoyed our visit.
https://logcabinshop.com/oc30/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=24787

 

[GregK]

Some time ago when I was young into muzzle loading, I was at a shoot and it was one of those days where I wasn't doing very well. Before you could quit, you had to fire 5 shots at the target. I was in the process of doing this when the gentleman next to me asked to barrow my short starter. The ball had came off from his. and in the course of finishing the target, we struck up a pretty good conversation. I pulled the rifle to my shoulder, aimed at the target and pulled the trigger. The BOOOOM was accompanied by a heavier than usual kick. Thinking I may have double charged it while talking, I proceeded to reload only to find that my ramrod was missing. Yes, I shot it down range. Interestingly enough, an eight inch section of it struck the paper target dead center tearing the paper in half right through the bullseye. Not having a spare rifle at the time, shooting ended for me early that day, and explaining to the range master my target was a bit embarrassing.

I must admit I did this exact same thing shooting a scoped inline, the scope hit me between the eyes with the heavy recoil and broke my glasses in two.

 

[Boston Bill]

I must admit I did this exact same thing shooting a scoped inline, the scope hit me between the eyes with the heavy recoil and broke my glasses in two.

Freakin ouch!

 

[Boston Bill]

Not even sure how to tell this tale. Not quite the same as you guys but it was frustrating then it was an lol moment so to speak.
Shooting my 1863 Sharps, had a misfire. Cap went musket cap fires but no boom. I always clean the flame channel and it wasn't my 1st shot of the day. Put on another cap and it went off but no boom.
Lowered the block to see how far up the barrel the bullet went and you all probably guessed it, no powder.
Think I was a little distracted that day?