Jag stuck in flintlock rifle

[TGPN56]

Hi, so about two weeks ago, I was cleaning my flintlock after a nice day of shooting and the jag got stuck. Me being an idiot, I twisted and got the ramrod out but the jag is stuck in there good. I dried her up as best as I could and I'm going to BLM lands to shoot this Friday. Is it advisable to trickle in powder from the touch hole and try to fire it out? If so, are there any tips you can give me?
Thanks in advance!

 

[G.smith]

Did the same in my "Frontier".54 last summer. I just pulled the vent liner, Squirted WD 40 down the bore, then in the vent. Then took an airhose with rubber nozzle and squirted 100 of air into the vent. Poof out squirted the jag and penetrated 2 layers of cardboard.
Good luck.

 

[TGPN56]

Interesting method. I don't have an airhose though. Ever try the trickle powder in method?

 

[Black Hand]

If not firmly seated on the powder, you are creating a potential for barrel damage...

 

[timothy prouty]

YES take the vent screw out throw some powder down the hole but don't put any oil in it and shoot it out

 

[Grenadier1758]

I am assuming that you have a dry patch wrapped around a jag that is stuck at the breech.

If you have fine powder, there is no need to remove the vent liner. You can use your vent pick to poke enough powder in the vent to blow the jag out. You may have to do this a couple of times if the jag isn't shot out. You do have to make sure that the jag and patch are seated on the powder that you have let in through the touch hole.

Once we have the jag removed from the barrel, we need to solve the problem of why the jag got stuck in the first place. Then we can make sure it doesn't happen again. Tell us about the make and model of your rifle. Tell us about the powder you are using in California. Tell us how often you have cleaned the rifle in the past.

Did you run a dry patch and jag down a barrel fouled with powder residue? The first patches when starting to clean a muzzleloading rifle should be pretty moist to dissolve the fouling and prevent the fouling build up to cause the jag and patch to get stuck.

Can you easily remove your vent hole liner? If you can you can check to see if the vent liner is protruding into the bore and catching the jag. The final fix in that event is to shorten the vent liner so it doesn't catch on the jag.

 

[TGPN56]

It's a pedersoli frontier rifle. It was the first time I ever fired it and I was cleaning it. I could remove the vent liner. Yes, the patch is stuck but I can push the jag in, I just can't pull it out.

 

[timothy prouty]

Throw some solving down the barrel to soften up the following we screwed the ramrod Into The Jig and pull it out

 

[Tom Compton]

If threads are still on the jag u can try screwing the ram rod back on the jag. I suspect the threads broke off the jag or u would have done that already.

Air pressure or 5-10 gr of 4F trickled thru the touch hole. If 4F method is used push the jag down after putting powder thru the touch hole otherwise you may not generate enough pressure to start the ball moving. Just a sparkler of Roman candle jet out of the touch hole. Point muzzle into a box of rags or something similar.

Prevention: use jags with steel threads not ones where brass threads are cut on the jag - very weak. Treso makes them w steel threads available at Track of the Wolf and other suppliers. Also you can drill and tap that broken jag and put steel threads on it.
TC

 

[Grenadier1758]

It's a pedersoli frontier rifle. It was the first time I ever fired it and I was cleaning it. I could remove the vent liner. Yes, the patch is stuck but I can push the jag in, I just can't pull it out.

Okay, if I remember correctly, the Pedersolis use a patent breech with the patent chamber smaller in demeter that the bore. All you need is 4 or 5 grains (weight) of powder to shoot the jag and patch out. The touch hole liner goes into the patent chamber so your touch hole liner hasn't caught the patch and jag.

Your new jag should have a steel threaded screw. Brass threads are just too weak. Your cleaning patch should be just large enough to cover the jag and moist enough to disolve the the the crusty fouling.

Hope you get your jag out before you leave for the BLM.

 

[Zonie]

If you had a typical custom made flintlock which has the vent hole going directly into the bore thru the barrel wall, the location of the stuck jag would determine whether the "shoot it out with some trickled powder" method would work or not.

If the jag was pushed slightly past the vent, blocking off the vent hole from the barrel, it is unlikely that any powder would be able to get under the jag so the explosion would force the jag out.

If the jag was above the vent hole then the trickle method would work fine.
(By the way, this trickle method doesn't put enough powder in the barrel to possibly damage it.
It's not like loading 10-90 grains of powder (which might damage the barrel if the jag wasn't shoved against the powder charge.)

With your Pedersoli, I think it has a flame channel that comes into the bore at the rear.

If this is the case, pouring some powder into the vent hole and firing it should do a good job of blowing the jag out.
Just be careful.
Although the small amount of powder is not enough to make much more than a loud "PUTT" when it fires, that's still enough to drive the jag thru a hunk of dry-wall.

 

[TGPN56]

I honestly don't know why it got stuck. All I know is when I pushed the rod all the way to the end of the barrel it felt like it went into a sort of crevice and from there I was unable to take it out. I had this issue a few times while I was swabbing it while shooting, but I was always able to pull it out, albeit with a lot of muscle power.

 

[TGPN56]

Threads are still there. I tried screwing it back on and pulling, but it is stuck in there good. I even got another guy to help me pull and no dice. I have no idea why it's stuck in there. There shouldn't be any powder left as I was nearly finished cleaning it. Perhaps the dry patch I was running down it screwed it up as I do remember someone at the range telling me to not use dry patches with that particular type of jag.

 

[TGPN56]

Tried that and tried putting WD 40. NO dice. It's stuck good down there, God knows why.

 

[Crewdawg445]

It's stuck because shot after shot will continue to foul the bore. If you ran a dry patch down the bore there's the problem. Coupled with the fouling it's stuck and stuck good.

Easy though with some patience, remove your vent, pour some VERY hot water mixed with a dash of soap into the breech end, plug it. Then fill the bore from the muzzle and let it sit for a bit.

Pour the water out and I guarantee it'll come out. Also your cleaning the bore and breech with that water/soap mix.

Next time remember to run a spit patch between every few shots. Residual/ burnt powder will foul your bore and reduce its size relatively quick.

 

[timothy prouty]

Try to put a pare of pliers on the rod and hit it the piece of wood or have rubber mallet

 

[Crewdawg445]

Try to put a pare of pliers on the rod and hit it the piece of wood or have rubber mallet

Wouldn't advise that... ramrod pullers are designed for this purpose, not pliers nor would I get them close to the crown. You'll also destroy your ramrod with ease. PATIENCE, try the above method.

 

[Gene L]

I'd try to shoot it out. Three or four grains of powder won't hurt the barrel and I don't see what you have to loose.

Removing the liner may cure your problem, if the patch is stuck by the liner sticking into the channel.

 

[G.smith]

have not tried the trickle powder method. Concern about barrel damage prompted me to use air pressure. I encourage you to locate someone or facility with air to help you out.
Ibnid.

 

[TGPN56]

I was already half way through cleaning it. I was merely drying it out when it got stuck. There was no more black powder residue left for it to get stuck on.