Holey balls, batman!!!

[Dude]

Let's see how many 'stuck ball' threads we can run at the same time. Shoot for a record?

I know about all the different methods of removing a stuck projectile so this is kind of specific. Someone mentioned that a large percentage of used BP guns come loaded, so decided to check my pawn shop TC Hawkins. Sure enough - the ramrod stops about an inch from the flash hole. Damn!

So I removed the nipple, hooked it up to the compressor, and of course, air blasts right out the muzzle.

They tried to remove it with a puller and left a gaping hole. Probably wrecked the ramrod in the process since it was missing at time of purchase.

How many of you have been able to still shoot it out with a hole runnin through it? I've heard of emptying a .22LR load behind the nipple. Yeah, I know - nothing but BP, but such a small load shouldn't be a big deal. Plus, being that it's not an enclosed space, a quicker rise in pressure would be beneficial.

Year of the stuck ball? Kinda fits.

 

[bigstick6017555]

WOW once there is a hole through the projectile it is kinda hard to build up pressure to push it out. Might be gunsmith time, unless you have tools and know how to use them

 

[Britsmoothy]

4f. Get as much as you can in there.
Report back.
The patch will help.

 

[Dude]

WOW once there is a hole through the projectile it is kinda hard to build up pressure to push it out.

Aint it the truth?!! But I think I have heard of them still being shot out.

4f. Get as much as you can in there.
Report back.
The patch will help.

So I should run a patch down there and fill the flash channel with 4f? (guess I shoulda bought that bottle of 4f at the gun show a couple weeks back for $15. Damn!)

I've got different smokeless powders and some .22s...

 

[Henry Miles]

A $50 borescope is worth it's weight in gold when buying any type of used long guns. Look before you buy. If the seller refuses the inspection, pass on the purchase. Exception being buying remotely online. I learned by experience!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Aint it the truth?!! But I think I have heard of them still being shot out.

So I should run a patch down there and fill the flash channel with 4f? (guess I shoulda bought that bottle of 4f at the gun show a couple weeks back for $15. Damn!)

I've got different smokeless powders and some .22s...

Was not the ball loaded with a patch? If so it may help partially restrict their hole.

 

[mooman76]

Aint it the truth?!! But I think I have heard of them still being shot out.

So I should run a patch down there and fill the flash channel with 4f? (guess I shoulda bought that bottle of 4f at the gun show a couple weeks back for $15. Damn!)

I've got different smokeless powders and some .22s...

4f is just easier to get in but 3e or even 2f will do the job.

 

[Dude]

Was not the ball loaded with a patch?

I don't know - it might be a minnie in there.

4f is just easier to get in but 3f or even 2f will do the job.

Maybe I can convert what I've got to 4f with the mortar and pestle. I've also got some pyrodex - might be a good use for the stuff. Is it less, or more, potent than Goex?

 

[Britsmoothy]

Stick to black powder.

What is 3e??

 

[Stantheman86]

Let's see how many 'stuck ball' threads we can run at the same time. Shoot for a record?

I know about all the different methods of removing a stuck projectile so this is kind of specific. Someone mentioned that a large percentage of used BP guns come loaded, so decided to check my pawn shop TC Hawkins. Sure enough - the ramrod stops about an inch from the flash hole. Damn!

So I removed the nipple, hooked it up to the compressor, and of course, air blasts right out the muzzle.

They tried to remove it with a puller and left a gaping hole. Probably wrecked the ramrod in the process since it was missing at time of purchase.

How many of you have been able to still shoot it out with a hole runnin through it? I've heard of emptying a .22LR load behind the nipple. Yeah, I know - nothing but BP, but such a small load shouldn't be a big deal. Plus, being that it's not an enclosed space, a quicker rise in pressure would be beneficial.

Year of the stuck ball? Kinda fits.

Now you know why it was sold

I wouldn't shoot it out , there could be 300 grains of Trail Boss behind that thing for all you know. Never trust someone else's load .

Could be a dry ball, could be two bullets in there, you don't know.

If you shoot it out , then Redneck Remote it

 

[flntlokr]

Get a look with a bore scope to see how big the hole is. You may be able to use a much larger screw to get a grip. You might also consider plugging the hole with a brass screw, and shooting everything out, or trying compressed air again. Once melted one out at a rendezvous (just be careful how hot you get it).

 

[Grenadier1758]

I would be inclined to screw a ball puller into the obstruction and use high pressure air. Point the muzzle at something to catch the ball and ball puller.

 

[Ballshooter]

Melt it out barrel won't melt lead is pretty soft.

 

[Dude]

Another member contacted me via PM with his thought that the breech plug on the TC Hawken could be about an inch ahead of the nipple. Is this a possibility?

Perhaps I've gotten all worked up over nothing?

Would anyone be so kind as to plumb the depth of the breech from the nipple for me? Perhaps this all is a non-issue.

