Used Investarm loaded?

[Traderrick]

I purchased a .50 cal Investarm Hawken style percussion rifle from pawn shop. This is my first muzzleloader. The wooden ramrod has a scrathed line at the brass tip about an inch above the barrel when inserted. Is this gun loaded? Double loaded? How can I know and what should I do now? :surrender:

 

[jethro224]

Insert the ramrod all the way as far as it will go and hold your thumb at the muzzle to mark the depth. Now pull the ramrod out and hold it against the outside of the barrel with your thumb against the muzzle again. The other end should be real close to the nipple if the barrel is empty.
The Investarms barrel does have a powder chamber at the breech which is slightly smaller than the bore so there may be a half inch or so of difference. Any more and there is something in there.

If there is DO NOT try to shoot it out! There are several ways to unload it. A ball screw on a stout ramrod (preferably a metal range rod), or compressed air will usually do the job easily.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Take the ramrod and insert it fully into the barrel, and place your fingers against the muzzle so you know exactly how deep into the muzzle the ramrod fits. Then, without moving your hand on the ramrod, pull the ramrod out and place it along side the barrel to see how far down the barrel the ramrod had been once again keeping your hand even with the muzzle. If it is empty, the ramrod should go almost down even with the nipple/breach. I know with my .50 loaded with 70 grs of powder, the ramrod stops about 2 inches in front of the nipple/breach.

If it does turn out to be loaded, do NOT try to fire it, as you have no idea who loaded it with what and it may have been someone who didnt know to not load it with smokeless, so you may have a pipe bomb in your hands. Use a ball puller to pull the load and clean it as you normally would.

 

[Sinner]

Remove the nipple and use compressed air to remove the load, if there is one. Make sure the rifle is pointed in a safe direction. If there is no load the air will just blow through.
I agree to not try to shoot it out if it is loaded. You have no idea if it is loaded if the ball has separated from the charge or not.

 

[William O.]

Here is a quick way but by no means 100% definative. Drop your ramrod down the barrel, if it hits steel then it should bounce back a little, if it hits leads it more likely to just stop with a "thud". I would remove the nipple and see if any powder comes out as well. Always maintain safe muzzle direction.

 

[ohio ramrod]

A good soaking with alcohol will disovle any powder/fouling and make pulling or "air blowing" out anything in the barrel much easier. :idunno:

 

[Traderrick]

Thanks for all the good advice! I will look into it tonight and likely invest in a CO2 bullet discharger if I can't remove it with the ramrod bullet remover.

 

[jethro224]

Be careful trying to use the stock wooden ramrod to pull the ball. All my Investarms rifles came with ramrods that did not have pinned ends. It's pretty easy to pull the brass end right off the wooden rod.

 

[majg1234]

Good tip from jethro there :hatsoff:

 

[ChrisHarris]

I bought one of these brass ram rods. They make great range rods. It should pull the ball if your rifle turns out to be loaded.
http://www.octobercountry.com/products/OC-Brass-Ram-Rod-With-T-Handle-.html

Good luck!!

 

[petew]

Pull the barrel off and clean the gun in a pail of water. If you can't pump water it has something in the chamber.
Pete