Dry ball

You are so right about keeping your eye on the ball. One thing more about the CO2 dischargers. I know they are in no way PC but if they had been available in the days of old they would have used them also! :wink:

I do not know if I am 100% right about this but I find ball pullers are more often than not a two person job. The only times that I have seen them work they required a additional rod usually with a T handle. In addition to this I try to limit the number of times I remove and install the nipples on my rifles. I remove them about every third cleaning and put anti-seize on them when installed. This may be bunk but they are all still tight and the threads are in great shape.

I'll also add that the CO2 discharger is in the truck when hunting and a nipple wrench is in my bag. I think that I may not be the only one that see's merit in them because mine and two others get plenty of use at our club matches. 5 matches 30 shooters and they will be used at least 6 or 8 times.

One other thing is that they really make it easier to get the ball or jag out without moveing the gun all around and I like the safety aspect of this. It does come smartly so make sure they are pointed down range. Geo. T.

I have yet do it more then once so far green horn outing
Guy had a priming flask 4f and we put few grains in out it came so now i have a little prime flask 4f ready for my next one as im sure one doese it more then once

My one time dry ball experience was with my 1861 springfield musket and it was quickly remediated with a few grains of 3F behind the nipple. Surprisingly enough you don't need much.. it doinks it out... about 4 -6 feet from the muzzle. :grin: Don't try to retrieve the lead... at the range. :wink:

How do the CO2 thingys work if the ball is stuck half way down the bore? MD

I admit to having dry balled 3 times in 28 years. I was able to work 3F into the touch hole on 2 occasions with my flinter but on the 3rd I had to pull the ball on my Springfield. So it can and will happen at some point so I'd mind what yea be sayin.

Welcome, brother, to The Dry Ball Club. :hatsoff: I am a long time member and have celebrated this momentous moment by repeating it several times in my 40+ years of muzzleloading. :idunno: I envy you having a CO2 discharger, a wise investment but why did you not get the proper adaptor to fit your caplock? My, my, my....go get the proper adaptor so you will be ready the next time you celebrate this event by repeating it......and you will, I assure you. Let me share this little poem that I have carved into the side of my powderhorn. "THIS THE RULE ABOVE ALL, FIRST THE POWDER AND THEN THE BALL" :haha:

If the ball is stuck half way down the bore there's a good chance a CO2 discharger won't blow it out. Stuck balls can be very hard to move. That's why their stuck.

If you get into this situation, the first thing to do is to uncap or remove the prime from the gun.

Then, with the muzzle pointed at the sky, pour about a teaspoon full of water down the bore and let it soak in for about a minute.

After doing this, the ball or slug will usually move fairly easily down to sit on top of the powder.

Once it is rammed to the powder you can either recap or reprime and shoot it out or use the CO2 discharger to blow it out.
Don't forget to pour out any remaining water before you shoot the gun.

I had one today!

Unpinned the barrel, unscrewed the vent, shoved some powder in the brench. KA poof! I laughed at myself because I immediately thought of this thread.

I had five dry balls in my first muzzle loader silhouette match. Five minutes isn't much with a muzzle loader for five aimed shots and being new to the game I was on over load and my brain just turn to oatmeal that day.
The hurry upper I went the behinder I got! True story and I still haven't lived it down and that was over ten years ago! :rotf:
Ah well, just have to laugh at ones own foolishness at times. MD

Quite a simple explanation for the lack of the proper adapter.. You see, this device, which I have semi confirmed has the exact same threading as the ball pullers, is actually a CO2 charger for a household beverage container. I bought it and used it for an entirely different purpose that I wont go into here, and only realized its value for our fine hobby by examining it and comparing it to the ones sold for our purposes.

I have done it a few times myself.Iuse this little ditty...Powder before ball or ball wont go at all

doug60 said:

I have done it a few times myself.Iuse this little ditty...Powder before ball or ball wont go at all

Click to expand...

:rotf: Of all the "little ditties" Ive heard so far, this has got to be the best!