I would be inclined to screw a ball puller into the obstruction and use high pressure air. Point the muzzle at something to catch the ball and ball puller.

That sounds very logical, and something I was considering.

First I'd better find out if there is, or isn't, anything down there.

 

[Stantheman86]

Another member contacted me via PM with his thought that the breech plug on the TC Hawken could be about an inch ahead of the nipple. Is this a possibility?

Perhaps I've gotten all worked up over nothing?

Would anyone be so kind as to plumb the depth of the breech from the nipple for me? Perhaps this all is a non-issue.

That sounds very logical, and something I was considering.

First I'd better find out if there is, or isn't, anything down there.

No, the breech plug is not ahead of the nipple, I've owned many T/C's and the breech is at a normal depth as per any other traditional Hawken style rifle.

Just use a bright LED flashlight and look down the bore, either you'll see bare Breech or a bullet staring at you

 

[Dude]

Thanks for that, Stan.

Yeah, I did shine a bright LED down there and could see something round-ish with a small hole off center.

I've never done this before, and have read so many accounts of the ball puller coming loose leaving a gaping hole, or the puller staying in the ball, but the rod breaking loose, and other variations, I'm a little leery of heading down that same path. However, threading it into the ball and leaving it there as a plug while I hit it with compressed air is a whole different matter.

I'm curious now what's behind the ball taking up that other half inch... powder? I didn't see any with the compressed air last night.

What is 3e??

Even I know the answer to that one! It was a typo, silly!

 

[Stantheman86]

Thanks for that, Stan.

Yeah, I did shine a bright LED down there and could see something round-ish with a small hole off center.

I've never done this before, and have read so many accounts of the ball puller coming loose leaving a gaping hole, or the puller staying in the ball, but the rod breaking loose, and other variations, I'm a little leery of heading down that same path. However, threading it into the ball and leaving it there as a plug while I hit it with compressed air is a whole different matter.

I'm curious now what's behind the ball taking up that other half inch... powder? I didn't see any with the compressed air last night.


Even I know the answer to that one! It was a typo, silly!

The puller coming out of a ball is pretty common, there could be a million things that happened here. Someone gave up and flushed the powder out of the nipple bolster, leaving the holed ball and just sold it for lack of any desire to work on it. The powder was blown out by someone else trying compressed air, the powder was wet and attempts to blow it out made a little "powder tunnel" of old, rock hard powder.

My coworker bought a flintlock at a yard sale that was loaded, I think an old CVA and he brought it to our "range qual" day where they let us shoot our own guns after we qualify, and another coworker who's braver than me fired it out. I'm like, you don't know what the *heck* is in there …...after a few flash in the pans the rifle weakly popped off and whatever was in there fired out and went into the backstop. The guy running the range was not happy because he's like, you guys are gonna blow your faces off shooting this weird gun and I gotta be responsible. I'm like, you got lucky, you trusted that some unknown person actually put blackpowder in there and not Pyrodex that would have been spoiled or God forbid smokeless and it ignited, and blooped out. We fired a few more lead bullets out of it, the thing looked it was stored in a wet basement for 30 years.

I would never try to fire an unknown load , I don't even trust other people's handloaded cartridges because I don't know if they were 14 cans of Busch deep watching a movie while loading the stuff.

People make me nervous, they find old cans of unmarked powder in odd lot sales and load muzzleloaders with it because it "looks like black powder" and I'm like no, never, don't do it.

I'd just screw a new puller into it and go with your plan to blow it out .

 

[Dude]

I was given this link just now of a posting by Idaho Lewis on this very topic. He shows a TC breech plug cut in half - which clearly shows the breech about an inch ahead of the nipple. So it's quite possible my barrel is clear. I'll have to run a piece of weed whacker nylon line through the flash channel and see what happens.

https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/sidelock-patented-breech-fire-channel.32477/
Good advice, Stan. Good points.

 

[SDSmlf]

No, the breech plug is not ahead of the nipple, I've owned many T/C's and the breech is at a normal depth as per any other traditional Hawken style rifle.

Would love to see a photograph of your unique TCs. Here is a photograph of a TC breech plug I pulled. The same as others I have pulled. Based on my L. S. Starrett scale the plug extends about an inch in front of the nipple. Please post a photograph of what you are talking about.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Thanks for that, Stan.

Yeah, I did shine a bright LED down there and could see something round-ish with a small hole off center.

I've never done this before, and have read so many accounts of the ball puller coming loose leaving a gaping hole, or the puller staying in the ball, but the rod breaking loose, and other variations, I'm a little leery of heading down that same path. However, threading it into the ball and leaving it there as a plug while I hit it with compressed air is a whole different matter.

I'm curious now what's behind the ball taking up that other half inch... powder? I didn't see any with the compressed air last night.


Even I know the answer to that one! It was a typo, silly!

I should have thought of the possibility that the barrel was unloaded. Is the "round-ish" hole on the side of the nipple?