Using compressed air to push a patch and ball out of the barrel

[ETipp]

Its been quite a while but I remember seeing a fella take a small hand size bottle of compressed air, put it up to the nipple, give it a blast and the patch and ball was forced out of the muzzle. So no having to shoot the rifle to unload it. I thought that was pretty slick. I haven't shot RB for years now so I am wondering if any here does that. I just got a new Crocket Rifle and will be shooting RB so I may want to try that, but only if it is practicable.

What say you?

 

[Don Steele]

That’s how dryball issues are resolved during the matches at Friendship.
It works well. For myself, I’ve never felt the need to go to that extent for the occasional dryball I have.

 

[deerstalkert]

8 pages

 

[ord sgt]

I keep a CO2 kit in my toolbox when I am at the range. I have used it several times to clear dryball loads. Some people forget the loading sequence or get distracted while loading their rifle. It uses small CO2 cartridges to forcibly eject the ball downrange.

 

[deerstalkert]

now to answer your question. yes many here do the air, either from a can or from a compressor. i have done many times. just be sure where the muzzle is pointed. My wife's former little ford has a nifty dimple in the fender just .54 inch in diameter.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I bring a pancake compressor to every rondy I go to.
Someone uses it just about every time.
Id remove the cone before you blast it with air.

 

[Bunk]

now to answer your question. yes many here do the air, either from a can or from a compressor. i have done many times. just be sure where the muzzle is pointed. My wife's former little ford has a nifty dimple in the fender just .54 inch in diameter.

Wrap the patch around a caliber smaller wire brush, or use cotton mops for cleaning and never lose a patch.
With the mop put the breech in a bucket of ater then pump water through the open nipple hole or the clean out screw hole and six or seven strokes what ever kind of barrel will be clean.
Bunk

 

[deerstalkert]

Wrap the patch around a caliber smaller wire brush, or use cotton mops for cleaning and never lose a patch.
With the mop put the breech in a bucket of ater then pump water through the open nipple hole or the clean out screw hole and six or seven strokes what ever kind of barrel will be clean.
Bunk

 

[Rancocas]

I had a somewhat different experience today. While doing some target practice; during my reloading sequence my wife walked up and said something, distracting me.
After talking with her, I went ahead and fired off the round. It didn't sound right and there was barely any recoil. I walked down to the target - no bullet hole anywhere. Hmm.
Oh --- I had the powder, but I forgot to load the ball!!!

 

[ETipp]

I keep a CO2 kit in my toolbox when I am at the range. I have used it several times to clear dryball loads. Some people forget the loading sequence or get distracted while loading their rifle. It uses small CO2 cartridges to forcibly eject the ball downrange.

Thanks. The only time I saw this was after a elk hunt one day. They guy just wanted to empty his ML but didn't want to shoot it. That small bottle of Co2 shot that .54 round ball, patch and powder out the muzzle quite well. I would reckon the only real purpose of doing that would be to eliminate having to scrub the barrel. I do not know if the ball and patch was reusable or if he even looked for them.

So when using this technique is it possible to recover the ball at a minimum and reuse it?

 

[ETipp]

I had a somewhat different experience today. While doing some target practice; during my reloading sequence my wife walked up and said something, distracting me.
After talking with her, I went ahead and fired off the round. It didn't sound right and there was barely any recoil. I walked down to the target - no bullet hole anywhere. Hmm.
Oh --- I had the powder, but I forgot to load the ball!!!

Like Forrest Gump said..........."it happens".

 

[nchawkeye]

Need pictures of the wife........

 

[ord sgt]

Some people do not want to pack a loaded but uncapped rifle and drive home. So the CO2 charger can be used for several types of situations.

 

[fromrusk]

I bought a cheap CVA rifle from a guy this past fall, and when I dropped my bore light down the barrel, the seller said, "oh yeah, I think its still loaded". After I got it home, I fired up my roll around compressor, and when it got up to 125 psi, I put a rubber tipped (non osha compliant) blow gun against the nipple and.... swoosh ! where that ball went, I don't know! But it sure works slick. I did have the rifle pointed out towards a corn field, so no one or nothing got harmed. It came flying out of there at a pretty good clip.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Its been quite a while but I remember seeing a fella take a small hand size bottle of compressed air, put it up to the nipple, give it a blast and the patch and ball was forced out of the muzzle. So no having to shoot the rifle to unload it. I thought that was pretty slick. I haven't shot RB for years now so I am wondering if any here does that. I just got a new Crocket Rifle and will be shooting RB so I may want to try that, but only if it is practicable.

What say you?

It's actually a container of CO2. Fundamentally it's a modified bicycle tire inflator. Here's the offering from RMC-Ox Yoke. There are other suppliers and in a fairly large price range.

https://rmcoxyoke.com/product/b-i-d-kit-2/

 

[brownac1983]

So when using this technique is it possible to recover the ball at a minimum and reuse it?

When I do it in my garage I blast mine into a bucket of sand. Wear safety glasses.

 

[fromrusk]

Black Powder Maniac has a really good video on YouTube using the CO2 setup, with some good pointers on how he modified it to work better.

 

[pacanis]

It's actually a container of CO2. Fundamentally it's a modified bicycle tire inflator. Here's the offering from RMC-Ox Yoke. There are other suppliers and in a fairly large price range.

https://rmcoxyoke.com/product/b-i-d-kit-2/

Thanks for posting this. I was just going to ask what kind of hardware was needed besides the air or CO2.
In a flintlock would you remove the touch hole liner?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Unless the touch hole liner is slotted, preventing a seal from the rubber tip, it should not be necessary to remove the touch hole liner.

 

[ETipp]

It's actually a container of CO2. Fundamentally it's a modified bicycle tire inflator. Here's the offering from RMC-Ox Yoke. There are other suppliers and in a fairly large price range.

https://rmcoxyoke.com/product/b-i-d-kit-2/

Now that's what I'm talking about!

Thanks for posting that.

Now the question arises, is the ball reuseable if recovered?