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Im an idiot, HELP!

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Part of Gemmer's advice was to use a blow torch on the breech. My question: Even though he has tried to shoot the end out a few times and then used water and soap, is it wise at any time to use the blow torch for fear of some powder that maybe didn't burn? If so, would it be possible for the heat to ignite the powder, possibly causing a catastrophe?

Just curious.
Outdoorman
 
I had a Johnathon Browning rifle and my breech came out easy peasy.

Were it me however ... I would continue with the "shooting it out" program till it comes out. Getting enough powder in there will require 3F or 4F powder. You will not get too much powder in there gently shoving it in with a bent wire. It will however need to be dry behind your rod tip. This will dislodge it with perseverance. I can not understand what damage this could cause. I have done this also a few times with jag's, rod tips, and dry balls that I could not pull with a screw tip.

I hate those hollow breech plugs. A good flat end plug is the best in any world that I can think of. No muss ... no fuss! Unless you set the barrel back tho ... you are stuck with your breech plug. If you ever do remove the plug however, I would recomend smoothing that lil chamber to mirror bright using 150 sand paper followed with 220 grit then 400 grit. If a brighter finish is desired then follow that with 800 then 1500 grit. You will thank yourself with the ease of cleaning and reduced chance of sticking another rod tip
 
Part of Gemmer's advice was to use a blow torch on the breech. My question: Even though he has tried to shoot the end out a few times and then used water and soap, is it wise at any time to use the blow torch for fear of some powder that maybe didn't burn? If so, would it be possible for the heat to ignite the powder, possibly causing a catastrophe?

Just curious.
Outdoorman
I advised him to soak tin Kroil or PT Blaster overnight. That's going to turn any powder into goo.
 
I had a Johnathon Browning rifle and my breech came out easy peasy.

Were it me however ... I would continue with the "shooting it out" program till it comes out. Getting enough powder in there will require 3F or 4F powder. You will not get too much powder in there gently shoving it in with a bent wire. It will however need to be dry behind your rod tip. This will dislodge it with perseverance. I can not understand what damage this could cause. I have done this also a few times with jag's, rod tips, and dry balls that I could not pull with a screw tip.

I hate those hollow breech plugs. A good flat end plug is the best in any world that I can think of. No muss ... no fuss! Unless you set the barrel back tho ... you are stuck with your breech plug. If you ever do remove the plug however, I would recomend smoothing that lil chamber to mirror bright using 150 sand paper followed with 220 grit then 400 grit. If a brighter finish is desired then follow that with 800 then 1500 grit. You will thank yourself with the ease of cleaning and reduced chance of sticking another rod tip
If the tip is lodged in the chamber it could very well be blocking the cap flame from igniting the powder, depending on how far it's down in the chamber.
 
I have a Johnathan Browning Mountain Rifle in 54. It was given to me about six months ago. While out shooting last week I had a misfire. I ended up having to put a little 4f in the nipple and shot out the charge that way. Just to be sure I dropped the ramrod down to make sure it was clear.

MISTAKE! The ramrod was stuck so I yanked on it and out came the ramrod WITHOUT one of the metal tips!

I went home and did the hot water and dawn soak hoping it would loosen up. No luck. Tried to use my cleaning rod and a patch to do the suction cleaning in an attempt to dislodge it. Nope!

I used a flashlight to look down and can see it at the end of my the barrel. It is not threaded and was only held onto the end of the ramrod with some very old glue. When people talk about never trusting a ramrod now I know why.

I've tried the following things:

- put the ramrod back down and tried to tap it back into the metal ramrod tip and pull it all out at once

- wire coat hanger

- letting it soak for an hour (maybe its lodged in fouling) then using compressed air through the nipple hole

- 4f in the nipple hole then firing a cap

- 2f filled through the nipple hole with three patches as a blank load over the ramrod tip. It fired but didn't dislodge the ramrod tip.

What do I do? My club shoot on Saturday will probably be cancelled due to Corona. Am I approaching replacement barrel time? Is there a way to screw off the rear of the barrel?

Thanks!
Your last suggestion is the best. Take the rifle to a Gun smith. He should be able to remove the breech plug.

What grabbed my attention ws the use of the word "tip"instead of JAG.. WHAT WAS ON THE END OF YOUR RAMROD. A JAG WOULDN'T GET SNAGGED LIKE THAT?
A JAG IS UDUALLY CONNECTED WITH A CROSS THE SHAFT SCREW OR MAYBE A NAIL. THAT'S WHY I PREFER A THREADED JAG ON A STEEL SHAFT.
DUTCH
 
Well, this has been educational.:) Luckily, I have only had my cleaning jag and a dry patch hang up for a bit in my .44 (momentarily disconcerting, but eventually rectified). I hope I can avoid the OP's issue, but I have certainly learned a plethora of remedies. Also, I recently built a new ramrod and haven't pinned it yet. I will be getting right on that...

UndeadPoet
 
Wow, a lot of drama over a simple fix. For MOST dry-ball type issues, I simply change my nipple to Hubbard's Outdoor Products, Mag-Spark. The non-black powder primers simply spit out my stuck balls and dry balls. When and if that doesn't work I use compressed air through the nipple hole. So far, since I got Mag-Spark nipple conversion to 209 primers, I've yet to need to go to C02 air, or powder behind the ball.
 
It's not a dry ball situation. If the ramrod is stuck in the powder chamber far enough down so it blocks the flash hole, no kind of primer is going to push it out. The end go the rod would have to be AHEAD of the flash hole.
 
It's not a dry ball situation. If the ramrod is stuck in the powder chamber far enough down so it blocks the flash hole, no kind of primer is going to push it out. The end go the rod would have to be AHEAD of the flash hole.
Well THAT SUCKS! Time to remove the breach plug. By yourself or a gunsmith I don't see any other good way. BUMMER
 
I remember many years back, that I broke off my cleaning jag with brass threads at the breech of my flint lock rifle while I was cleaning it at home. My flint adapter didn't blow it out with the CO2. Where I live in St. Louis County, the local ordinances frown on firing a gun in the back yard, so putting powder in the through the touch hole was not an option besides with the flat breech, the jag was past the touch hole anyway.

I was the one who breeched it and I had the equipment to unbreech the plug from the barrel. Pushed the broken jag from the barrel and finished cleaning the rifle. Posted on here to pass on my I got all sorts of advice saying I should have shot the jag out, used CO2 and done most anything but unbreech the gun. By the time I got all that advice I had the rifle cleaned and back in storage for my nest outing. I appreciated the advice, but the deed was done.

I am sure by now the OP has his rifle back and hopefully fully ready to go to the range.
 
carry a good store bought or home made metal range rod with you to the range each and every time you go. it can save the day!
 
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