Trouble…

[sturmkatze]

There are these magickal beings called "GUNSMITHS" who can fix such problems. Amazingly, they do this for a living. I bet there's one near you.

 

[Okie Hog]

There are these magickal beings called "GUNSMITHS" who can fix such problems. Amazingly, they do this for a living. I bet there's one near you.

Yep, there's a couple guys in this town who call themselves "gunsmiths". Friend took his father's high grade Winchester model 12 shotgun to one of those "gunsmiths". The guy removed the magazine tube with a pipe wrench.

 

[S.Kenton]

I don’t trust too many with my firearms… I do most of my own smithing myself. That could also be why the OP posed the question, maybe he wants to fix his own with help? It’s the best way to learn, in my opinion.

 

[Brokennock]

There are these magickal beings called "GUNSMITHS" who can fix such problems. Amazingly, they do this for a living. I bet there's one near you.

Yup. And most of even the good ones these days don't know a darn thing about muzzleloaders.
I have/had a guy very near me that I've known most of my life who is nationally acclaimed for his hand built 1911s and other custom work. He can also fix or redo about any firearm, but, would rarely work on a muzzleloader. And after his reputation spread nationally. He stopped doing most "other" gun work except for some things for select long time customers. Unfortunately we lost him this year, much too young, in his 50s.
The other popular "gunsmith" in the area, is nowhere near as good, and I don't think they even know what a muzzleloader is. They certainly aren't doing any high end hand fitting or real bluing.
There is one other guy, he knows old guns, but takes very little work and his wait times are ridiculous.

And, there is no need for a gunsmith here.There is no need to remove the breechplug, or any other over the top "solution."

That this subject comes up as often as it does is one thing. The advice to do things that under any other circumstance we are constantly told not to do, like removing breech plugs, and all the other overt histrionics that get suggested,,,, is where the disgust with this subject comes into play for many of us.

 

[sturmkatze]

I'm lucky in that I have a great local muzzleloader gunsmith. I still think folks should search these guys out if they are uncomfortable with some of the hair-brained things guys tell them to try. Don't get me wrong, some are great, like the grease gun thing, but I'm probably too lazy. I bought a co2 hoogis for the next time I dry ball (notice I say "next time" vs. lying and saying "if"). Anyway, I've always (been lucky enough) got them out with a ball puller.

 

[ppb]

I am a little behind on this thread, but here's my thought:
Do not try to use any amount of BP to dis-lodge your stuck ball.
In a rifled barrel, the patched ball will try to follow the path of the lands and grooves which, in turn, will re-orient anything stuck to it or in front of it. That tendency could possibly put one of those items in a position to bite into the the rifling creating greater pressure which then becomes a more severe problem.
My suggestion would be to lubricate the barrel in front of the obstruction, then use the grease gun method previously discussed. Steady and slow...
Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

 

[Jeff Marshall]

Standard grease guns can go up to 7000 psi, and there are high pressure
models that will do 15000 psi.

 

[BadDaditood]

Am I too late?

 

[Idaho Ron]

I wondered how I'd get the pressure. What's cleanup like with a bore full of grease? Apologies if you've already said I must have missed in the last 6 pages of people complaining.

I took out a stuck projectile for my friend. It was stuck for 25 years. The grease gun pressured up and it actually popped and almost came out. I bet I only had a 1/4 cup of grease in it.
Watch the video. I show how to clean it.
It sounds like you haven't watched the video. If you choose to go another was just remember. If you end up with a hole through the ball the grease will not work.
Good luck.

 

[hawkeye2]

22 posts later: 2 dozen blueberry corn muffins made with buttermilk cooling on the rack. 10 oz. blueberries, 4 eggs. Far better than popcorn and our Airedale loves them.

 

[deerstalkert]

22 posts later: 2 dozen blueberry corn muffins made with buttermilk cooling on the rack. 10 oz. blueberries, 4 eggs. Far better than popcorn and our Airedale loves them.

long flight but if i put the hammer down i can be there for breakfast!

 

[kyron4]

I don't have any suggestions for the OP, but I've read through the entire thread thinking I just might learn something myself.

I can't understand why so many members post just to complain about the subject matter in the thread. If you think it's a dead horse then don't open the thread. How hard is that? To join the discussion solely to complain about the subject matter tells me you are one of those who just want to increase your post count as though that gives you some kind of prestige.

I scroll by threads that don't interest me all the time. It's not that difficult.

Everyone on this forum needs to watch this video.

 

[deerstalkert]

you may want to read more than this one thread.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

If you go the compressed air method….
Make sure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction….
It’s my amazing how much velocity compressed air can generate…..
Don’t ask me how I know….

I put a dent in an aluminum door (across the shop) blowing a jag out of my GPR barrel with shop air hose!

 

[toot]

Had several occasions when I was starting out with muzzleloaders where I got a ball stuck part way down the barrel (t/c Hawken) and remember one was about a foot down the barrel. In all cases had 100 grains of FF loaded and a large gap between powder and ball. Just pointed the barrel up and pulled the trigger. No damage done and barrel still like new, still shooting it 30 years later.
On a slightly different note got a bullet stuck half way down a Ruger American a year or so ago. Filled barrel with black powder and also filled a primed case and fired the obstruction out. Barrel is good as new.

some people have all the luck?

 

[toot]

Get you a 5/16 metal rod push it down and fire it

use a 3 LB. hammer to force it down! if it don't go get a bigger hammer!!

 

[toot]

30 hours and 22 minutes and we are up to 6 pages on what is probably the most frequently discussed topic on the entire forum. Have we just set a new record? I was thinking about making popcorn too but I think I'll make some cornbread muffins instead.

I out it on pause and dose off and return and it is still going strong!!

 

[vintovka]

We need a post count poll!!

 

[Brokennock]

I out it on pause and dose off and return and it is still going strong!!

What is really funny, frustrating, and amazing is that even if within the next 6 minutes, @GoodRabbitPilgrim post that he has gotten the ball out, there will still be people jumping on here with their suggestions and criticisms of other's suggestions. For at least a couple days,, and then someone will add more advice to the cold thread in a year or more.

 

[vintovka]

Whenever reading " stuck ball" threads i am always reminded of the "story" of guy a long time ago who was using surplus civil war musket barrels to build an iron fence. Apparently he was using a forge to heat the breech end prior to shaping it for fence use...................................!