How much powder to clear a dryball?

[deseeb2001]

Got to thinking about this last night... I've yet to have a dryball in my rifle, although I have no doubt that someday I will join the ranks of this illustrious club :haha: Until I get a hold of a CO2 discharger, might be a good idea to know ahead of time: How much powder should it take to clear the rifle? I've trickled a few grains under the nipple to get a charge to light before, but there doesn't seem to be much room under there. Filled it up pretty good with only about 5 grains worth. I wouldn't want to put too little in and get a "short start" situation... Anybody remember how much they've used in the past?

 

Your 4-5 grains should clear the ball. Make sure that the ball is down at the breach and not up in the bore. If you get a squib load and the ball does not clear the barrel re-seat the ball and try to pick a little more powder into the drum, snail. It really doesn't take much, I have used 3-4 grains out of a plunger type primer.
Mark

 

[August West]

Doesn't take a whole lot at all. I've never measured, just take the nipple out, pour in some powder and your good. I have never had a ball stay in the bore after this treatment, I point the muzzle at the ground when I clear to ensure that the ball comes out. If for some reason it doesn't, just trickle in some more powder, push the ball back down the bore and try again. Chris

 

[1in48]

after many years shooting, this is the first year I have not only done one time but twice. Both times I removed the nipple and was only able to get a very few grains in there. Pointed at a safe target and thats all it took. If I do it again. I'm takeing up Golf!

 

It does not take much. I have yet to dry ball, but I did have a cleaning rod extended jag (about four inches of brass) stuck when the threaded part broke off. This was on a .50 cal flintlock. I removed the touchhole liner and got as much powder as I could in the hole and replaced the liner. Could not have been more than 5 grains or so. Pointed the rifle at the ground in the back yard. Not only did the jag exit the barrel, it hit the ground and bounced -- never did find it. :redface:

 

[DarenN]

i've dry balled my hawken twice this summer. both times i just took out the nipple and filled the hole with powder. then i picked away at it till the threads were clear. some powder landed on the ground but i got enough into the breach to clear the ball. i pointed the rifle down-range and at the ground, and watched the ball bounce out to about 30 yards.
so what caused these first two dry-ball episodes, in twenty years? distractions. this is the first year i've shot at a club. it seems that out of some 400 members i'm the only front end loader. people are curious, and they seem to think that it should be ok to stop by and ask questions while i'm reloading. don't let yourself be distracted and you'll probably never have to worry about a dry-ball.

Daren.......

 

[Zonie]

As the others have said, about 4-5 grains is all it takes.

Even that small amount can fill up the hole the nipple screws into and it is not a good idea to try to fire the gun with the nipple only part way installed.

Percussion guns always have some sort of hole that connects the bottom of the nipple hole with the breech.
When your pouring in the powder just add one or two grains and then, holding the gun so that the connecting flame channel hole is down give it a few hard pats. That will almost always shake the powder down the flame channel.
Once this is done, add another grain or two and repeat this patting.

Once you figure you have enough in there pat it a few more times to clear enough space for the nipple threads, reinstall the nipple and your ready to "foomp" the dry ball downrange.

Always be very sure the gun is aimed in a safe direction. I've seen more than once where the gun had a full charge in it and it didn't fire so the owner thought he must have dry balled it.

After pouring in a "clearing charge" under the nipple and reinstalling it the gun was capped and made a mighty ROAR as the full charge finally ignited.

 

[William O.]

"When your pouring in the powder just add one or two grains and then, holding the gun so that the connecting flame channel hole is down give it a few hard pats. That will almost always shake the powder down the flame channel."
Zonie nailed it, you'll be surprised at how much powder will settle into the flame channel by doing this, and I've found it to work everytime.

 

[hockeyref]

....... don't let yourself be distracted and you'll probably never have to worry about a dry-ball.

Daren.......

Don't need to have someone distract you, all you need is to be a little distracted mentally. Either rushing around, or thinking about the outside world..... This past week I got to the range and unloaded all my stuff, then I went to the lake and got the girls situated to do some fishing. I went to the shed, picked up some targets and hung them at 25, 50, & 100 yards I was ready to shoot some groups. I grabbed the rifle, a ball, and a patch and started to seat it - note - I've said nothing about putting powder anywhere yet.... :nono: I caught myself just as I was about to slap down on the short starter! I caught myself - THIS TIME - but that shows how easy it is to do.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Many years ago, my best friend dry-balled a new, .62 caliber rifle he was trying to zero in. He blamed me for the dry-balling because I dared to say hello, and that distracted him. We even asked him if he had put powder down the barrel before he dry-balled the barrel.

We had to remove the TH Liner from this flintlock, and then I used a small screw driver to lever the PRB forward enough that we could squeeze a few grains of 4Fg powder behind the ball. Believe me when I tell you I didn't get that ball forward very much. I doubt there was room for 5 grains behind that PRB.

Well, Don put the liner back in, then put the lock back in its mortise, and then he benched the rifle, sitting on his chair, and took careful aim at an 8" diameter steel bangplate he had out 25 yds. in front of his muzzle. I looked over at another friend, who looked at me with raised eyebrown, and silently rolled his eyes around, indicating he had no idea what Don expected to have happen when he fired that gun. Don had been complaining that no matter what powder charge he had tried, he simply could not hit that 8" bangplate from a rest at 25 yds. Now, that is BAD SHOOTING! :shocked2: :nono: :rotf: :blah: :blah:

Well, after what seemed like forever, the gun fired, or should I say- "piffed", and we could see the .600" diameter round lead ball fly through the air, where it bounced off the Exact center of that bang plate, 25 yds. from the muzzle. Stunned silence was all that could be heard.

I broke the silence by saying to Don,

"It looks like you found out what is wrong with that load you have been using in the gun to shoot at that bang-plate: You were using too much powder!"

Even Don began laughing over my comment, and it cut the tension on the range for the rest of the day.

I share this with you because I really don't want you to go overboard about using powder to shoot out a dry-balled PRB from any gun. 4-5 grains is more than enough. Make sure you point the muzzle at some place that will catch the ball and not let it rebound or ricochette around. Don's ball hit the bang plate and bounced back off its center to land about 3 feet in front of the plate. The plate was a " swinging " bang plate.

The ball was recovered, and accept for a minor flat on one side, It could have been loaded and fired again. All were surprised that such a heavy ball would bounce back that much!

 

[hanshi]

I agree; it takes very little powder to shoot out a dryball. On a couple of occasions - it wasn't my fault of course, ahem! - I was able to push enough 4f through the vent liner of my flintlock with a toothpick and that isn't very much. A pinch under the nipple is all you need. That ball comes out like a marble from a slingshot so watch where you point.

 

[Eterry]

When I was a teen some friends came over to watch me shoot my M/L. Among them was a pretty girl (seems all my stories start this way!!). Anyway, I was distracted and ran a dry ball, boy did I feel foolish as I pulled the nipple and trickled about 4-5 grains of FFFg in it. I aimed at a cross-tie cornerpost and learned that lead balls can bounce, almost back at our feet!!

So, I concure it doesnt take much powder, or distraction, to fix or create this situation.

Eterry

 

[deseeb2001]

Sounds like a pretty even agreement. Hopefully I'll never run into this scenario (and pigs can fly without the aid of dynamite :haha: ), but at least I know what I'm getting into. Thanks everyone :thumbsup:

 

[shadowhawk]

just to add one more precaution if and when you get a co2 rig beware where you aim then also they fly real well too (trust me on this) :redface: :redface:

 

[deseeb2001]

I'll bear that in mind :v